Democratic Philosophy

Bibliographic Data

ID6357101
AuthorsRoger Karapin (0000-0001-6236-4406, Health Affairs), Leonard Feldman (0009-0001-0778-478X), L C Feldman (0000-0002-3397-8262)
Year2020
Volume52
Issue3
Pages311-313
Publication date2020-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenuePolity (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0032-3497 • E-ISSN: 1744-1684
PublisherUniversity of Chicago Press (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1086/709397
OpenAlexW4233117115
LanguageEN
References cited8

Previous articleNext article FreeEditors’ NoteDemocratic PhilosophyRoger Karapin and Leonard FeldmanRoger KarapinEditor-in-Chief Search for more articles by this author and Leonard FeldmanAssociate Editor for Political Theory Search for more articles by this author Editor-in-ChiefAssociate Editor for Political TheoryPDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailQR Code SectionsMoreDemocratic philosophy could refer to all of democratic theory, or to ways that philosophy can support democratic government and politics. If philosophy is the exploration of the basis for fundamental beliefs and the concepts expressing them, a democratic philosophy articulates the underlying principles of a democratic system of governance. Through deeper reflection than is found in daily politics, it can provide a well-thought-out basis for our institutions and processes, and also a deeper dimension to the justifications offered for public policies—one that resonates with a majority of the people and also with the underlying principles of a democratic system of governance, such as equality, freedom from domination, and self-rule.Furthermore, a democratic philosophy reaches beyond institutions and systems to examine the practices, habits, movements, mentalities, and dispositions necessary both to support those institutions and to challenge them when they ossify into oligarchic and other undemocratic forms. Democracy as a lived experience, especially in times of crisis and deep insecurity, is nurtured by fundamental inquiry into what it means to be a citizen and what it means to be a political subject more broadly. Finally, democratic philosophy can denote something more than a philosophy of democracy—it can also signify a publicly oriented and civically engaged way of doing conceptual and ethical inquiry.This issue’s symposium on “The Challenges Facing Democrats,” edited by Nicole Mellow and Rogers Smith, argues that in order to effectively confront the rise of right-wing populism, Democrats need to develop a more robust, substantive public philosophy.1 In “An Identity Crisis for the Democrats,” Mellow calls for Democrats to develop a vision of national community, which the party has historically neglected in favor of emphasizing administrative expertise and procedural solutions.2 Russell Muirhead and Jeffrey Tulis, in “Will the Election of 2020 Be the End or a New Beginning,” calls on the party to aim not only to get to 270 electoral votes, but also to develop public philosophies that could help it to build durable national governing majorities and also buttress the constitutional order against assaults on it.3 Next, in “How Can the Democratic Party Confront Racist Backlash,” Juliet Hooker compares the current U.S. debate about the roles of racism and economic grievances in Trump’s victory with recent Latin American experiences, and concludes that it will not be sufficient simply to make class appeals without also directly addressing racism.4The symposium continues with Rogers Smith’s “Toward Progressive Narratives of American Identity,” which argues that Democrats need to counter Trump’s “America First” vision, which many in the United States find compelling, with a more egalitarian narrative of peoplehood that is resonant with what people feel, respectful of all human beings, and reticulated to account for the ways that rights and duties differ for differently situated citizens.5 Finally, Alex Gourevitch and Corey Robin, in “Freedom Now,” call for progressives to recapture and rally behind the concept of freedom, understood as emancipation from the manifold authoritarian features of the economy and the workplace.6In this issue’s first research article, “Horizontal Rights: A Republican Vein in Liberal Constitutionalism,” Christina Bambrick argues that judicial doctrines of horizontal effect, which hold private actors responsible for others’ rights, contribute to a republican vein in the liberal constitutional tradition.7 Lastly, Michael K. MacKenzie and Alfred Moore offer a striking challenge to the universal emphasis on participation in democratic theory. In “Democratic Non-Participation,” they argue that the common identification of non-participation with apathy and inactivity misses a whole domain of reflective non-participation, including practices of silence and deference, practices that can promote the democratic participation of previously excluded or marginalized voices.8* * *By the time the print version of this issue is published, the transition to a new editorial team at Polity will have occurred. Beginning on July 1, Alyson Cole, Robyn Marasco, and Charles Tien will be the journal’s new co-editors-in-chief and will be responsible for all journal operations. Julie Hollar is staying on as managing editor and Claudia van der Heuvel as copy editor. Since issue preparation and production occur some months in advance of publication, the authors of this editors’ note are overseeing the July and October 2020 issues. Notes 1. Nicole Mellow and Rogers M. Smith, eds., “Symposium on Challenges Facing Democrats,” Polity, 52 (2020): 314–400; and Mellow and Rogers, “Left Turn on a Red Light? Challenges and Decisions Facing Liberals and Progressives After 2016,” Polity 52 (2020): 314–23.2. Nicole Mellow, “An Identity Crisis for the Democrats?,” Polity 52 (2020): 324–38.3. Russell Muirhead and Jeffrey K. Tulis, “Will the Election of 2020 Be the End or a New Beginning?,” Polity 52 (2020): 339–54.4. Juliet Hooker, “How Can the Democratic Party Confront Racist Backlash? White Grievance in Hemispheric Perspective,” Polity 52 (2020): 355–69.5. Rogers M. Smith, “Toward Progressive Narratives of American Identity,” Polity 52 (2020): 370–83.6. Alex Gourevitch and Corey Robin, “Freedom Now,” Polity 52 (2020): 384–98.7. Christina Bambrick, “Horizontal Rights: A Republican Vein in Liberal Constitutionalism,” Polity 52 (2020): 401–29.8. Michael K. MacKenzie and Alfred Moore, “Democratic Non-Participation,” Polity 52 (2020): 430–59. Previous articleNext article DetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Polity Volume 52, Number 3July 2020Democratic Philosophy The Journal of the Northeastern Political Science Association Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/709397HistoryPublished online June 04, 2020 © 2020 Northeastern Political Science Association. All rights reserved.PDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article

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