Political Ideas and Political Action

From foreign policy to environmental protection, from gender equality to the rule of law, politics is constructed by thinking. This book reflects a growing recognition of political thinking as a dimension, perhaps the single most important dimension, of the activity of politics in the contemporary world, and in all previous worlds as well. 1. Hooks and Hands, Interests and Enemies: Political Thinking as Political Action: Rodney Barker (London School of Economics and Political Science).

2. Feminist Ideas and Domestic Violence Policy Change: Stefania Abrar, Joni Lovenduski & Helen Margetts (National Lottery Charities Board).

3. Zealot Politics and Democracy: The Case of the New Christian Right: Steve Bruce (University of Aberdeen).

4. Studying Political Ideas: A Public Political Discourse Approach: Andrew Chadwick (University of the West of England).

5. Practising Ideology and Ideological Practices: Michael Freeden (Mansfield College, Oxford).

6. Pluralism and Toleration in Contemporary Political Philosophy: John Gray (London School of Economics and Political Science).

7. Philosophic Tramps: W. H. Greenleaf.

8. Disposing of Dicey: From Legal Autonomy to Constitutional Discourse? Carol Harlow (London School of Economics and Political Science).

9.
Sustainable Development-a New(ish) Idea for a New Century? James Meadowcroft (University of Sheffield).

Rodney Barker is Reader in Government at the London School of Economics. 'Ideas' have for long been treated as separate from 'ordinary politics'. But it is increasingly difficult to explain the contemporary world without reference to beliefs and values, and the ways in which people,
by thinking about politics, construct politics from foreign policy to environmental protection, from gender equality to the rule of law. The articles in this volume do not attempt to cover all aspects of the current debate in political science, nor do they reflect any single theory of the relationship between political thinking and political action, or even a common perception of what those two categories are. Some contributors question the usefulness of the dichotomy all together. But all the contributions reflect a growing recognition within political science of the central place of political thinking as a dimension, perhaps the single most important dimension, of the activity of politics for understanding the contemporary world, and all previous worlds as well.