Anarchism ─ A Conceptual Approach

Rather than attempt to formulate a unitary definition of anarchism as an ideology or political theory, this book employs a conceptual-morphological analysis which identifies the core, adjacent, and peripheral concepts of anarchism.

Core concepts are the enduring and indispensable ones; they are the concepts that provide an ideology with its essential identity, with the views that separate it from other perspectives. Adjacent concepts provide additional nuance and anchoring for some of the core concepts; they help give a bit of specificity and context for core concepts. Peripheral concepts are those that provide an ideology with the flexibility it needs to adapt to changing circumstances; they are tied to particular times and places, to the concerns of the moment. In the context of this structure, various kinds of relationships among an ideology’s concepts are possible. Noteworthy relationships include: (1) proximity—the ability of concepts to define each other; (2) priority—core versus periphery; (3) permeability—the extent to which ideologies intersect and overlap; and (4) proportionality—the relative space or attention to particular issues given by the ideology.

With anti-statist attitudes—attitudes that have long been central to the anarchist tradition—becoming prominent on the economic and political right, anarchists seeking to sharpen their message and identity are struggling to determine what is central and unique to their ideas and actions. A conceptual morphology that is sensitive to both academic and practical concerns would be of significant value to theorists and activists alike.

Benjamin Franks is Lecturer in Social and Political Philosophy at Glasgow University. His research interests include Marxist, anarchist, post-Marxist and post-anarchist political theory and applied ethics especially in the fields of (anti-)political action, education and social research.

Nathan Jun is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Midwestern State University.? His?research interests include the history of 19th and 20th century European political philosophy (especially anarchism and socialism), radical social and political theory, and recent Continental philosophy (especially the ethical and political ideas of Gilles Deleuze and Michel Foucault ).? He is the author of Anarchism and Political Modernity (Continuum, 2011) and the co-editor of New Perspectives on Anarchism (Lexington Books, 2009), Deleuze and Ethics (Edinburgh University Press, 2011), Revolutionary Hope: Essays in Honor of William L. McBride (Lexington Books, 2013), and Without Borders or Limits: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Anarchist Studies (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2013).

Leonard Williams is Professor of Political Science at Manchester University. His primary research interests include political philosophy, political ideologies, and anarchism.? He has written a number of journal and popular articles on this and other topics.? He has also authored American Liberalism and Ideological Change and co-edited (with Joseph Losco) Political Theory: Classic and Contemporary Readings.