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Community as Communication: Jean‐Luc Nancy and ‘Being‐in‐Common’

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  • John Schwarzmantel

Abstract

This article seeks to propose and defend the necessity of political community as a prerequisite for an effective democratic polity. It defends a republican model of political community, involving ideas of active citizenship and interaction across the particular identity groups which proliferate in contemporary liberal‐democratic societies. It is argued that ideas of community as communication, derived from the work of the French philosopher Jean‐Luc Nancy, and his distinction between ‘being‐ in‐common’ and ‘common being’, can be applied in a more political sense than in his original usage to justify a revised notion of republican solidarity. This more open form of community is used as the basis for expounding a strong concept of civic identity, which is defended against three rival conceptions. The article takes issue with some liberal theorists who assert that political community is neither desirable nor possible under contemporary conditions. It offers reasons to be sceptical of both a ‘civic nationalist’ perspective as well as of ‘post‐nationalist’ arguments. The significance of the issue of community is illustrated by examples drawn from the recent riots in France and some analyses of the significance of those events.

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  • John Schwarzmantel, 2007. "Community as Communication: Jean‐Luc Nancy and ‘Being‐in‐Common’," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 55(2), pages 459-476, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:polstu:v:55:y:2007:i:2:p:459-476
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9248.2007.00625.x
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    1. Abizadeh, Arash, 2002. "Does Liberal Democracy Presuppose a Cultural Nation? Four Arguments," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 96(3), pages 495-509, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sam Page, 2021. "Jeremy Corbyn and the war machine: Assemblage and affect in the 2015 UK Labour Party Leadership Contest," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 39(7), pages 1319-1337, November.

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