John Narayan - 9781526101020 Downloaded from manchesterhive.com at 09/30/2021 02:28:45PM via free access John Dewey John Narayan - 9781526101020 Downloaded from manchesterhive.com at 09/30/2021 02:28:45PM via free access THEORY FOR A GLOBAL AGE Series Editor: Gurminder K. Bhambra Globalization is widely viewed as a current condition of the world, but there is little engagement with how this changes the way we understand it. The Theory for a Global Age series addresses the impact of globalization on the social sciences and humanities. Each title will focus on a particular theoretical issue or topic of empirical controversy and debate, addressing theory in a more global and interconnected manner. With contributions from scholars across the globe, the series will explore different perspectives to examine globalization from a global viewpoint. True to its global character, the Theory for a Global Age series will be available for online access worldwide via Creative Commons licensing, aiming to stimulate wide debate within academia and beyond. Previously published by Bloomsbury: Published by Connected Sociologies Manchester University Press: Gurminder K. Bhambra Debt as Power Richard H. Robbins and Tim Di Muzio Eurafrica: The Untold History of European Integration and Colonialism Peo Hansen and Stefan Jonsson On Sovereignty and Other Political Delusions Joan Cocks Postcolonial Piracy: Media Distribution and Cultural Production in the Global South Edited by Lars Eckstein and Anja Schwarz The Black Pacific: Anticolonial Struggles and Oceanic Connections Robbie Shilliam Democracy and Revolutionary Politics Neera Chandhoke John Narayan - 9781526101020 Downloaded from manchesterhive.com at 09/30/2021 02:28:45PM via free access John Dewey The Global Public and Its Problems John Narayan Manchester University Press John Narayan - 9781526101020 Downloaded from manchesterhive.com at 09/30/2021 02:28:45PM via free access Copyright © John Narayan 2016 The right of John Narayan to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Published by Manchester University Press Altrincham Street, Manchester M1 7JA www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk This work is published subject to a Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives Licence. You may share this work for non-commercial purposes only, provided you give attribution to the copyright holder and the publisher. For permission to publish commercial versions please contact Manchester University Press. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data applied for ISBN 978 1 7849 93245 hardback 978 1 5261 01020 open access First published 2016 The publisher has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for any external or third-party internet websites referred to in this book, and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate. Typeset by Integra Software Services Pvt. Ltd. TJ International Ltd, Padstow John Narayan - 9781526101020 Downloaded from manchesterhive.com at 09/30/2021 02:28:45PM via free access For Rosie John Narayan - 9781526101020 Downloaded from manchesterhive.com at 09/30/2021 02:28:45PM via free access John Narayan - 9781526101020 Downloaded from manchesterhive.com at 09/30/2021 02:28:45PM via free access Contents Series Editor’s Foreword ix Acknowledgements x Introduction: Retrieving a ‘Global’ American Philosopher 1 The enigma of democratic globalization 4 Back to the future 9 Outline of the book 10 A ventriloquist’s disclaimer 13 1 Creative Democracy 15 Unfashionable democracy 15 Problematic states and their problematic publics: The futility of state theory 19 The history of publics and the spectre of violence 28 Making the case for democracy as a way of life 31 Democracy as a way of life + political democracy = creative democracy 36 2 The Global Democrat 41 The Great Society as the First Great Globalization 42 Dewey’s plea for a global Great Community 45 Global creative democracy 51 3 The Obstacles to Creative Democracy at Home and Abroad 55 The eclipse of the public 57 The national and global eclipse of creative democracy 66 4 Social Intelligence and Equality 75 The habits of social intelligence 77 The planning society 85 John Narayan - 9781526101020 Downloaded from manchesterhive.com at 09/30/2021 02:28:45PM via free access viii Contents Democracy and equality 88 Global democracy and equality 95 5 New Lessons from the Old Professor 103 Lesson 1: A Great Society does not equal a Great Community 104 Lesson 2: The Great Community and the nation 106 Lesson 3: Democracy begins at home 109 Lesson 4: The spectre of bourgeois democracy must be exorcised! 