The crisis in political theory may be attributed to two related shortcomings of value and method. There is an impasse because theorists have largely relinquished the task of developing a systematic and ethically oriented approach to the problems confronting modern polities. Both the legacy of positivism and the academic division of labor in political science have limited the scope of political theory. Contrary to some critics the classic tradition of political theory provides the reference point for renewal. Instead of confining themselves to textual exegesis, moral philosophy, linguistic analysis, or disciplinary self-reflection, political theorists will need to engage in systematic critique informed by a conception of the good life.
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