Liberal Way of Life as a Political Philosophical Problem: Review of the Book: Lefebvre, A. (2024). Liberalism as a Way of Life. Princeton; Oxford: Princeton University Press, 285 p.
It is no coincidence that the book by Alexandr Lefebvre, professor of political science and philosophy at the University of Sydney, has caused a rather complex range of impressions in the Western academic world and political journalism immediately after its publication by Princeton University Press....
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Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University)
2024-12-01
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| Series: | RUDN Journal of Political Science |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.rudn.ru/political-science/article/viewFile/42669/24452 |
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| author | Vladimir A. Gutorov Aleksandr A. Shirinyants |
| author_facet | Vladimir A. Gutorov Aleksandr A. Shirinyants |
| author_sort | Vladimir A. Gutorov |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | It is no coincidence that the book by Alexandr Lefebvre, professor of political science and philosophy at the University of Sydney, has caused a rather complex range of impressions in the Western academic world and political journalism immediately after its publication by Princeton University Press. Scientists were undoubtedly attracted and at the same time somewhat puzzled by the author’s rather unconventional interpretation of the phenomenon of liberalism. Judging by the context of A. Lefebvre’s earlier works, his turn to the problems of liberalism seems quite unexpected. The reason for the scientist’s sudden turn to the topic of liberalism is caused by a number of theoretical considerations of a political and philosophical nature. The central role in A. Lefebvre’s “strategy” is played by the concept and image of the “Christian kingdom” (Christendom), borrowed from biblical political rhetoric. The “liberal kingdom” (Liberaldom) is, according to A. Lefebvre, a mixture of liberalism and other ideologies and systems, including capitalism (with its individualism, materialism and instrumentalism), democracy (with its latent populism), nationalism and internationalism (with their patriotism and often chauvinism), meritocracy (with its calculations of value and reward), as well as overtly illiberal forces. This character of Lefebvre’s argumentation can hardly be perceived positively by many real and potential allies of liberalism. In general, A. Lefebvre’s book differs from many apologetic works, first of all, in that the apology for the liberal way of life presented in it spontaneously acquires an overtly conservative shade. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-63c1ef62e4764767b7146d631760daa7 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2313-1438 2313-1446 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | RUDN Journal of Political Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-63c1ef62e4764767b7146d631760daa72025-01-31T15:05:47ZengPeoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University)RUDN Journal of Political Science2313-14382313-14462024-12-0126487188310.22363/2313-1438-2024-26-4-871-88321154Liberal Way of Life as a Political Philosophical Problem: Review of the Book: Lefebvre, A. (2024). Liberalism as a Way of Life. Princeton; Oxford: Princeton University Press, 285 p.Vladimir A. Gutorov0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8063-2558Aleksandr A. Shirinyants1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6949-2256St Petersburg UniversityInstitute of Sociology, Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of SciencesIt is no coincidence that the book by Alexandr Lefebvre, professor of political science and philosophy at the University of Sydney, has caused a rather complex range of impressions in the Western academic world and political journalism immediately after its publication by Princeton University Press. Scientists were undoubtedly attracted and at the same time somewhat puzzled by the author’s rather unconventional interpretation of the phenomenon of liberalism. Judging by the context of A. Lefebvre’s earlier works, his turn to the problems of liberalism seems quite unexpected. The reason for the scientist’s sudden turn to the topic of liberalism is caused by a number of theoretical considerations of a political and philosophical nature. The central role in A. Lefebvre’s “strategy” is played by the concept and image of the “Christian kingdom” (Christendom), borrowed from biblical political rhetoric. The “liberal kingdom” (Liberaldom) is, according to A. Lefebvre, a mixture of liberalism and other ideologies and systems, including capitalism (with its individualism, materialism and instrumentalism), democracy (with its latent populism), nationalism and internationalism (with their patriotism and often chauvinism), meritocracy (with its calculations of value and reward), as well as overtly illiberal forces. This character of Lefebvre’s argumentation can hardly be perceived positively by many real and potential allies of liberalism. In general, A. Lefebvre’s book differs from many apologetic works, first of all, in that the apology for the liberal way of life presented in it spontaneously acquires an overtly conservative shade.https://journals.rudn.ru/political-science/article/viewFile/42669/24452liberalismliberal way of lifeconservatismchristianityvaluesideological discoursespolitical theory |
| spellingShingle | Vladimir A. Gutorov Aleksandr A. Shirinyants Liberal Way of Life as a Political Philosophical Problem: Review of the Book: Lefebvre, A. (2024). Liberalism as a Way of Life. Princeton; Oxford: Princeton University Press, 285 p. RUDN Journal of Political Science liberalism liberal way of life conservatism christianity values ideological discourses political theory |
| title | Liberal Way of Life as a Political Philosophical Problem: Review of the Book: Lefebvre, A. (2024). Liberalism as a Way of Life. Princeton; Oxford: Princeton University Press, 285 p. |
| title_full | Liberal Way of Life as a Political Philosophical Problem: Review of the Book: Lefebvre, A. (2024). Liberalism as a Way of Life. Princeton; Oxford: Princeton University Press, 285 p. |
| title_fullStr | Liberal Way of Life as a Political Philosophical Problem: Review of the Book: Lefebvre, A. (2024). Liberalism as a Way of Life. Princeton; Oxford: Princeton University Press, 285 p. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Liberal Way of Life as a Political Philosophical Problem: Review of the Book: Lefebvre, A. (2024). Liberalism as a Way of Life. Princeton; Oxford: Princeton University Press, 285 p. |
| title_short | Liberal Way of Life as a Political Philosophical Problem: Review of the Book: Lefebvre, A. (2024). Liberalism as a Way of Life. Princeton; Oxford: Princeton University Press, 285 p. |
| title_sort | liberal way of life as a political philosophical problem review of the book lefebvre a 2024 liberalism as a way of life princeton oxford princeton university press 285 p |
| topic | liberalism liberal way of life conservatism christianity values ideological discourses political theory |
| url | https://journals.rudn.ru/political-science/article/viewFile/42669/24452 |
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