  American politics and government are so moribund, according to Jaffe, that serious political dialogue is a stranger in a land celebrated for freedom of expression. This volume examines the sources of this condition, among them the loss of "connectedness" (society's orientation toward mobility and its relative disinterest in place, neighborhood, and community), widespread misunderstanding of the distinction and relationship between power and violence, and a distorted image of political life and responsibility. This broad-based work examines these problems and proposes, both in theoretical and practical terms, a rethinking and rediscovery of political power and political life as the only viable solution.
Proposes a restoration of American political life and a reinvigoration of the American body politic.| Power, Political Life, and Language |
|
| Initial Thoughts on Power |
|
| Politics and Ambiguity |
|
| Some Thoughts about Connections |
|
| Life without Politics |
|
| Composition of Political Life: Power, Violence, Legitimacy, and Authority |
|
| A Closer Look at Foundations |
|
| Empowerment and Its Maintenance |
|
| Myth, Theory, Ideology: How We Attempt to Make Sense of Political Life |
|
| The Political Process: How Things Work and What Makes Them Work |
|
| Overview of Our Situation |
|
| Restoring the American Polity |
|
| Tired Images, Defunct Ideologies, Forgotten Games of Rules |
|
| Searching for Political Life's Appropriate Imagery |
|
| Metaphors for a New Age |
|
| The Political Imperative |
|
| Appendix A: Interest Groups |
|
| Appendix B: Hannah Arendt's Metaphor: The "Normal" Plain or Field of Human Affairs |
|
|
Shopping Cart
