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This week essay based on Gerald Macaulay, last week’s articles Essay Assignment November 4th Instructions, Guidelines Topics Opinion based on research (secondary) Extension of a week to November 1 lath for any reason 1. What are ideologies 2. Key Feature of Ideologies 3. What Is “special” about Ideologies? 4. What is the history of the concept? 5. Positive vs.. Negative conception of ideology 6.
Complications of studying them What are ideologies? Competing conceptual frameworks Clusters/composites of political beliefs, values and ideas a pattern of social, political, economic, technological and philosophical beliefs that help us organize the world around us. ” P. X Grounded in beliefs about human nature and social possibility (what is, and what could be) What do Ideologies do?
Explain or Inform – what Is going on? Judge-what should I think about this? Guide political actions- what should do about this? Inform social relations-Who are my allies? My enemies? What Is my relationship to other In this? Etc. Key Features of ideologies Historically contingent-constantly changing/shifting Changes In central concepts (meanings) and also In relation of concepts to other concepts (e. G. Allegations of freedom to equality) Include “core” and “adjacent” concepts Both rational and emotional Normative and prescriptive In various affinities/alliances with each other (historically shifting) Include a spectrum of views Frequently claim to be true, to be non-ideological 1 OFF Differentiating ideologies from political theories/philosophies 1) Typicality 2) Influence 3) Conceptual Creativity 4) Communicability History of Ideologies Link to democracy, to concern with public opinion ) As a scientific term of study.