The Perils of Identity Politics

Issue Date July 2004
Volume 15
Issue 3
Page Numbers 152-65
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Read the full essay here.

Three leading French political thinkers reflect on why modern democracies tend to forget their own natures, even to the point of encouraging an assertive “identitarianism” that could undermine liberal democracy itself.

About the Authors

Marcel Gauchet

Marcel Gauchet is director of studies at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) in Paris, editor of Le Débat, and author of La Démocratie contre elle-même (2002).

View all work by Marcel Gauchet

Pierre Manent

Pierre Manent is director of studies at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales in Paris.

View all work by Pierre Manent

Alain Finkielkraut

Alain Finkielkraut, the author of numerous books, hosts the discussion program on the France-Culture radio station.

View all work by Alain Finkielkraut

Further Reading

Volume 4, Issue 3

International Organizations & Democracy: Toward a Global “Guarantee Clause”

Read the full essay here.

Volume 21, Issue 4

The Meanings of Democracy: Solving an Asian Puzzle

Over the years, the Asian Barometer Survey has yielded some surprising results. A new typological analysis helps to make sense of them.

Volume 24, Issue 4

The Third Wave: Inside the Numbers

Is democracy threatened by a “reverse wave”? Examining regional patterns and distinguishing between different types of democracy gives us a new basis for assessing this question. Listen to the podcast with…