- Paperback: 170 pages
- Publisher: Cambridge University Press (18 Oct 2001)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 052100425X
- ISBN-13: 978-0521004251
- Product Dimensions: 21.9 x 13.9 x 1.2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,070,966 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
Legitimating Identities
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Product Description
Review
'Rodney Barker's Legitimating Identities: The Self-Presentations of Rulers and Subjects is a stylish and topical reminder of politicians' yearning for identities to bolster their authority. Like Narcissus staryng into the pool, they see (or hope to see) a reflection of themselves they can fall in love with.' Professor Ben Pimlott
'… stimulating and provocative book.' David Runciman, Contemporary Political Theory
'In emphasizing self-legitimation, Barker has led us to new and insightful areas of study. This new volume is a major contribution to the study of political processes.' Ronald M. Glassman, American Journal of Sociology
'… highly recommended reading …'. Political Studies Review
'There are certainly suggestive ideas and important insights in this short essay …'. History of Political Thought
'… stimulating and provocative book.' David Runciman, Contemporary Political Theory
'In emphasizing self-legitimation, Barker has led us to new and insightful areas of study. This new volume is a major contribution to the study of political processes.' Ronald M. Glassman, American Journal of Sociology
'… highly recommended reading …'. Political Studies Review
'There are certainly suggestive ideas and important insights in this short essay …'. History of Political Thought
Product Description
Rulers of all kinds, from feudal monarchs to democratic presidents and prime ministers, justify themselves to themselves through a variety of rituals, rhetoric, and dramatisations, using everything from architecture and coinage to etiquette and portraiture. This kind of legitimation - self-legitimation - has been overlooked in an age which is concerned principally with how government can be justified in the eyes of its citizens. Rodney Barker argues that at least as much time is spent by rulers legitimating themselves in their own eyes, and cultivating their own sense of identity, as is spent in trying to convince ordinary subjects. Once this dimension of ruling is taken into account, a far fuller understanding can be gained of what rulers are doing when they rule. It can also open the way to a more complete grasp of what subjects are doing, both when they obey and when they rebel.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
There is a convention sometimes found amongst academics of beginning books and articles with an inaugural lecture in reverse. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
There is a convention sometimes found amongst academics of beginning books and articles with an inaugural lecture in reverse. Read the first page
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Concordance
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A welcome dose of political realism,
This review is from: Legitimating Identities: The Self-Presentations of Rulers and Subjects (Paperback)
In the best traditions of Foucault or Lukes, this is a short punchy essay in political realism, that acts as a refreshing antidote, or at least alternative, to normative accounts of legitimacy. Such realism might not be to everyone's taste but in an age of spin, Barker's focus on the self-justifications that those in power (and those who obey as well as those who rebel) seem to spend so much time and effort on is thought-provoking and bang up to date (even if his determinedly historical context sometimes makes the reader wish he would spend more time elucidating modern media-dominated theatre politics.) Although a realist account of individual actors and how their competing (or cohering) narratives constitute the political domain, his dual focus on political-social identity gives it an extra philosophical edge (I act as I am or I act therefore I am?)and stops him short of the charge of cynicism. Witty and subversive in tone, never shy of its own erudition, it is a useful addition to the "standard" works on legitimacy for anybody studying Politics or Political Philosophy
0 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
there are faster fish in the sea...,
By A Customer
This review is from: Legitimating Identities: The Self-Presentations of Rulers and Subjects (Paperback)
barker makes a fairly mundane point in his introduction and suceeds only in sort-of spinning it out via a plethora of examples and minute distinctions. my lingering impression is that the bulk of this book was purely redundant. there was no happy medium between the self-evident and the purely erroneous. in particular, his rather monolithic characterization of islamic leadership and a bizarre extrapolation of it to describe the phenomenon of minority leadership more generally left a very bad taste in my mouth. it was anything but enlightening, to say the least.
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