The Trace of Political Representation

A philosophical analysis of the discourses, practices, and effects of representation in political institutions, focusing on American democracy.
The Trace of Political Representation is a philosophical analysis of the discourses, practices, and effects of representation in political institutions, with an ultimate interest in contemporary American democracy. The perspective governing its approach is derived largely from Foucault, and tempered by a range of contemporary philosophers, including Derrida, Pitkin, and Castoriadis.
Seitz explores and questions the traditional, metaphysical notion that what gets represented in the apparatuses and processes of representation is a political subject or identity (for example, will, opinion, interests) that exists fundamentally independent of and prior to that process. To accomplish this, he sketches out a historical articulation of several prominent formations of political representation from the past and then focuses on more contemporary political developments and dynamics, including the impact of "communications" technology and culture on the processes and institutions of representation.

About the author

Brian Seitz teaches in the philosophy department at Queens College in Flushing, New York. He is the coeditor of Eating Culture, the first in a series of cultural-studies anthologies, and is currently working on a book that examines the philosophical opposition between force and law.

Product details

• Authors: Brian Seitz
• Publisher: State University of New York Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 19.05.1995
• EAN: 9780791423653
• ISBN: 978-0-7914-2365-3
• No. of pages: 232
• Weight: 490 g
• Series: Suny Series in Radical Social; Suny Series in Radical Social; Suny Radical Social and Politi
• Subjects: Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Philosophy: general, reference works; Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political education; Philosophie, Amerika, PHILOSOPHY / General, Politics / Current Events, POLITICAL SCIENCE / American Government / Legislative Branch