ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the central concepts of Chantal Mouffe's work, reflect on the relevance and potential applications of political theory for public relations scholarship and examines the challenges that arise when applying Mouffe's work to public relations. Mouffe, a Belgian political theorist, is best known for her theory of agonistics – an approach that acknowledges the inevitability of adversarial conflict and advocates for a radical, pluralistic democracy. Mouffe is a key intellectual figure in the development of the agonistic model of democracy. Her theoretical writing initially emerged from traditional Marxist and feminist schools and a concern for how social movements could resist the power of dominant groups. Mouffe's approach is best understood by appreciating how she links her assumptions on the level and nature of antagonism between groups in society and her assumptions on the nature of hegemonic power. As part of Mouffe's conceptualization of an agonistic democratic society, she sets up an alternative way of thinking about opponents.
