
The Method of Democracy
John Dewey's Theory of Collective Intelligence
David Ridley(Author)
Peter Lang Verlag
Published on 23. November 2020
Book
Paperback/Softback
220 pages
978-1-78997-337-2 (ISBN)
Description
In this book, David Ridley argues that John Dewey's theory of collective intelligence provides a unique critical social theory that speaks directly to the present moment. Escaping some of the dead ends of Frankfurt School critical theory, whilst also representing a continuity of the Marxist 'philosophy of praxis' tradition, the book reconstructs Dewey's 'method of democracy' to reveal a forgotten alternative to both left-wing pessimism and neoliberal populism. Since the 2007-8 Financial Crisis, neoliberal governments, for example in the UK, have turned to higher education to kick-start a stagnating economy. Marketisation has turned English universities into multi-national corporations and students into consumers. Academics now have no choice, Ridley insists, but to join with the public in the political struggle against 'third wave neoliberalism'. In the final part of the book, Ridley applies Dewey's theory of collective intelligence to the reconstruction of UK higher education, concluding with a vision of radical democracy supported by 'socially useful' universities and a democratic academic and sociological profession.
More details
Series
Edition
New edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Edition type
New edition
Illustrations
5 Illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Weight
340 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78997-337-2 (9781789973372)
DOI
10.3726/b15490
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
01/2021
1st Edition
Peter Lang Verlag
€65.49
Available for download

E-Book
01/2021
1st Edition
Peter Lang Verlag
€65.49
Available for download
Person
David Ridley is an independent researcher. He spent five years working in higher education before leaving to become a journalist. He is co-editor with Stephen Cowden of The Practice of Equality: Jacques Rancière and Critical Pedagogy.
Content
Contents: Introduction: Dewey's Forgotten Alternative -Theoretical Foundations - From Practice to Theory in the Frankfurt School - John Dewey's Critical Social Theory - A Problematic Situation - Neoliberalism and Its Consequences - The Marketisation of Higher Education - Reconstruction - Reconstructing Sociology - Reconstructing the University - Collective Intelligence - Index.