Pluralism

by William E. Connolly

Over the past two decades, the renowned political theorist William E. Connolly has developed a powerful theory of pluralism as the basis of a territorial politics. In this concise volume, Connolly launches a new defense of pluralism, contending that it has a renewed relevance in light of pressing global and national concerns, including the war in Iraq, the movement for a Palestinian state, and the fight for gay and lesbian rights. Connolly contends that deep, multidimensional pluralism is the best way to promote justice and inclusion without violence. He advocates a deep pluralism—in contrast to shallow, secular pluralism—that helps to create space for different groups to bring their religious faiths into the public realm. This form of deep pluralism extends far beyond faith, encompassing multiple dimensions of social and personal lives, including household organization and sexuality. Connolly looks at pluralism not only in light of faith but also in relation to evil, ethics, relativism, globalization, and sovereignty. In the process, he engages many writers and theorists—among them, Spinoza, William James, Henri Bergson, Marcel Proust, Gilles Deleuze, Giorgio Agamben, Talal Asad, Michael Hardt, and Antonio Negri. Pluralism is the first book in which Connolly explains the relationship between pluralism and the experience of time, and he offers readings of several films that address how time is understood, including Time Code , Far from Heaven , Waking Life , and The Maltese Falcon . In this necessary book Connolly brings a compelling, accessible philosophical critique together with his personal commitment to an inclusive political agenda to suggest how we might—and why we must—cultivate pluralism within both society and ourselves.

Genres: Philosophy, Politics, Nonfiction, Cultural, Theory

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

William E. Connolly is a political theorist known for his work on democracy and pluralism. He is the Krieger-Eisenhower Professor of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University. His 1974 work The Terms of Political Discourse won the 1999 Benjamin Lippincott Award
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Reviews

[Pete · Rating 4 out of 5]

Synopsis: I especially like the portions of this book wherein Connolly grapples with the interplay between repetition, experience and affect, and the impact these have on our sense of what counts as political and negotiable. Probably the two most useful chapters for me are his discussion of time (drawing on Bergson) as it relates to affect (the experience of simultaneous and competing senses of time and how this informs are perceptions and sensibilities), and his discussion of sovereignty. I appreciated his critique of Agamben as overly formalist in his approach to understanding sovereignty, and his remarks to the effect that the exception as identified by Agamben isn’t so much a paradox to be solved or transcended, but a condition intrinsic to modern political power. While Connolly’s discussion remains focused primarily on the idea of pluralism as it relates to reconciliation between faiths, and primarily on U.S. politics, much of it is transportable to indigenous Andean politics. Clearly, his discussion of the role of affect and revulsion, and the gut responses we have to social difference are crucial to the ways in which formal institutional negotiations proceed.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my new religious and political manifesto.
Insightful and brilliant.

[Drick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book off a free book table, but what a find. Connelly discusses pluralism in many forms but particularly religious pluralism and its impact on political and personal life. Drawing on the work of William James, Henri Bergson, Friedrich Nietzsche and others, he posits that we need to develop a "politics of becoming" remaining committed to fundamental beliefs while being humbly open to the insights of other cultures and traditions. He also talks about the difference between a religious creed/dogma and the ethos beneath that dogma, suggesting that fundamentalism and the violence that often comes from it, occurs when ethos is separated from creed. He also discusses democracy and the underlying power that takes over when the democratic process can not decide things. His discussion of "empire" in its modern form was very illuminating. Drawing on numerous personal and historical experiences, Connelly leaves the reader with a great appreciation for what he calls deep pluralism.I found this book very thought provoking and insightful. There were times my lack of acquaintance with certain writers made it difficult to understand his points, but in the end I think I was able to grasp his main points. He concludes in the final chapter calling for people to practice "indwelling" (by which I think he is referring to what spiritual traditions refer to meditation or contemplation) as a way of helping people experience and appreciate the deep pluralism he proposes.

[Craig Pope · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most impressive book I have read recently. One reason I may have enjoyed it so much is that it is not theology, Connolly is a political philosopher. He does, however, spend time developing a notion of 'existential faith' which is a kind of ubiquitous reality of human Being which is present in all kinds of structures other than traditional religious groups or institutions. Anyways, he sets out to discuss how our world really is pluralistic and how we can live peacefully within this reality. His best work is showing how we are failing to do this - by not understanding how persons are constructed and how they experience the world. He opposes simple dualities of public reason/private faith, intellectual belife and spiritual practice.

My paper for religious pluralism centered around how connolly offers new spiritual practices for christians to help them love 'God and neighbor' in a pluralistic world.

[Josh Tatum · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read WHY I AM NOT A SECULARIST instead of this book. Then, if you like it, try this one, too.