An Introduction to Contemporary Political Theory
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An Introduction to Contemporary Political Theory Colin Farrelly Sage Publications, London, 2003, 320pp. ISBN: 761949070. Contemporary Political Theory: A Reader Colin Farrelly Sage Publications, London, 2003, 304pp. ISBN: 761941843. Contemporary Political Theory (2005) 4, 356–359. doi:10.1057/palgrave.cpt.9300210
As someone who has taught contemporary political theory in a range of institutions for longer than I care to remember, it was with some interest and anticipation that I began reading Colin Farrelly’s Introduction to Contemporary Political Theory and its accompanying Reader. Assessing these books raises the obvious question: what makes a good textbook? At least, three factors strike me as important. First, the text must be accessible to the audience for which it is intended without being too simplistic. This means that it must elucidate key concepts clearly yet rigorously. Next, it should endeavour to offer examples that illuminate key theoretical points in a way that enhances understanding. Finally, it should offer an accurate and up-to-date critical survey of its field and, if it is a very good text, it should also present familiar material in an original and provocative way. Clearly the criteria for a reader are slightly different: its usefulness lies primarily in the cohesiveness and representativeness of the range of sources that it collects together. In the case of Farrelly’s two books, since the reader is designed with the introductory text in mind, one might also add, that its merit depends on the degree to which this collected material supports the Introduction. The aim of Farrelly’s books is to introduce students of contemporary political theory, political ideas and political philosophy to what he conceives to be the main conventions, questions and positions in political theory today. Taking as his central concern the manner in which different traditions have construed the organization of society, Farrelly offers chapters in the Introduction on Rawls, Nozick, Gauthier, Dworkin, communitarianism, multiculturalism, deliberative democracy and feminism. The Reader offers a parallel selection of extracts to complement the Introduction. This includes material from all Farrelly’s named authors barring Dworkin, as well as a representative sample covering his four broader themes (communitarianism, multiculturalism and so on). Oddly, the Reader somewhat inexplicably also incorporates a section on republicanism though there is no corresponding evaluative chapter in the Introduction. The choice of the material is judicious Contemporary Political Theory 2005 4
Book Reviews
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and, although some may quibble both about what has been included as well as what has been omitted, overall the Reader usefully complements the Introduction. In terms of accessibility, the Introduction is, for the most part, clearly written. Material is presented in a lucid and concise fashion, although sometimes this concision works against the introductory nature of the text where, occasionally, knowledge of key debates is ass
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