Political Theory Commons^™

Digital Orthodoxy And Political Populism In Eastern Europe: How Orthodox Media Facilitate Political Mobilization, Dmytro Garaschuk, Oleh Sokolovskyi

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article examines the intersection of Orthodox digital media and political populism in Eastern Europe, focusing on how religious institutions utilize digital platforms to facilitate political mobilization, reinforce nationalistic narratives, and undermine democratic institutions. Drawing on a comparative analysis of six countries–Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Georgia, and Montenegro–the study identifies a shared ideological matrix that fuses populist rhetoric with theological motifs. The research highlights the strategic use of digital media by Orthodox actors to construct moral binaries, sacralize political resistance, and disseminate disinformation framed in religious language. Particular attention is given to the role of the Russian Orthodox Church and …

The Limits Of Technocratic Degrowth: A Review Of The End Of Capitalism: Why Growth And Climate Protection Are Incompatible—And How We Will Live In The Future, Michael Kirby

Publications and Research

This book review discusses Ulrike Herrmann’s The End of Capitalism: Why Growth and Climate Protection Are Incompatible—and How We Will Live in the Future, situating it within contemporary climate debates. Herrmann’s central claim—that capitalism’s dependence on perpetual growth renders meaningful climate protection impossible—is presented as a clear, accessible synthesis of degrowth arguments. The book is particularly notable for its rejection of techno-utopian solutions such as carbon capture and its skepticism vis-à-vis large-scale renewable transitions under market conditions. However, the review ultimately questions the feasibility of Herrmann's proposed alternative (the “survival economy”), demonstrating that it overlooks political power, class interests, and …

Reconciling Theory And Praxis. Defending Subjective Agency Against Althusser's Structuralism - Daniel Guerrero, Daniel Guerrero

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Louis Althusser labels Marx’s early works as humanist, pseudo-materialist, and self-contained within the ideology of German idealism. Therefore, all attempts to develop a Marxist theory based on these works are futile and ideological. Instead, Althusser proposes a ‘scientific’ reading of Marx developing a structuralist theory based on dialectical materialism. I argue that his interpretations deny individual agency and reduce social relations to mechanistic processes, which directly conflicts with fundamental Marxist ideas like alienation, production, and species-being. By discussing authors within the Marxist Humanist tradition, I argue that a theoretical framework based on Marx’s early works is not only possible, but …

Reply Stop To Stop, Molly A. M. Garrett

Theses and Dissertations

Over the course of 8 years working in progressive political strategy, 2015–2023, I became increasingly critical of the systems, formulas and tools we were using to communicate with voters. Reply STOP to Stop is documentation of my time at graduate school, of wrestling with ideas of political design, language, communication and distribution. I analyzed my past work — all the texts, emails, social media posts, print ads, web banners, videos and other miscellaneous scripted content — and wondered if we would all be better off without it. Would elections be fairer, would there be less fake news, more community building? …

Review Of The Commune Form: The Transformation Of Everyday Life By Kristin Ross, Michael Kirby

Publications and Research

Review of The Commune Form: The Transformation of Everyday Life

The Position Of The United States Of America Vis-A-Vis The Question Of Western Sahara: Assessing The Role Of Think Tanks In The Conflict, Hamid Baadeche

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

ABSTRACT

The Position of the United States of America Vis-à-vis the Question of Western Sahara: Assessing the Role of Think Tanks in the Conflict

Hamid Baadeche

Think tank organizations, particularly in the United States, have become a prominent feature of the political landscape. They act as advocates for specific policies that they consider beneficial for the country or a particular societal group. They function as a primary source of information, which they then aim to transform into well-informed policies and sound decisions. They are referred to as "the revolving doors," "idea brokers," and "idea factory." As such, their foremost objective …

What Is Success? How Peer Support Workers In Ontario See Addiction & Recovery, Ngaire Rasmussen

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The drug crisis in Canada has high mortality rates, especially in remote and rural communities, but there are significant barriers to accessing healthcare to which peer support may represent a partial solution, (Eddie et al., 2019; Englander et al., 2020; The Government of Canada, 2023; Kourgiantakis et al., 2023; Lavalley et al., 2020; Lennox et al., 202; Russell et al., 2021). Research how peer support workers define success in their work with adults experiencing addiction in Ontario, Canada is lacking, but important to understanding the crisis and implementing peer programs. Grounded in Marxist theory, the following exploratory research investigated the …

Rethinking Rural Identity: Reimagining Rural Politics, Matthew B. Kirk

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This work chiefly consists of a genealogical critique of rural identity. Tracing the development and deployment of the concepts of rurality and rural consciousness, I argue that our current depictions of rurality as “spatial other,” replete with its harmful stereotypes, stem from a misconception about the nature of power. Political theorists’ and political scientists’ appraisals of rurality suggest that the set of actions that define rural politics are a product of their relative powerlessness. Rural locales’ removal from the center of power in urban spheres means that rural politics is reduced to reactionary, violent, and conservative political thought and engagement. …

The Bus Stop At The Heart Of Capitalism, Jamie Van Der Klaauw, Ryan Kopaitich

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

Where is the heart of capitalism today? To fight it, we must construct it. But in doing so, we can also construct a public capable of overthrowing it.

