Democracy and Community

The concept of community is one heavily burdened by the events of the 20th century, frequently appropriated by totalitarian regimes for the purposes of exclusion and oppression. In this dialogue with Peter Engelmann, philosopher Jean-Luc Nancy attempts to free the concept from these associations, rethinking it in such a way that it can serve as a valuable starting point for a new reflection on democracy.

Throughout his work Nancy has advocated a fundamental reconceptualization of politics, centred on the idea of community. He starts from the observation that all our interactions with one another are in some way shared experiences, demonstrating that a common sense of life precedes our existence as individuals. This means that we can only truly make sense of life in a plurality. Though democracy is typically concerned with establishing political unity, its greater task should therefore lie in community: creating a space in which sense can realise itself and circulate.

This stimulating conversation with one of France’s foremost thinkers will be of great interest to all readers of contemporary philosophy and political theory.