How Can Contemporary Political Philosophy Become Applied Philosophy

Bogdana Koljević Griffit

Abstract

In this article the author reflects on the idea of “double responsibility” of political philosophy – as responsibility towards reason and towards practice. Such analysis is presented with the challenge of neoliberalism as dominant world-view and therefore addresses the question of meaning of political philosophy as applied philosophy today. In the second part of the essay, key issues of contemporary political philosophy are articulated: political subjectivity, democracy, the future of the international law, the question of state sovereignty and the relation between ethics and politics. In conclusion, a critical examination of both contextualism and universalism is presented.

References

1. Bernstein, R. (2005) The Abuse of Evil: The Corruption of Politics and Religion since 9/11. Cambridge: Polity Press.
2. Critchley, S. (2006) Infinitely Demanding. New York: Verso.
3. Douzinas, C. (2007) Human Rights and Empire. New York: Routledge.
4. Green, J.E. (2010) The Eyes of the People: Democracy in An Age of Spectatorship. Oxford: Oxford University Press,
5. Hinchman, L. & Hinchman, S. (eds.) (1994) .Hannah Arendt: Critical Essays. New York: State University of New York Press.
6. Kalyvas, A. (2008) Democracy and the Politics of the Extraordinary. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
7. Lotringer, S. () (1996) Foucault Live: Collected Interviews, 1961–1984, Semiotext(e). Cambridge [MA]: The MIT Press.
8. Mutua, M. (2002) Human Rights – A Political and Cultural Critique. Philadelphia [PA]: University of Pennsylvania Press.
9. Sen, A. (2007) Identity and Violence: The Illusion of Destiny. London: Penguin Books.