The Politics of Aspiration
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6273072 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Martha Finnemore (0000-0002-6828-1641, George Washington University), Michelle Jurkovich (University of Massachusetts Boston) |
| Year | 2020 |
| Volume | 64 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 759-769 |
| Publication date | 2020-12-07 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Studies Quarterly (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0020-8833 • E-ISSN: 1468-2478 |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1093/isq/sqaa052 |
| OpenAlex | W3039898692 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 34 |
| References cited | 56 |
Aspiration is an essential component of politics. It articulates goals, affirms identities and values, and structures action at all levels of social life. Yet political scientists have spent little time theorizing aspiration—what it is, how it relates to other concepts, and the kinds of effects it creates. In this article, we develop the concept theoretically and argue that aspiration creates a distinct “aspirational politics” that differs from our international relations models of both norm-driven social activism and interest-driven rational choice. We identify three core features of aspiration that undergird its theoretical utility: lofty goals, change over time, and transformation through imagination. In the hands of skilled political actors, aspiration does essential work in both facilitating agreement and mobilizing social action that create change in the world. However, aspiration also has a dark side and can be manipulated to dodge accountability, postpone action, and serve private, rather than public, goals
Accountability · Action (physics · Core (optical fiber · Epistemology · International relations · Norm (philosophy · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Sociology · Work (physics · International Relations and Foreign Policy · Law · Political Conflict and Governance · Political Philosophy and Ethics · Psychology · Social Psychology
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| Unique citing works | 34 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 6,8 |
| Citation span | 2021 - 2026 (6) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 33 |