CHANTAL MOUFFE BETWEEN THEORY AND STRATEGY: from democratic normativity to left-wing populism as a political intervention

Abstract

This article proposes an unconventional reading of Chantal Mouffe’s work, jointly addressing two dimensions that are often treated in isolation by commentators: her normative diagnoses and her strategic responses to the so-called “crisis of liberal democracies.” The first, theoretical in nature, problematizes deliberative theories and exposes what we call “normative centrism.” The second, focused on political intervention, critiques “political centrism,” characterized by the hegemony of the “third way” and the absence of alternative projects capable of radicalizing the ethical-political principles of democracy. Unlike the predominant trend in the secondary literature, which emphasizes one or the other aspect of Mouffe’s work, this study demonstrates how, in her conjunctural analyses, the author mobilizes the fundamental concepts of her theory—antagonism, power, and social pluralism—to present concrete alternatives for political mobilization. By articulating these two dimensions, we highlight the theoretical coherence underlying her thought and explore possible ways to update her diagnosis in light of the contemporary context.