Identity Politics: Its Epistemology, Moral Framework, and Implications for Democracy

Identity politics has become a contentious and influential issue of American politics, but insufficient attention has been paid to how it may affect democracy and democratic norms. Primarily by means of a close reading of primary sources, this thesis describes certain epistemological and moral presuppositions of identity politics, especially its more recent critical social justice variant. It argues that these ideas have noteworthy implications for democracy and democratic norms, and indeed conflict with traditional understandings of freedom, self-government, and the role of the individual within American politics