(Pseudo)intellectualism and democratic (il)liberalism: on Aurelien Mondon and Aaron Winter’s “Reactionary democracy”

In “Reactionary Democracy”, Aurelien Mondon and Aaron Winter frame modern liberal democracy as fundamentally exclusionary. Appeals to democratic principles that both institutionalize normalize political inequality have not only allowed but actively facilitated the rise of “alt-” far-right. book, authors expound “fuzzy” demarcation between “illiberal” “liberal” racism, latter encompassing an adherence universalism, individualism, meritocracy equality alongside a wilful denial effects systemic racism in multicultural Western societies, instrumental support group self-determination when where it serves further credentials. This review will discuss, given arguments limits “mainstreaming” for racial justice UK challenges academics, critical theorists race scholar activists posed by increasing pseudo-intellectualization illiberal racist narratives academia public discourse.