Neuro-Problems: Knowing Politics Through the Brain
In recent years, neuroscientific knowledge has been applied far beyond its context of emergence to explain human behaviour in general and to address a host of specific societal problems. In this article, we discuss the emerging research field of 'neuropolitics' that seeks to bring neurosci...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Linköping University Electronic Press
2018-04-01
|
| Series: | Culture Unbound: Journal of Current Cultural Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.3384/cu.2000.1525.181031 |
| _version_ | 1811235659230216192 |
|---|---|
| author | Niklas Altermark Linda Nyberg |
| author_facet | Niklas Altermark Linda Nyberg |
| author_sort | Niklas Altermark |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In recent years, neuroscientific knowledge has been applied far beyond its context of emergence to explain human behaviour in general and to address a host of specific societal problems. In this article, we discuss the emerging research field of 'neuropolitics' that seeks to bring neuroscientific methods and findings to political science. Neuropolitics is investigated as a particular way of approaching political problems as located in the brain. We argue that neuropolitics research gives expression to a rationality of government that allows researchers to put forward policy prescriptions based on neuroscientific knowledge. Neuropolitics thus run the risk of leading to what we call a 'pathologisation of politics', that turns political problems into biological deviations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T11:55:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3dcce5ec3e3b45638ad819f4af0df091 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2000-1525 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T11:55:45Z |
| publishDate | 2018-04-01 |
| publisher | Linköping University Electronic Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Culture Unbound: Journal of Current Cultural Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-3dcce5ec3e3b45638ad819f4af0df0912022-12-22T03:34:01ZengLinköping University Electronic PressCulture Unbound: Journal of Current Cultural Research2000-15252018-04-01101314810.3384/cu.2000.1525.181031Neuro-Problems: Knowing Politics Through the BrainNiklas AltermarkLinda NybergIn recent years, neuroscientific knowledge has been applied far beyond its context of emergence to explain human behaviour in general and to address a host of specific societal problems. In this article, we discuss the emerging research field of 'neuropolitics' that seeks to bring neuroscientific methods and findings to political science. Neuropolitics is investigated as a particular way of approaching political problems as located in the brain. We argue that neuropolitics research gives expression to a rationality of government that allows researchers to put forward policy prescriptions based on neuroscientific knowledge. Neuropolitics thus run the risk of leading to what we call a 'pathologisation of politics', that turns political problems into biological deviations.http://dx.doi.org/10.3384/cu.2000.1525.181031Neuroscienceneuropoliticspolitical rationality |
| spellingShingle | Niklas Altermark Linda Nyberg Neuro-Problems: Knowing Politics Through the Brain Culture Unbound: Journal of Current Cultural Research Neuroscience neuropolitics political rationality |
| title | Neuro-Problems: Knowing Politics Through the Brain |
| title_full | Neuro-Problems: Knowing Politics Through the Brain |
| title_fullStr | Neuro-Problems: Knowing Politics Through the Brain |
| title_full_unstemmed | Neuro-Problems: Knowing Politics Through the Brain |
| title_short | Neuro-Problems: Knowing Politics Through the Brain |
| title_sort | neuro problems knowing politics through the brain |
| topic | Neuroscience neuropolitics political rationality |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.3384/cu.2000.1525.181031 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT niklasaltermark neuroproblemsknowingpoliticsthroughthebrain AT lindanyberg neuroproblemsknowingpoliticsthroughthebrain |