Studies in the Theory of Ideology

In this volume John B. Thompson examines some of the outstanding contemporary contributions to the study of ideology. He focuses primarily on European social theorists and philosophers, providing concise and critical appraisals of their work. In addition to assessing the contributions of the well-known thinkers, such as Habermas and Ricoeur, Thompson introduces the reader to a rich variety of authors who have been neglected in the English-speaking world: Cornelius Castoriadis, Claude Lefort, Pierre Bourdieu, Michel Pecheux, Jean Pierre Faye. The work of these authors is analysed with a constructive aim: through a sympathetic assessment of their views.  Thompson formulates the elements of a novel account of ideology. By addressing substantive and methodological issues as well as abstract questions of justification and critique, this account seeks to integrate sociological and philosophical considerations in a unified framework for the analysis of ideology. Studies in the Theory of Ideology will be essential reading for anyone interested in the most important developments in European philosophy and modern social thought.

Preface and Acknowledgements vii Introduction 1 1 Ideology and the Social Imaginary 16 An appraisal of Castoriadis and Lefort 2 Symbolic Violence 42 Language and power in the writings of Pierre Bourdieu 3 Theories of Ideology and Methods of Discourse Analysis 73 Towards a framework for the analysis of ideology I Theories of ideology Ideology as belief system: Martin Seliger Ideology as rational project: Alvin Gouldner Ideology as social relations: Paul Hirst II Methods of discourse analysis Analysis of exchange structure: John Sinclair et al. Analysis of conversational structure: Harvey Sacks et al. Analysis of grammatical structure: Roger Fowler et al. III Analysis of ideology: some open issues Conceptualization of ideology Methodology of interpretation Critique and justification 4 The Theory of Structuration 148 An assessment of the contribution of Anthony Giddens 5 Action, Ideology and the Text 173 A reformulation of Ricoeur's theory of interpretation 6 Narratives of National Socialism 205 An analysis of the work of Jean Pierre Faye 7 Ideology and the Analysis of Discourse 232 A critical introduction to the work of Michel Pecheux 8 Universal Pragmatics 255 Habermas's proposals for the analysis of language and truth 9 Rationality and Social Rationalization 279 An assessment of Habermas's theory of communicative action Notes 303 Index 343