Ideology

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>Ideology has been one of the most controversial terms in our political vocabulary, exciting both denigration and inspiration. This book considers the reasons for those views and explains why ideologies deserve respect as a major type of political thinking. Michael Freeden investigates the centrality of ideology both as a political phenomenon and as an organizing framework of political thought and action and examines the arguments of the most influential ideologies. He explores the ways in which ideology has been understood as a concept and why there has been a major resurgence in its study. Although written and spoken language remain the main form for transmitting ideological messages, current methods for analysing ideology increasingly appreciate that images, emotions, and bodily performance play a decisive role. By employing the latest insights from a range of disciplines, the reader is introduced to this important resource at the disposal of societies, through which both sense and purpose are assigned to the political world.</jats:p>