Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifier

941

Date

2013

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Major

Political Science

Committee Chair

Sharon Stanley

Committee Member

Matthias Kaelberer

Committee Member

Nicole Detraz

Abstract

This project presents a comparison between the revolutionary projects of Mohandas Gandhi and Vladimir Lenin on the basis of the concept of friendship. Friendship provides an intriguing, albeitelusive means of comprehending revolutionary politics because it comprises a social relationship outside the bounds of law. Furthermore, friendship expresses the possibility of mutualloyalty and dedication which is not only unlegislatable,but which can challenge loyaltiesto the existing regime. However, friendship can also introduce new standards of exclusionand domination into politics, particularly when a political project requires a distinction between "authentic" and "inauthentic" forms of friendship. As a result, this comparison betweentwo vastly different political visions, by exploring their implications for the concept of friendship, can reveal tensions common to both which center upno theirneed to simultaneously disqualify one form of power while legitimizing another.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to the local University of Memphis Electronic Theses & dissertation (ETD) Repository.

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