Dr. Brendan Sweetman has a book being published!
Our own Dr. Brendan Sweetman has a book being published! The title is:
The Crisis of Democratic Pluralism: The Loss of Confidence in Reason and the Clash of Worldviews (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021)
Dr. Sweetman shares “The book is a reflection on contemporary liberal democracy, suggesting that it is reaching something of a crisis. The crisis, however, is not what one usually thinks of when one hears the now common charge that contemporary democracy is in trouble. Usually modern concerns are motivated by our political differences, with many thinking that the electorate is uninformed, stupid and immoral, and that if only these vices could be corrected, the general populace would then make wise decisions!
Dr. Sweetman stated he “argues that the crisis is deeper than such worries, arising from a contentious pluralism involving the rise of incommensurable worldviews that emerge out of the absolutizing of freedom over time in a democratic setting. This clash of worldviews is further complicated by a loss of confidence in reason and by the practical failure of public discourse. A contributory factor is the growing worldview of secularism which must be distinguished from the process of secularization in many democratic nations, and from the concept of the secular state. The book explores and rejects solutions from liberal political theory, and argues for a re-envisioning of the relationship between religion, secularism and politics, which allows a limited place for all worldviews in the state, including religious worldviews. Nevertheless, part of the crisis is that there is no easy or obvious way out of it, which prompts urgent reflection and analysis on the concept of democracy itself.”
Dr. Sweetman shared: The book grew out of my interest in the nature of democracy, the contentious pluralism in modern politics, and the secularizing tendencies evident in many countries, including my home country, Ireland (which I consider in a case study). I worked on it over a four year period and learned a lot from fascinating discussions with colleagues at conferences at home and abroad.”
Well done, Dr. Sweetman.
