The Analysis of Ideology

Thiswork,byoneofEurope'sforemostsocialtheorists,presentsacriticalhistoryoftheconceptofideology.Theauthor'sdiscussionrangesfromtheearlyconceptionsofideologytoitscurrentusageintheworksofBarthes,Foucault,Habermasandothers.Boudondevelopsadistinctiveandoriginalapproachtotheanalysisofideology.Drawingonaseriesofcasestudies,heseekstoexplainhowandwhysocialactorsadheresoreadilytofalseordubiousideas.Inoppositiontothoseviewswhichassociateideologywithirrationalism,Boudondevelopsarationalisttheorywhichhelpstoexplainwhycertainideasarebelievedbyindividualsandaretherebyeffectiveinthesocialworld.Rigorouslyarguedandclearlywritten,thisworkisamajorrestatementofBoudon'stheoreticalviewsandatimelyinterventionincurrentdebates.Itwillbeofparticularinteresttostudentsofsociology,politicsandphilosophy.