Ideological Context and the Study of Political Theory

What is it about?

This paper recounts my encounter with the ideological context of Hobbes’s system as a graduate student in political theory through the teaching and scholarship of Professor Johann Sommerville. This encounter made me recognize that the study of political theory should be expanded from systems of political philosophy to their ideological contexts for two reasons. First, ideological contexts, consisting of ideas and arguments deployed in debates concerning issues of political legitimacy of a specific time, are easier for political theorists to identify and more relevant to their scholarly interest than linguistic contexts composed of “languages.” Second, studying ideological contexts renders the quest for legitimate political orders in different ages and cultures accessible to modern readers of diverse backgrounds, leads to a more accurate grasp of the originality of a philosophical system, and uncovers new resources for political theorizing.

Featured Image