Political realism, liberal constitutionalism and Arab spring
by Acar Kutay
International Journal of Human Rights and Constitutional Studies (IJHRCS), Vol. 8, No. 4, 2021

Abstract: In this paper, I argue that constitutional and political transformations in the Middle East have been thus far largely shaped and evaluated by a hegemonic interpretation of constitutionalism. But, such interpretation is ahistorical, moralist and de-politicising. Political realism proposes an alternative theoretical perspective to liberalism in at least two grounds. First, following Raymond Geuss, its research agenda primarily submits to Ideologiekritik, that is, the task of political theory on this account is to unmask the origins, epistemic nature, and implications of liberal theory. Second, constitutionalism in liberal theory means resisting arbitrary power, but constitutions also generate legitimate political authority and create a political community that would organise and regulate its political institutions by the constitution.

Online publication date: Tue, 05-Oct-2021

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