In his book “The Dispersion of Power: A Critical Realist Theory of Democracy” (2024), Samuel Bagg defends the ideal of democracy as resisting state capture. “In practice”, the author argues, “the democratization agenda implied by this ideal includes procedural reforms that allow ordinary citizens to scrutinize and punish elite malfeasance, substantive policies that redistribute power from hegemonic to counter-hegemonic groups, and – most crucially – the organization of collective power among the latter.” In this reading course, students will engage with the theoretical argument for the ideal of democracy as resisting state capture as well as with the practical views that this ideal may inspire. What exactly does it mean to understand democracy as oriented to resisting state capture? What are alternative possibilities of determining the goals of democracy? What reasons may render the ideal of democracy as resisting state capture particularly attractive ideal? What sorts of democratic reforms and activities does it require or recommend? This course deals with these questions mainly on the basis of Bagg’s book. It also includes additional literature, which will enable students to go into detail regarding key themes and arguments of the book and connect them to broader debates in political theory.
- Lehrende/r: Manon Westphal