115 Global democracy: A new name for an old problem 119 Conclusion: Inheriting the Task of Creative Democracy 127 Notes 131 Bibliography 155 Index 165 John Narayan - 9781526101020 Downloaded from manchesterhive.com at 09/30/2021 02:28:45PM via free access Series Editor’s Foreword The fate of democracy under conditions of neoliberal globalization is the focus for John Narayan’s comprehensive re-examination of the work of philosopher and proto-sociologist, John Dewey. While, as Narayan argues, Dewey did not himself make a sustained argument for global democracy, a powerful idea of global democracy can be constructed from his philosophical and sociological writings. In this way, in John Dewey: The Global Public and Its Problems, Narayan expertly demonstrates the continuing relevance of John Dewey’s thought for the consideration of contemporary problems of modern sovereignty and questions of political and democratic legitimacy in a global age. Narayan starts with a discussion of Dewey’s understanding of democracy as a creative process of reform and renewal. This discussion is located in terms of examining the global conditions of ‘the Great Society’ and the global institutions and publics that are part of its functioning at the larger scale. While the focus is strongly on ‘the global’, there is also consideration of the national contexts which dominate in the debates and political practices of democracy. As Narayan sets out, democracy, for Dewey, had to be articulated both ‘at home’ and ‘abroad’. In the latter sections of the book, Narayan pays due attention to the ideas of global justice and equality that are often neglected aspects of Dewey’s thought and makes a robust argument for egalitarian democracy on a global scale. The book is an excellent illustration of one of the motivating aspects of the Theory for a Global Age series, namely, a concern to reconsider existing understandings of the global such that we might better understand our contemporary global condition. Dewey’s call to renew and refresh our thinking in light of changes is nicely exemplified by Narayan’s own rethinking of Dewey’s thought for our contemporary times. Gurminder K. Bhambra John Narayan - 9781526101020 Downloaded from manchesterhive.com at 09/30/2021 02:28:45PM via free access Acknowledgements Although the intellectual process is often a lonely existence, it is undoubtedly not a sole endeavour. Indeed, without the help of others it would be nigh on impossible. I wish to thank the following for their help during the formation of this piece. To my wonderful wife, Rosie Narayan, whose intellect and unconditional love and support have always been a place where I could take refuge or draw strength from whenever the books have started to hit back! This would not have been possible without you. I must also mention the life form who I spend the majority of my time with during the day, our family dog, Nina, who has spent most days sleeping in her basket under my desk as I edited the manuscript, and whose daily walks have provided the thinking space needed to get over any bump in the road along the way. I would also like to extend my deepest gratitude to: The Economic and Social Research Council for funding the doctoral study upon which this work is based and the University of Nottingham for providing the institutional support to complete my doctorate. Professor John Holmwood for his intellectual companionship and general tolerance of my unabashed trait of disagreeing with him on the principle that he was my PhD supervisor! Thank you for the support through the years and the hard work that you have put into my own work. Professor Gurminder K. Bhambra whose support for this project is only outweighed by the support she has given to my most recent intellectual endeavours. Thank you for helping me wade through the murky waters of academia! My wonderful friends: Ross and Sian Abbinnett, Kehinde and Nicole Andrews, Martin Culliney, Ruairi Hughes, Uzo and Heidi Ibechukwu and Christopher and Louise Twardowski. It is a privilege to count on you as friends. I love you all! John Narayan - 9781526101020 Downloaded from manchesterhive.com at 09/30/2021 02:28:45PM via free access Acknowledgements xi I must also send love to the little ones: Simon Abbinnett, Assata and Kadiri Andrews, Esme Ibechukwu, Naeva Twardowski, my little cousin, Eleanor Wood, and my nephew, Gustav, and niece, Galia Nickson. You all promise hope to a desperate world. A special thank you must be sent to the Narayan clan for their support of my intellectual endeavours down the years. Also to the Browns and Nicksons, especially Lorna and Joe, for welcoming me into their family. And I must mention the Dass family in Fiji, whose reconnection has brought extra happiness to the writing process. A special thanks must also be reserved for Rosie’s mum, Louise Brown, and Tilly the dog. A lot of this work was initially conceived at Louise’s house during my PhD and she even took to correcting the manuscript’s many spelling mistakes.