Progressive Geographies

“Political Political Theory” – text available here (via Clive Gamble, Thom Brooks, etc.)

I am conscious that for most of this lecture I have run the terms “political theory” and “political philosophy” together: my suggestion has been that if there is a difference between them, both need to be more political—in the sense of focusing on issues of institutions as well as the ends and aims and ideals of politics, like justice. But what I am suggesting may involve a slight redirection of interdisciplinary energy. Political philosophy is surely a branch of philosophy; and inasmuch as our teaching in the theoretical side of PPE presents itself as political philosophy we naturally orient ourselves towards the Philosophy Department. My predecessors Gerry Cohen and Charles Taylor were comfortable, I think, with that orientation. Me, I am more happy with an orientation towards law. As well as an approach that sees political theory dovetailing with empirical political science.