Trouble Downtown : Park 51 and the Problem of American Democracy
Scarcely mentioned in the debate over NYC's proposed Park 51 Mosque is the earlier controversy that surrounded the building that would replace the Twin Towers. Yet underlying both debates are questions about the proper constitution of the democratic community as well as its appropriate architectural representations in a nation increasing defined by and anxious about its religious diversity. Indeed, suspicion about the motives of Park 51's sponsors has inspired questions about the commitment of American Muslims to the country's democratic values. I argue that democratic theorists are poorly equipped to respond to these dilemmas because they have focused on describing practices that initiate democratic communities and possibilities rather than sustain them. I criticize recent interpreters of Arendt who prioritize initiation over the practices of tending to the conditions of possibility for the radical elements of her work. I argue that Arendt's attention to the reflexive relationship between culture, architecture in particular, and the formation of political judgment may provide the basis for an architecture better suited to the cultivation of democratic practices. To conclude, I examine the practices of judgment informing the place-making activities developed by American Muslims as part of their weekly prayer service to argue that these are not only critical for sustaining community but are also broadly democratizing
Year of publication: |
2011
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Authors: | Aslam, Ali K |
Publisher: |
[2011]: [S.l.] : SSRN |
Subject: | Demokratie | Democracy | Parken | Parking |
Description of contents: | Abstract [papers.ssrn.com] |
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