What if "liberal democracy" were a contradiction in terms? This book distinguishes liberalism (a logic of order) from democracy (a principle of disordering) to defend a Rancièrean vision of impure politics. Disclosing Rancière's refusal of ontology as political, The Lessons of Rancière enacts a critical theory beyond unmasking and a democratic politics beyond liberalism.

"Jacques Rancière's work circulates widely these days, but it is rarely well-understood. Sam Chambers' The Lessons of Rancière will change that. Distinguishing Rancière's project from the anarchism and Arendtianism with which it is often associated, Chambers gives pride of place to Rancière's historically-situated emancipatory politics of equality and argues that contemporary queer activism is its best exemplar now. Tracking the contingencies of Rancière's (mis-)translation into English, the stakes of different approaches to his work, and the debates to which Rancière is a key contributor (humanism, critical theory, subjectivation, and more), Chambers offers a thoroughgoing analysis of the contribution Rancière stands to make to political and critical theory now. GPS-like, this book will help all readers of Rancière get their bearings in the space and time of contemporary political theory." --Bonnie Honig, Sarah Rebecca Roland Professor, Political Science, Northwestern University "This is a remarkably deft engagement with Rancière and his interpreters. Chambers persistently refuses to let the latter capture Rancière for their particular projects, stressing rather his distinctiveness and radicality. In fact, we discover that there are no enumerable 'lessons' to be learned; only a set of unruly challenges to established positions in contemporary political theory. This book sparkles with insights." --Stephen White, James Hart Professor of Politics, University of Virginia "Chambers's book is the best secondary text on Ranciere in English, and should become the standard text for anyone wanting to explore Ranciere's thought further... Meticulously researched and clearly written, The Lessons of Ranciere helps readers understand the radicality of Ranciere's arguments and mobilizes these arguments as polemic interventions into ongoing democratic struggles... Highly recommended." --CHOICE "[An] especially well researched, contextually attuned, and scholastically exacting new work on Rancière's democratic politics..." -- Katharine Wolfe, Project MUSE

Selling point: The most rigorous and in-depth book-length exploration of, and engagement with, Rancière's work to date Selling point: Shows the centrality of Rancière's radical pedagogy to all of his work, using this theme as a guide througout Selling point: Includes crucial work on Rancière's reception in the UK and North America and on important issues surrounding the translation of Rancière's work Selling point: Not a secondary source book or introdution to Rancière, the book makes an important set of its own unique and meaningful contributions to political theory and related fields

Selling point: The most rigorous and in-depth book-length exploration of, and engagement with, Rancière's work to date Selling point: Shows the centrality of Rancière's radical pedagogy to all of his work, using this theme as a guide througout Selling point: Includes crucial work on Rancière's reception in the UK and North America and on important issues surrounding the translation of Rancière's work Selling point: Not a secondary source book or introdution to Rancière, the book makes an important set of its own unique and meaningful contributions to political theory and related fields