ABSTRACT
This chapter states the main aims of the book, including its focus on Marcuse, Jameson and Žižek, and establishes a definition of ideology. It explains conscious rationalisation as a core concept and the value of understanding ideology both in terms of its form (how it functions psychologically and socially) and its content (particular belief systems and fantasies). It also highlights the relationship between ideology and politics, especially how the dialectical approach has implications for oppositional politics.
