Ideology after the “End of Ideology”: Concept, Defense, and Contemporary Stakes 1) What is ideology? Competing conceptions Political theory has never settled on a single definition of ideology, but several influential strands now form a family resemblance. Cognitive–explanatory conceptions treat ideology as a structured set of ideas that interprets social reality, locates agents within it, … Continue reading How can ideology be conceptually defined and defended within political theory, and to what extent does the “end of ideology” debate remain valid in assessing the continuing significance of ideological frameworks in contemporary politics?