Book Review: Other Areas: Neo-liberal Ideology: History, Concepts and Policies
| Author | Evangelia Sembou |
| Published date | 01 May 2013 |
| Date | 01 May 2013 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/1478-9302.12016_34 |
| Subject Matter | Book Review |
247
the meaning and purpose of recognition have been a
of work and the dignity of the poor in the neo-liberal
subject of critical exchanges among theorists which in
world in general.
turn have resulted in the enrichment of this idea. The
Chandran Komath
critical social theorist Axel Honneth has taken an ambi-
(Jawaharlal Nehru University)
tious journey to interpret the entire human struggles
for justice within a single framework of recognition.
Neo-liberal
Ideology: History, Concepts
and
However, the volume under review attempts ‘to place
Policies by Rachel S. Turner. Edinburgh: Edinburgh
the spotlight on misrecognition’ and takes a critical
University
Press,
2011.
248pp.,
£19.99,
ISBN
approach towards the existing treatment on the idea of
9780748642991
‘misrecognition’ which often considers it ‘as a back-
ground issue, one that can be grasped simply as the
This book examines the intellectual foundations and
absence or lack of recognition’. Thompson and Yar argue
development of neo-liberalism. It argues that neo-
that misrecognition is not ‘the opposite of the norma-
liberalism is ‘an ideology of reinvention’, that is, it
tive conception of recognition’ and therefore should
‘borrows ideas from the past and then reinterprets them
not be viewed ‘as a synonym for injustice’ (p. 1). Mis-
on a new ideological terrain’ (p. 7). The author draws
recognition is a distinctive social phenomenon and has
on Michael Freeden’s approach to ideologies (p. 9) and
unique intersubjective roots and dynamics that demand
adopts Terence Ball’s ‘conceptual-historical approach to
close examination both theoretically and empirically.
neo-liberalism’ (p. 12). Turner’s main argument is that
In such an endeavour the essays presented in this
neo-liberalism is a complex ideology incorporating
volume try to...
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