The struggle for development and democracy. : new approaches / / Volume 1 : / Alessandro Olsaretti.

• Superior document: Studies in Critical Social Sciences ; 206
• VerfasserIn: Olsaretti, Alessandro,
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden, Netherlands ;, Boston, Massachusetts : : Brill,, [2022]; ©2022
• Year of Publication: 2022
• Language: English
• Series: Studies in Critical Social Sciences ; 206.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (320 pages)

In The Struggle for Development and Democracy Alessandro Olsaretti argues that we need significantly new theories of development and democracy to answer the problem posed by neoliberalism and the populist backlash, namely, uneven development and divisive politics. This book proposes as a first step a truly multidisciplinary humanist social science, to overcome the flaws of neoliberal economic theories, and to recover a balanced approach to theories and policies alike that is especially needed in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. These led to divisive culture wars, which were compounded by the divisive populist politics. This book begins to sketch such a humanist social science, and applies it to answer one question: who is responsible for neoliberalism and the populist backlash?.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements -- List of Figures -- Introduction -- Defending theory and an eclectic methodology for formulating it -- The new theories and the main hypotheses and theses on neoliberalism -- Part I: The project and the need for new approaches -- 1 The project and its importance to provide answers and alternatives -- 1.1 The project and the answers and alternatives that it proposes -- 1.2 The project and its importance to achieve a paradigm shift in development studies -- 1.3 The significantly new theory of democracy proposed -- 1.4 The significantly new theory of development proposed -- 1.5 The importance of civil society and social engineering for development and democracy -- 1.6 The importance of civil society and universities for development and democracy -- 1.7 The importance of the state for development and democracy -- 2 An intellectual journey, the struggle for objectivity, and elitism -- 2.1 An unusual intellectual journey, humanism, and political-military development -- 2.2 Broad pictures of society and history and a humanist social science -- 2.3 The difficulties faced by Gramsci's project and similar projects -- 2.4 McGill University and the social conditions for objectivity -- 2.5 Aristocratic-military elites and a humanistic education -- 2.6 Broad pictures of society and history and their importance -- 2.7 Implications of the new theories for studies of culture and international relations -- Part II: Continuing Gramsci's project through a humanist social science -- 3 Continuing Gramsci's project through a significantly new theory of democracy -- 3.1 Gramsci and his legacy and approach to philosophy -- 3.2 Gramsci's humanist social science as a contribution to a new theory of democracy -- 3.3 Gramsci's project and related projects in Italy -- 3.4 Gramsci's project and the projects of Structural Marxists -- 3.5 Gramsci's project and the projects of Analytical Marxists -- 3.6 An alternative view of democracy that rejects eurocentrism -- 3.7 An alternative view of scientific knowledge that rejects eurocentrism -- 4 A humanist social science that promotes cultural democracy -- 4.1 Gramsci's humanist social science as a contribution to cultural democracy -- 4.2 The anthropological-sociological view of philosophy and science -- 4.3 The contribution from popular culture to theory through informal observation -- 4.4 The contribution from popular art to theory through informal observation -- 4.5 The eclectic methodology for formulating theory and rhetoric -- 4.6 The contribution of theory to popular culture through substantive theories -- 4.7 The contribution of theory to popular culture through a moderating influence -- Part III: The methodology and the hypotheses and theses of the project -- 5 Theory and hypotheses and theses on world-elites and national elites -- 5.1 Academic specialization and the origins of one-sidedness and reductiveness -- 5.2 Academic specialization due to compartmentalization by domain -- 5.3 Academic specialization due to the needs of empirical research -- 5.4 Defining theory and the relation of theoretical groundwork to general theory -- 5.5 The contribution of theoretical groundwork to general theory -- 5.6 The contribution of general theory to theoretical groundwork -- 5.7 Theoretical groundwork and hypotheses regarding world-elites and globalization -- 5.8 General theory and two theses regarding elites, masses and globalization -- 6 Case studies and hypotheses on hegemony and meso collective action -- 6.1 The use of historical case studies to understand contemporary cases -- 6.2 The use of case studies to understand hegemony -- 6.3 Gramsci's theory of hegemony and the importance of collective action -- 6.4 Gramsci's study of collective action problems and criticism of elite theorists -- 6.5 The British aristocratic-military elite and the use of culture for consent -- 6.6 The Piedmontese national elite and its collective action advantage -- 6.7 Meso collective action problems and the combination of cooptation and defection -- 6.8 General theory and three theses regarding the origins of democracy -- Conclusions -- Bibliography -- Index.