What Should the ?Political? in Political Theory Explore?

A considerable gap emerges in the study and development of political theory, located between political philosophy, the history of ideas and post-structural theory. In addition to importing methodologies from philosophy and history, political theory has to develop its own methods and research questions and to reconnect the analysis of political thought with other branches of political science. The paper argues for a ?political theory of politics? that needs to explore the conceptual and ideational structure of core political features of collective social life that involve decision-making, the regulation of conflict, the mobilization of support for those activities, and the construction of political visions. Political thinking requires analysis as a fluid set of conceptual and discursive ?solutions? to issues such as the following: manufacturing stability, handling coercion, the conceptual control of political space and political time, the management of diversity, ambiguity as controlled indeterminacy, rights as a ranking and prioritizing (or rationing) concept, political commitment/allegiance, not political obligation, as a mobilizing concept, and the conceptualization and rhetorical marketing of political failure. Examples of some of the above are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]