0415162149.Routledge.Gramsci.and.Contemporary.Politics.Beyond.Pessimism.of.the.Intellect.Feb.2000.pdf

GRAMSCI AND

CONTEMPORARY POLITICS

Beyond pessimism of the intellect

Can politics be both radical and realistic? This book is a collection of Anne

Showstack Sassoon’s writing which spans the major transitions from Thatcher

and Reagan to Clinton and Blair; the collapse of communism to the regenera-

tion of social democracy. Looking at the role of intellectuals in ‘rethinking’ poli-

tics, she argues that drawing from the past and broadening contemporary

sources of political and academic knowledge can contribute to a grounded, radi-

cal hegemonic politics which can shape change.

Applying original interpretations of Antonio Gramsci’s ideas on intellectuals,

political language, civil society and political leadership, Anne Showstack Sas-

soon goes well beyond his framework to examine key contemporary political

issues including citizenship, modernising the welfare state, and the relationship

between parents and teachers. Informed by feminist debates, and reflecting on

women’s changing socio-economic roles, she argues that, particularly in periods

of rapid change, the inconsistencies and contradictions of social change can pro-

duce valuable theoretical, and practical, insights.

Engaging with the radical claims of centre-left politics, this book brings

together theoretical discussion with empirical and personal examples to suggest

how to negotiate the difficult line between wishful thinking and weary fatalism

in order to create the basis for widespread consent for political and social

reforms. Gramsci and Contemporary Politics: Beyond Pessimism of the Intel-

lect is aimed at students of politics, political and social theory, gender studies,

and sociology.

Anne Showstack Sassoon’s publications include Gramsci’s Politics, and

Women and the State: The Shifting Boundaries of Public and Private. She is

Professor of Politics at Kingston University, UK.

ROUTLEDGE INNOVATIONS IN

POLITICAL THEORY

1 A RADICAL GREEN POLITICAL THEORY

Alan Carter

2 RATIONAL WOMAN

A feminist critique of dualism

Raia Prokhovnik

3 RETHINKING STATE THEORY

Mark J.Smith

4 GRAMSCI AND CONTEMPORARY POLITICS

Beyond pessimism of the intellect

Anne Showstack Sassoon

GRAMSCI AND

CONTEMPORARY

POLITICS

Beyond pessimism of the intellect

Anne Showstack Sassoon

London and New York

First published 2000

by Routledge

11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE

Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada

by Routledge

29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001

Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group

This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2004.

utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now

known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in

any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing

from the publishers

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Sassoon, Anne Showstack

Gramsci and contemporary politics: beyond pessimism of the

intellect/Anne Showstack Sassoon.

p. cm.—(Routledge innovations in political theory: 4)

Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.

1. Gramsci, Antonio, 1891–1937—Contributions in political

science. 2. Political science—History—20th century. I. Title.

II. Series.

JC265.G68S26 1999

320.53'2'092 –dc21 99–37055

CIP

ISBN 0-203-20888-9 Master e-book ISBN

ISBN 0-203-20900-1 (Adobe eReader Format)

ISBN 0-415-16214-9 (Print Edition)

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