Notes Toward a Dissident Theo-Politics

The following essay asks what theo-political grammar might effectively address the growing crisis of democracy in North America. Previous responses to this made by political theology and liberation theology are still rooted in a dialectical mode of analysis, thereby concealing the discursive limitat...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Political theology
Main Author: Willis, Andre C. 1965- (Author)
Format: Electronic/Print Article
Language:English
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Published: Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group [2017]
In: Political theology
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B North America / Democracy / Crisis / Racism
RelBib Classification:CG Christianity and Politics
KBQ North America
Further subjects:B Friendship
B crisis of democracy
B theo-politics
B whiteness-as-god
Online Access: Volltext (doi)
Description
Summary:The following essay asks what theo-political grammar might effectively address the growing crisis of democracy in North America. Previous responses to this made by political theology and liberation theology are still rooted in a dialectical mode of analysis, thereby concealing the discursive limitations that constrain possibilities for material progress. As a response, I posit a Dissident Theo-Politics that borrows from post-structuralist thought. This Dissident Theo-Politics recognizes Whiteness to be the central source of meaning in the USA, thus its most important symbol and apex of its theology, that is, a god. Theology considered in this way invites new discursive options that produce different yet non-oppositional ways of engaging the complicated crises in American democracy. The constructive strategy I put forward is a radical democratic friendship based on love (philia) extended disproportionality between those who are perceived as social unequals. Using both Derrida and Ella Baker I argue for radical democratic friendship as a source to inspire insurgent energies to provisionally re-set US socio-political conditions.
Item Description:Das Heft ist als Doppelheft erschienen: "Volume 18 Numbers 3-4 May-June 2017"
ISSN:1462-317X
Contains:Enthalten in: Political theology
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1080/1462317X.2017.1311062