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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Jane McDonnellORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND).
Agonistic theories of democracy, particularly the work of Chantal Mouffe, have garnered increasing attention in democratic education in recent years. Such approaches have also been met with criticism, however. One recent objection holds that agonism is ill suited to our current, highly polarised, political moment and that its application in education risks exacerbating conflict and division in ways that are detrimental to democratic life. In this paper, the author addresses these concerns, asking whether agonism is an anachronism, so specific to the geo-political context of its origins that it is no longer helpful either for understanding politics, or as an inspiration for democratic education. McDonnell argues that Mouffe’s agonistic democracy still holds relevant insights for politics and education today and indeed was somewhat prescient of our current moment. However, more critical and creative consideration of its direct applicability to practice in educational settings would be beneficial for harnessing its power.
Author(s): McDonnell J
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Cambridge Journal of Education
Year: 2026
Pages: epub ahead of print
Online publication date: 03/03/2026
Acceptance date: 31/01/2026
Date deposited: 03/03/2026
ISSN (print): 0305-764X
ISSN (electronic): 1469-3577
Publisher: Routledge
URL: https://doi.org/10.1080/0305764X.2026.2628018
DOI: 10.1080/0305764X.2026.2628018
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