Description
Book SynopsisInner Democracy: Empowering the Mind Against a Polarizing Society investigates the psychological backgrounds of contemporary societal problems such as hate speech, authoritarianism, and divisive forms of identity politics, and how we can counter such destructive forces. The book argues that a democratic society needs citizens who do more than just express their preference for free elections, freedom of speech, and respect of constitutional rights. Rather, democracy is vital only if it is deeply rooted in the hearts, minds, and selves of its participants. In the field of tension created by societal power clashes and absolute truth pretensions, the book investigates how opposition, cooperation, and participation work as innovative forces in a democratic self. Democracy is understood as a personal learning process and as a dialogical play between thought and counter-thought, between imagination and counter-imagination, and between emotion and reason. Written for social scientists, teachers, journalists, and parents who are interested in the facilitation of democracy in a wide variety of situations, this book proposes inner democracy as an antidote against the widespread polarization in our society.
Trade ReviewAn important goal of this insightful and thoughtful book is to help equip educators and parents as well as citizens with concepts and skills to promote democracy by empowering the mind against a polarizing society. * Doug Kimmel, The Society for the Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity *
As the subtitle implies, an important goal of this insightful and thoughtful book is to help equip educators and parents as well as citizens with concepts and skills to promote democracy by empowering the mind against a polarizing society. * Doug Kimmel, PhD, American Psychological Association *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction. Democracy: What Happens In Our Self? Chapter 1. The Power-Holder: The Appeal of Absolute Control Chapter 2. The Truth-Holder: In The Trenches of Impenetrable Righteousness Chapter 3. Inner Democracy and Political Intolerance Chapter 4. The Mind-Expanding Potential of Opposing and Contradictory Positions Chapter 5. Inner Democracy As Multi-Voiced and Dialogical Chapter 6. Between The Imprisoned Self and Free Participation Chapter 7. Stimulating and Impeding Factors For Inner Democracy Epilogue. Inner Democracy In A Future of Algorithms References
