The Return of Ideology: New Social Realities and Presentations in the Post-Truth Era

More than 60 years ago, Daniel Bell proclaimed the "end of ideology." Indeed, the concept of ideology in the social sciences and in political psychology was considered anachronistic not so long ago. Those who did use it were considered ideologues themselves and sometimes worse. With the rise of populism in the last decade, this has changed, and more scholars have begun to apply the concept again. However, most publications using the term do so rather loosely to denote political ideas and beliefs, this way circumventing the contested critical connotation of the concept. The aim of The Return of Ideology is to strengthen the social theoretical potential of ideology not by ignoring but by addressing its immanent problems. It does so in three parts: first, it explores the concept's ambivalent and contested history, beginning with its Marxist roots and evolution; second, it examines the methods used to study why people hold onto their beliefs even when it's against their interests; and third, it presents empirical studies of current ideological phenomena such as populism, racism, antisemitism, intersectionality, and conspiracy thinking. Accessible and comprehensive, this book offers valuable insights for anyone interested in understanding how ideas shape society today.

About the Author

Heiko Beyer is a professor of sociology at the Institute for the Social Sciences at the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf. He studied sociology, philosophy, and cultural studies at Leipzig University and holds a PhD in sociology from the University of Göttingen as well as a habilitation degree from the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf. He is currently working on a book about the subject(ivat)ion of human rights and is also engaged in two projects that explore antisemitism within Germany. Alexandra Schauer is a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for Social Research in Frankfurt/Main. Previous academic affiliations include the University of Basel, the Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, and the New School for Social Research. She holds a PhD from the Friedrich Schiller University Jena and is author of the prize-winning book Mensch ohne Welt: Eine Soziologie spätmodener Vergesellschaftung . She is currently researching destructive modes of dealing with social crises.