Beyond origins: rethinking founding in a time of constitutional democracy

From classical stories of divine lawgivers to contemporary ones of Founding Fathers and constitutional beginnings, foundings have long been synonymous with singular, extraordinary moments of political origin and creation. In constitutional democracies, this common view is particularly attractive, with original founding events, actors, and ideals invoked time and again in everyday politics as well as in times of crisis to remake the state and unify citizens. 'Beyond Origins' challenges this view of foundings, explaining how it is ultimately dangerous, misguided, and unsustainable

Beyond Origins challenges the common view of foundings as singular, extraordinary moments of political origin and creation. Engaging with cases of founding across political traditions -- from classical Greece to contemporary Latin America -- the book argues that it is only through pragmatist understandings of democratic origins that we can realize the potential for radical democratic change.