Chantal Mouffe
Encyclopedia
Chantal Mouffe is a Belgian
political theorist.
in the United Kingdom
, where she directs the Centre for the Study of Democracy.
She is best known for her contribution to the development – jointly with Ernesto Laclau
, with whom they co-authored Hegemony and Socialist Strategy
- of the so-called Essex School of discourse analysis
, a type of post-marxist political inquiry drawing on Gramsci, post-structuralism and theories of identity, and redefining Left politics in terms of radical democracy.
A prominent critic of ‘deliberative democracy’, (especially in its Rawlsian and Habermasian versions) she also known for her critical use of the work of Carl Schmitt
, mainly the concept of ‘the political’, in proposing a radicalization of modern democracy – what she calls ‘agonistic pluralism’. She has recently developed an interest in highlighting the radical potential of artistic practices.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
political theorist.
Work
Chantal Mouffe studied at Louvain, Paris and Essex and has worked in many universities throughout the world (in Europe, North America and Latin America). She has also held visiting positions at Harvard, Cornell, Princeton and the CNRS (Paris). During the 1989-1995 period she served as Programme Director at the College International de Philosophie in Paris. She currently holds a professorship at the Department of Politics and International Relations, University of WestminsterUniversity of Westminster
The University of Westminster is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom. Its origins go back to the foundation of the Royal Polytechnic Institution in 1838, and it was awarded university status in 1992.The university's headquarters and original campus are based on Regent...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, where she directs the Centre for the Study of Democracy.
She is best known for her contribution to the development – jointly with Ernesto Laclau
Ernesto Laclau
Ernesto Laclau is an Argentine political theorist often described as post-Marxist.He studied History in Buenos Aires, graduating from the Universidad Nacional de Buenos Aires in 1964, and received a PhD from Essex University in 1977.Since the 1970s he has been Professor of Political Theory at the...
, with whom they co-authored Hegemony and Socialist Strategy
Hegemony and Socialist Strategy
Written in English in 1985 by Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe, Hegemony and Socialist Strategy is a work of political theory in the post-Marxist tradition...
- of the so-called Essex School of discourse analysis
Essex School of discourse analysis
The Essex School constitutes one of the most dynamic and promising varieties of discourse analysis, one that combines theoretical sophistication – mainly due to its reliance on the post-structuralist and psychoanalytic traditions and, in particular, on the work of Lacan, Foucault, Barthes, Derrida,...
, a type of post-marxist political inquiry drawing on Gramsci, post-structuralism and theories of identity, and redefining Left politics in terms of radical democracy.
A prominent critic of ‘deliberative democracy’, (especially in its Rawlsian and Habermasian versions) she also known for her critical use of the work of Carl Schmitt
Carl Schmitt
Carl Schmitt was a German jurist, philosopher, political theorist, and professor of law.Schmitt published several essays, influential in the 20th century and beyond, on the mentalities that surround the effective wielding of political power...
, mainly the concept of ‘the political’, in proposing a radicalization of modern democracy – what she calls ‘agonistic pluralism’. She has recently developed an interest in highlighting the radical potential of artistic practices.
Publications
- (ed.) Gramsci and Marxist Theory. London – Boston: Routledge / Kegan Paul, 1979.
- (with Ernesto LaclauErnesto LaclauErnesto Laclau is an Argentine political theorist often described as post-Marxist.He studied History in Buenos Aires, graduating from the Universidad Nacional de Buenos Aires in 1964, and received a PhD from Essex University in 1977.Since the 1970s he has been Professor of Political Theory at the...
) Hegemony and Socialist Strategy: Towards a Radical Democratic Politics. London – New York: Verso, 1985. - (ed.) Dimensions of Radical Democracy: Pluralism, Citizenship, Community. London – New York: Verso, 1992.
- The Return of the Political. London – New York: Verso, 1993.
- Le politique et ses enjeux. Pour une démocratie plurielle. Paris: La Découverte/MAUSS, 1994.
- (ed.) Deconstruction and Pragmatism. London – New York: Routledge, 1996.
- (ed.) The Challenge of Carl Schmitt. London – New York: Verso, 1999.
- The Democratic Paradox. London – New York: Verso, 2000.
- (ed.) Feministische Perspektiven. Wien: Turia + Kant, 2001.
- (ed.) The legacy of Wittgenstein: Pragmatism or Deconstruction. Frankfurt am Main – New York: Peter Lang, 2001.
- On the Political. Abingdon – New York: Routledge, 2005.
External links
- Wittgenstein, Political Theory and Democracy by Chantal Mouffe
- Socialist strategy: where next? 1981 article in Marxism Today
- Interview with Chantal Mouffe: “Pluralism is linked to the acceptance of conflict” in Barcelona Metropolis MagazineBarcelona MetropolisBarcelona Metrópolis is a magazine of urban information and thought dedicated to monitoring the evolution of the city of Barcelona.Barcelona...
, Autumn 2010.