Ideologies play a crucial role in the way we understand and shape the political world. But no one has yet satisfactorily explained the nature of ideologies themselves. In this important study, Michael Freeden offers a ground-breaking approach to the subject. Drawing on the political experience of Britain, France, Germany, and the USA over the past two centuries, the author provides an in-depth examination of the key political ideologies: liberalism, conservatism, socialism, feminism, and green political thought. He goes on to outline a powerful and sophisticated new theory of ideologies and argues that by paying special attention to the complexity, conceptual inter-relationship, and historical and contemporary context of ideologies we can both better understand them and reinvigorate the study of political theory. From reviews of the hardback: 'What is on offer here is both a highly original and profoundly stimulating analysis of ideological thinking. Freeden's book will undoubtedly shape and redefine the field of 'ideological studies' as it presently stands, initiating fruitful lines of research for many years to come. . . . There is much to admire in this book.' History of European Ideas 'The approach is immensely illuminating. . . . The outstanding merit of Freeden's work is that he has shown what political philosophy presently lacks, and has done so by demonstrating that ideologies should not be dismissed as merely the 'poor cousins' of philosophies. Both political theory and political philosophy have a great deal to learn from this book.' Radical Philosophy

Like no other book, but rather like spiritual practice itself, Idea and Ideology methodically, in a careful sequence, expands the reader's horizons and mind. It concludes by using the spiritual vantage that has been gained, to focus on the social problems of the earth. This is a fascinating and dense book which propounds the authors theories about the origin of mind, matter and consciousness in scientific language. It is perfectly designed as a starting point to connect the thnking and language of the east and west. Most fascinating of all is the author's unique definition of the concepts of 'idea' and 'ideology' and tehir role in human life.

Indeed, he argues that as the world undergoes greater economic integration, it is also experiencing great political fragmentation, as people retreat to more primordial units for the purposes of self-identity."--BOOK JACKET.

The term "ideology" can cover almost any set of ideas, but its power to bewitch political activists results from its strange logic: part philosophy, part science, part spiritual revelation, all tied together in leading to a remarkable paradox--that the modern Western world, beneath its liberal appearance, is actually the most systematically oppressive system of despotism the world has ever seen. Alien Powers: The Pure Theory of Ideology takes this complex intellectual construction apart, analyzing its logical, rhetorical, and psychological devices and thus opening it up to critical analysis. Ideologists assert that our lives are governed by a hidden system. Minogue traces this notion to Karl Marx who taught intellectuals the philosophical, scientific, moral, and religious moves of the ideological game. The believer would find in these ideas an endless source of new liberating discoveries about the meaning of life, and also the grand satisfaction of struggling to overcome oppression. Minogue notes that while the patterns of ideological thought were consistent, there was little agreement on who the oppressor actually was. Marx said it was the bourgeoisie, but others found the oppressor to be males, governments, imperialists, the white race, or the worldwide Jewish conspiracy. Ideological excitement created turmoil in the twentieth century, but the defeat of the more violent and vicious ideologies--Nazism after 1945 and Communism after 1989--left the passion for social perfection as vibrant as ever. Activist intellectuals still seek to "see through" the life we lead. The positive goals of utopia may for the moment have faded, but the ideological hatred of modernity has remained, and much of our intellectual life has degenerated into a muddled and dogmatic skepticism. For Minogue, the complex task of "demystifying" the "demystifiers" requires that we should discover how ideology works. It must join together each of its complex strands of thought in order to understand the remarkable power of the whole.

Ideologies in Action: Morphological Adaptation and Political Ideas explores how political ideas move across geographical, social and chronological boundaries. Focusing on North American and European case studies ranging from populist tax revolts through parenting advice manuals to online learning environments, the contributors propose new methods for understanding how political entrepreneurs, intellectuals and ordinary citizens deploy and redefine ideologies. All of these groups are consumers of ideology, drawing on pre-existing, transnational ideological concepts and narratives in order to make sense of the world. They are also all producers of ideology, adapting and reconfiguring ideological material to support their own political aims, desires and policy objectives. In doing so, they combine common conceptual elements – interpretations of freedom, order, national identity, democracy, community or equality – with sentiments and imaginations deeply embedded in cultural and social practice. To render these ideological practices intelligible, the contributors to this volume blend conceptual morphology, which emphasizes how meaning emerges in and through connections between political ideas, with close readings of the vernacular and experiential dimensions of ideologies in action. This book offers new insights into how ideologies in varied social and political settings can be decoded, and challenges hierarchical distinctions between ideological ‘producers’ and ‘consumers’. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Political Ideologies.

Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal analyzes political ideologies to help readers understand individual ideologies, and the concept of ideology, from a political science perspective. This best-selling title promotes open-mindedness and develops critical thinking skills. It covers a wide variety of political ideologies from the traditional liberalism and conservatism to recent developments in liberation politics, the emergence of the Alt-Right, and environmental politics. NEW TO THIS EDITION Focus on the recent rise of populism and an "illiberal democracy" and how this poses a real challenge to the pillars of Western Liberal democracy; A look at early Conservatives and the idea of "natural aristocracy" with focus on the thoughts of Edmund Burke; A new discussion on whether Donald Trump is really a conservative, and if so, to what extent this is true; An expanded look at Stalinism and the apparent rebirth of "Mao Zedong thought" in China through "Xi Jinping thought"; A more in-depth look at the rise of Hitler and the Nazi Party and how "myth" was crucial to legitimizing both the man and the party; New section on the history of American Fascism, from its origins to the recent emergence of the "Alt-Right"; Expansion of the discussion around the recent protest movements Black Lives Matter, and #MeToo, along with the repercussions of these movements; Discussion on the obstacles facing transgender people implemented in recent years, including the bathroom laws and the ban from US military service; Account of how Donald Trump has galvanized the environmental movement like never before, through his ardent anti-environment policies and appointments; In-depth look at how the effects of climate change are increasingly turning people into "environmental migrants" and how the presence of these people has fueled far-right movements across Europe and the US; Additional photos throughout; An updated, author-written Instructor’s Manual and Test Bank.