Democratic Speech in Divided Times

Awards:   Winner of Winner, 2023 Political Theory Prize, European Consortium for Political Research.
Author:   Maxime Lepoutre (Lecturer in Political Theory, Lecturer in Political Theory, Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Reading)
Publisher:   Oxford University Press
Edition:   1
ISBN:  

9780198869757


Pages:   288
Publication Date:   01 July 2021
Format:   Hardback
Availability:   To order   Availability explained
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Democratic Speech in Divided Times


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Awards

  • Winner of Winner, 2023 Political Theory Prize, European Consortium for Political Research.

Overview

In an ideal democracy, people from all walks of life would come together to talk meaningfully and respectfully about politics. But we do not live in an ideal democracy. In contemporary democracies, which are marked by deep social divisions, different groups for the most part avoid talking to each other. And when they do talk to each other, their speech often seems to be little more than a vehicle for rage, hatred, and deception. Democratic Speech in Divided Times argues that we should nevertheless not give up on the ideal of democratic public speech. Drawing on the resources of political theory, epistemology, and philosophy of language, this book develops a sustained account of the norms that should govern public discourse in deeply divided circumstances. Should we try to find common ground when we talk to our political opponents, even though they seem unreasonable? Should we refrain from expressing anger, if we want to get things done? How can we use our speech to fight hate speech and disinformation? And is it even possible to speak to 'the other side,' in settings where different groups dislike one another, live apart from one another, and don't know much about one another? By tackling these questions, Lepoutre demonstrates that, when governed by the right set of norms, public speech can be a powerful force for good even amidst profound social divisions.

Full Product Details

Author:   Maxime Lepoutre (Lecturer in Political Theory, Lecturer in Political Theory, Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Reading)
Publisher:   Oxford University Press
Imprint:   Oxford University Press
Edition:   1
Dimensions:   Width: 16.30cm , Height: 2.10cm , Length: 24.10cm
Weight:   0.001kg
ISBN:  

9780198869757


ISBN 10:   0198869754
Pages:   288
Publication Date:   01 July 2021
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   To order   Availability explained
Stock availability from the supplier is unknown. We will order it for you and ship this item to you once it is received by us.

Table of Contents

Part 1. Norms of Democratic Public Discourse 1: Offering Shared Reasons 2: Voicing Anger 3: Countering Public Hate Speech 4: Countering Public Misinformation Part 2. Presuppositions of Democratic Public Discourse 5: The Problem of Goodwill 6: The Problem of Political Ignorance 7: The Problem of Fragmentation 8: Resisting Political Minimalism

Reviews

very well written, thoroughly researched, and compellingly argued. It offers precisely what normative democratic theory has needed: a spirited but realistic vindication of the role of civic discourse in improving our societies, tailor-made to the challenges of the current moment...Democratic Speech in Divided Times is a terrific book. -- Jeffrey W. Howard, Perspectives on Politics


Author Information

Maxime Lepoutre is a Lecturer in Political Theory at the University of Reading. Prior to joining Reading, he worked as a Prize Research Fellow at the University of Oxford, and obtained a PhD in philosophy at the University of Cambridge. In 2019, he received the Ernest Barker Prize for Best Dissertation in Political Theory. His research centres on political philosophy, legal theory, and social epistemology. He has written extensively about democracy, with emphasis on issues surrounding hate speech, disinformation, group identity, and the function of political anger.

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