Democratic citizenship and polarization: Robert Talisse's theory of democracy

Sharp, Daniel (2022): Democratic citizenship and polarization: Robert Talisse's theory of democracy. In: Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, Vol. 25, No. 4: pp. 701-708

Abstract

This review essay critically discusses Robert Talisse's account of democracy and polarization. I argue that Talisse overstates the degree to which polarization arises from the good-faith practice of democratic citizenship and downplays the extent to which polarization is caused by elites and exacerbated by social structures;this leads Talisse to overlook structural approaches to managing polarization and leaves his account of how citizens should respond to polarization incomplete. I conclude that Talisse's insights should nevertheless be integrated into a broader agenda for thinking about the causes and solutions to polarization.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Philosophy, Philosophy of Science and Religious Science
• Subjects: 100 Philosophy and Psychology > 100 Philosophy
• ISSN: 1386-2820
• Language: English
• DFG: Gefördert durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - 491502892