Rafal Soborski’s chapter published in a Routledge handbook

Dr Rafal Soborski, Professor of International Politics at Richmond, has just published a chapter, “End of Ideology? A Neoliberal Hoax and Lessons for the Left” in the Routledge Handbook of Transformative Global Studies

The chapter takes a glimpse into the future of ideology and its role in transforming society in an age dominated by a sense of rupture and uncertainty. It is divided into three parts.

The first part is concerned with the prospects for ideology as such – it identifies epistemological flaws in the end of ideology thesis while also bringing attention to its function of naturalizing and legitimizing the existing social order.

The second part of the chapter then revolves around the question of relevance of specific established ideological configurations and factors affecting their continuing salience or disruption.

Finally, the third part brings the two threads together; it probes the role of ideas in facilitating progressive politics and tentatively posits some broad criteria that a progressive ideology would likely need to meet to sustain a transformative agenda.