Changes to the Theory of Political Representation and Citizen Participation

Abstract

The economic crisis is not only showing the weaknesses and inefficiencies of our democratic political systems, it may be also questioning their legitimacy. Within this context it is of need to revise the functioning and organization of our institutions of government. However, in order to do so it is important to bear in mind the complexity of the whole multi-level system and their political processes. Political institutions have scarcely modified their design to adapt their functioning to the social evolutions we are witnessing. The object of this panel is to think about the theoretical contributions able to further the research on the theories of representation and participation (Ankersmit, Mansbridge, Saward, Warren, etc) and their institutional engagement on the role of parliaments, deliberative mechanisms, role of social movements, etc. The panel is interested in political representation at different levels, in methodological advances in the research of political representation, in normative thinking about political representation and the links with citizens participation. Therefore, studies on traditional and more recent actors in the political arena, as well as their interactions will be very welcomed.

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