Texts, Contexts, Concepts and Ideologies: Some Recent Work in the Study of Political Ideas
| Published date | 01 June 1999 |
| Author | P. J. Kelly |
| DOI | 10.1111/1467-856X.00013 |
| Date | 01 June 1999 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
British Journal of Politics and International Relations,
Vol. 1, No. 2, June 1999, pp. 240–251
Texts, contexts, concepts and ideologies:
some recent work in the study of
political ideas
P. J. KELLY
Books reviewed
McClelland, J. S. (1996) A History of Political Thought. London:
Routledge, x + 810pp., ISBN 0-415-11962-6.
Morrow, J. (1998) History of Political Thought: A Thematic Introduction.
Basingstoke: Macmillan, xvi + 417pp., ISBN 0-333-63221-4.
Schwarzmantel, J. (1998) The Age of Ideologies: Political Ideologies from
the American Revolution to Post Modern Times. Basingstoke: Macmillan,
xii + 210pp., ISBN 0-333-6504-X.
Skinner, Q. (1998) Liberty Before Liberalism. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, xiv + 142pp., ISBN 0-521-63876-3.
Tannenbaum, D. G. and Schultz, D. (1998) Inventors of Ideas An Intro-
duction to Western Political Philosophy. New York: St. Martins Press,
xxiv + 294pp., ISBN 0-312-11942-9.
Historians of political thought have a reputation (whether justly deserved
or not) for agonising over what the purpose of their field of enquiry is. As
most historians of political thought still reside in government or political
science departments, they are not in the privileged position of other histor-
ians who can merely dismiss the question as ill-mannered. No historian
asks other historians what is history for, yet historians of political thought
in government and political science departments feel themselves under
constant pressure to justify their existence to ‘proper’ political scientists.
© Political Studies Association 1999. Published by Blackwell Publishers, 108 Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 1JF and
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148, USA 240
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