The Dissonance of Democracy – Listening, Conflict, and Citizenship Bickford

The Dissonance of DemocracyListening, Conflict, and Citizenship\nAuthor(s): Susan Bickford\nFormat: Paperback\nPublisher: Cornell University Press, United States\nImprint: Cornell University Press\nISBN-13: 9780801483776, 978-0801483776\nSynopsis\nAlthough the role of shared speech in political action has received much theoretical attention, too little thought has focused on the practice of listening in political interaction, according to Susan Bickford. Even in a formally democratic polity, political action occurs in a context of conflict and inequality; thus, the shared speech of citizenship differs significantly from the conversations of friendly associates. Bickford suggests that democratic politics requires a particular quality of attention, one not based on care or friendship. Analyzing specifically political listening is central to the development of democratic theory, she contends, and to envisioning democratic practices for contemporary [url] analysis draws on the work of Ar.