The Method of Democracy

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. He applies Dewey's theory of collective intelligence to the reconstruction of UK higher education.

Autorentext

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.

Klappentext

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.

Inhalt

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.