في مواجهة السلطة “توماس فوسن”

Confronting Power is a book by political philosopher Thomas Fossen, published in 2024 by Oxford University Publishing House.

Confronting Power: A Theory of Political Legitimacy by Thomas Fossen

Summary of the book:

Fosson offers a new pragmatic approach to understanding political legitimacy, bypassing traditional questions about “What makes power legitimate?” “To focus on how these questions appear in practical reality.

The Main Hubs :

1. Legitimacy as a Political Practice: Fossen sees that legitimacy is not assessed by applying abstract moral principles, but by engaging in political struggles around representation of power, collective identity, and the interpretation of political events.

2. Identity, Representation, and Time: Discusses how concepts of identity, representation, and time influence shaping our perceptions of legitimacy.

3. Practical Examples: Examines cases like “Germany Autumn” and “Arabic Spring” to illustrate how conflicts over legitimacy actually embody.

Cash reception:

The book has been widely praised for offering a fresh perspective to understanding political legitimacy, as some academics have described it as “original and profound” and “a necessary redirection for discussions around legitimacy.”

About the author:

Thomas Vossen is an Associate Professor of Political Philosophy at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands, specializing in the topics of political legitimacy and political representation.