Theories of Ideology ─ The Powers of Alienation and Subjection

Here, Rehmann (philosophy and social theories, Union Theological Seminary) works on how to explain the hegemonic stability of neoliberal capitalism even in the midst of crisis. He begins by explaining the foundation of Marxist research into the functioning of alienation and subjecting the unconscious effects of ideological practices, rituals, and discourses. He examines the "ideologistes" and Napoleon, ideology-critique and ideology-theory according to Marx and Engels, the concept of ideology Ron the Second International to "Marxism-Leninism," the concept of ideology from Lukacs to the Frankfurt School, Louis Althusser's ideas on ideological state-apparatus and subjection, the period from the collapse of the Althusser School to postculturalism and postmodernism, Pierre Bourdien's field habitus and symbolic violence, ideology-critique with the hinterland of a theory of the ideological, Friederick Hayek and the ideological dispositif of neoliberalism, and the unfulfilled promise of the late Foucault and Foucaultian "governmentality studies." Annotation c2014 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Jan Rehmann, Dr. phil. habil, teaches philosophy and social theories at Union Theological Seminary in New York and the Free University in Berlin. He is co-editor of the Historical-Critical Dictionary of Marxism (HKWM) and author of books on ideology, Neo-Nietzscheanism, Max Weber, the churches in Nazi Germany, and poverty.