Crisis, Class, Hegemony: Three Remarks On The Contemporary Critique Of Capitalism, Brian Milstein

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

Azmanova rightly notes that the present conjuncture has been marked by a vexing exhaustion of utopian energies—which she sees underwritten by a condition of “meta-crisis” and a “paradox of emancipation.” I am sympathetic to her insights, but I wonder how these figure into a broader critique of the politics of present-day capitalism. In a brief addendum to this symposium, I remark on three theoretical problem areas pertinent to the contemporary critique of capitalism: (a) the theory of crisis as it pertains to emancipatory politics, (b) the idea of an emancipatory class, and (c) the concept of hegemony in the context …

Neoliberalism, Neofeudalism, And Precarity: A Response To Albena Azmanova And Jodi Dean, Panos Tsoukalis

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

This is a response to the articles of Albena Azmanova and Jodi Dean included in this issue, exploring the intersections and divergences in their analyses of contemporary capitalism. I argue that the lens of neofeudalism that Jodi Dean invites us to entertain can offer a different explanation of Albena Azmanova’s diagnosis of contemporary capitalism. Notably, I propose that capitalism’s neofeudalising tendencies contribute to the rise of inequality, the decline of class politics, and the increase of monopoly power. Contrary to Jodi Dean though, I will claim that there were two crucial transformations of contemporary capitalism that spearheaded the emergence of …

A Comment On Immanent Critique, Ideology, And Power, Enzo Rossi

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

All contributors to the Radical Critical Theory Circle's symposium ‘Thinking Capitalism in the 21st Century" highlight deficiencies in mainstream critical theory’s analysis of capitalism, but also point to some possible avenues of renewal. This this brief commentary focuses on how one should understand immanent critique—and in particular empirically-grounded versions of immanent critique. The piece's main contentions are that critique should rediscover its high modernist vocation as a Wissenschaft, and that a radical realist approach can uncover new ways for political theory to expose the most important power structures in society.

Toward A Dialectical Theory Of Politico-Economic Regimes, Artemy Magun

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

No abstract provided.

From Neoliberalism To Neofeudalism, Jodi Dean

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

No abstract provided.

Immanent Critique And Dialogical Critical Theory, Paul Apostolidis

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

No abstract provided.

Universality, Necessity, And Progress: Marx And The Problem Of History, Amy Allen

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

To offer a compelling critique of the present, critical theory needs an account of capitalism that foregrounds its interrelation with the ongoing legacies of colonialism, imperialism, and slavery. To serve as a resource for such an account, Marx’s critique of capitalism and his theory of history need to be disentangled. This analysis revisits the problems of universality, necessity, and progress in Marx’s work in order to show how Marx’s consistently dialectical and critical account of capitalist modernity can be emancipated from the historicist framework that undergirds it.

Impacto De La Pandemia De La Covid-19 En Las Familias De Los Jóvenes Universitarios De Las Poblaciones Rurales Mayas Del Estado De Yucatán, Jorge Atocha Pacheco Castro

Journal of Maya Heritage

Abstract. This study examines the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the families of university students from rural Maya communities in Yucatán, Mexico. Utilizing an anthropological framework, the research highlights the interplay of structural vulnerabilities and cultural resilience. It explores how families navigated economic challenges, social interactions, and cultural practices amid the crisis. Key findings include the reliance on traditional subsistence practices such as small-scale agriculture and backyard farming, which provided a safety net during economic downturns. Socially, rural families reported lower stress levels and stronger communal bonds compared to their urban counterparts, owing to expansive living spaces and outdoor …

When Do States Outsource Repression: Evidence From Hong Kong, Ming Kong

Student Theses and Dissertations

What explains the variation in states using state versus nonstate actors in responding to civil unrest? Prior research on state repression has predominantly focused on the direct use of force by state authorities, often neglecting the critical role of third parties, such as organized crime groups, in executing repression. This practice, known as "outsourcing repression", enables states to maintain control while preserving plausible deniability, particularly in contexts requiring substantial coercion. This study aims to elucidate the conditions under which states opt to outsource repression. I propose a two-step logical framework. First, I argue that outsourcing repression depends on the availability …

The Search For Unenumerated Fundamental Rights, Alina Sluzhyvenkova

Student Theses and Dissertations

There are certain rights that are explicitly enumerated in the Constitution, e.g., right to bear arms, right to free speech, right to a speedy and public trial. There are also rights that aren’t specifically written out but are nevertheless enjoyed by people nationwide. Rights that aren’t explicitly mentioned in the Constitution, but which are fundamental to are called the unenumerated rights. Unenumerated rights are just as important and can be derived from natural law, enumerated rights, the Ninth Amendment, precedents, judicial opinions, and substantive due process.

Substantive due process is a principle guaranteed by the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, which …

Working Paper No. 85, Alexis De Tocqueville And The American Wealth Gap, Chloe Kneedler

Working Papers in Economics

This inquiry seeks to establish that French lawyer and scholar, Alexis de Tocqueville, observed as early as the 1830s, what would later emerge as the American wealth gap. After a nine-month journey that included his traveling through different parts of the nascent United States, Tocqueville wrote a two-volume book titled: Democracy in America [1835]. Over the length of his two volumes, Tocqueville reflects upon his experiences and observations drawn from the American nation in its fifth decade. Throughout this book, Tocqueville described the democratic structure of this country as emblematic of what could be expected from this “New World,” and …