Wedging open established civil spheres: A comparative approach to their emancipatory potential

Trevor Stack*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

In this chapter, I develop a theoretical account to explain how and when civil spheres can become emancipatory, noting that they need first to become established in institutions but recognizing that their establishing can itself block further emancipation - unless they can somehow be wedged open to admit causes and constituencies hitherto deemed uncivil. Radical acts can, on occasion, help to wedge open civil spheres. Having set out my theoretical account, I go on to explain how it has been read through the case of the United Kingdom in which I was born and raised - the House of Lords inspired my concept of civil establishment - as well as the case of Mexico where I have conducted research over twenty-five years, here drawing on the Zapatista movement of the 1990s as an example of radical action.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationBreaching the Civil Order
Subtitle of host publicationRadicalism and the Civil Sphere
EditorsJeffrey C. Alexander, Trevor Stack, Farhad Khosrokhaver
PublisherCambridge University Press
Chapter1
Pages11-41
Number of pages31
ISBN (Electronic)9781108571050
ISBN (Print)9781108427234
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 25 Nov 2019

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© Cambridge University Press 2020.

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