Overview

In this thought-provoking book, Paulo Ravecca presents a series of interlocking studies on the politics of political science in the Americas. Focusing mainly on the cases of Chile and Uruguay, Ravecca employs different strands of critical theory to challenge the mainstream narrative about the development of the discipline in the region, emphasizing its ideological aspects and demonstrating how the discipline itself has been shaped by power relations. Ravecca metaphorically charts the (non-linear) transit from “cold” to “warm” to “hot” intellectual temperatures to illustrate his—alternative—narrative. Beginning with a detailed quantitative study of three regional academic journals, moving to the analysis of the role of subjectivity (and political trauma) in academia and its discourse in relation to the dictatorships in Chile and Uruguay, and arriving finally at an intimate meditation on the experience of being a queer scholar in the Latin American academy of the 21st century, Ravecca guides his readers through differing explorations, languages, and methods. The Politics of Political Science: Re-Writing Latin American Experiences offers an essential reflection on both the relationship between knowledges and politics and the political and ethical role of the scholar today, demonstrating how the study of the politics of knowledge deepens our understanding of the politics of our times.

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9780815363088

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Reviews

I confess, I've given too little thought to how each countries' politics have shaped what we think of - and what we DO in - political science. By taking me on this fascinating journey into the politics of political science of Chile and Uruguay, Paulo Ravecca has made me acutely aware of the distinctive politics of our field in every country - including my own! - Cynthia Enloe, author of The Big Push: Exploring and Challenging the Persistencies of Patriarchy The study of power is itself a political enterprise. But rarely have the tools of critical theory been deployed on political science itself. This is what makes The Politics of Political Science such a bold, timely and important work. Paulo Ravecca lays bare the power relations at work in the very formation of political science in the Americas. And he is daring enough to offer a critical ethnography of his own formation as a political scientist. The result is a stunningly original achievement. Not only does Ravecca tell us something profoundly new about one of the most established disciplines in the social sciences - he also lets us see power relations themselves in ways we never before saw them. This is a truly important book. - David McNally, Cullen Distinguished Professor of History, University of Houston

Author Information

Paulo Ravecca is Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the Universidad de la República, Uruguay, where he researches epistemology and the history of political science; critical theories (queer, neo-marxist, postcolonial, and poststructural approaches); political economy and international relations; and gender and sexuality. He is an associate editor of the Journal of Narrative Politics and Crítica Contemporánea. Revista de Teoría Política. He holds a PhD in Political Science from York University.

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