Ricœur, Paul
Lectures on Ideology and Utopia. Edited by George H. Taylor
Lectures on Ideology and Utopia (1986) is a seminal collection of lectures delivered by French philosopher Paul Ricœur in 1975 and edited by George H. Taylor. Published by Columbia University Press, the book explores ideology and utopia as two interdependent forms of the social imagination. Through readings of Marx, Mannheim, Weber, Habermas, and Geertz, among others, Ricœur examines how ideology sustains collective identity and legitimizes authority, while utopia challenges existing arrangements and opens possibilities for alternative ways of living. Both have constructive and destructive potential: ideology can become distortion and domination, while utopia can retreat into escapism. Their productive tension helps societies preserve shared meaning while remaining capable of criticism and change.
