Description

Book Synopsis
This book presents an innovative analysis of the nature of democratic theory, focusing on the prevalence of pious discourses of democracy in contemporary politics. Democracy is now promoted in religious terms to such an extent that it has become sacrosanct in Western political theory. This book argues that such piety relies on unsophisticated political analysis paying scant attention to the complex conditions of contemporary politics. The contention is that it is more useful to think of democracy in terms of the centrality of political disagreement and its propensity to generate political violence. This argument is exemplified by the ways in which democracy and violence have been conceptualised in the war on terrorism.

Table of Contents
Introduction: Pious Discourses of Democracy 1: Complexity Theory and Democratic Politics 2: Complexity, Democratisation and Conflict 3: Democracy, Consensus and Dissent 4: Democracy and Violence 5: Terrorism, Violence and the Ethics of Democracy Conclusion: The Constitutive Failure of Democracy Bibliography

Democratic Piety

    Product form

    A Hardback by Adrian Little

    £85.50

    Includes FREE delivery

    RRP £90.00 – you save £4.50 (5%)

    Order before 4pm today for delivery by Fri 16 Oct 2026.

      Trusted by thousands of customers. See 2,385+ Customer Reviews

      View other formats and editions of Democratic Piety by Adrian Little

      Book details

      Publisher Edinburgh University Press
      Published 25 March 2008
      ISBN-13 9780748633654
      978-0748633654
      ISBN-10 0748633650
      Also in:
      Politics and government

      Description

      Book Synopsis
      This book presents an innovative analysis of the nature of democratic theory, focusing on the prevalence of pious discourses of democracy in contemporary politics. Democracy is now promoted in religious terms to such an extent that it has become sacrosanct in Western political theory. This book argues that such piety relies on unsophisticated political analysis paying scant attention to the complex conditions of contemporary politics. The contention is that it is more useful to think of democracy in terms of the centrality of political disagreement and its propensity to generate political violence. This argument is exemplified by the ways in which democracy and violence have been conceptualised in the war on terrorism.

      Table of Contents
      Introduction: Pious Discourses of Democracy 1: Complexity Theory and Democratic Politics 2: Complexity, Democratisation and Conflict 3: Democracy, Consensus and Dissent 4: Democracy and Violence 5: Terrorism, Violence and the Ethics of Democracy Conclusion: The Constitutive Failure of Democracy Bibliography

      Recently viewed products

      © 2026 Book Curl

        • American Express
        • Apple Pay
        • Diners Club
        • Discover
        • Google Pay
        • Maestro
        • Mastercard
        • PayPal
        • Shop Pay
        • Union Pay
        • Visa

        Login

        Forgot your password?

        Don't have an account yet?
        Create account