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.