Recognising and Reforming the Global Democratic System

Abstract

The democratic potential of transnational politics is now a well-established topic in political theory and International Relations. Scholars have focused on different democratic aims, different global governance regimes and different kinds of actors, including states, civil society organizations and individual norm entrepreneurs. They have also examined the potential impact of adding new democratic mechanisms to transnational politics, such as deliberative bodies and referenda. This panel will explore whether a systemic approach might help knit together some of the insights in this rapidly-developing field. In doing so, we contribute to and build on the “systemic turn” that democratic theory has arguably taken in recent years. In a system, different components interact with each other and contribute in different ways to the functioning of the whole. For instance, some scholars have examined how a wide range of institutions and practices influence the quality of deliberation throughout a political system. But this approach need not be limited to deliberation. Contributors to this panel will engage with a number of linked issues. How might we understand a “global democratic system”? What functions or values define it? Can a systemic analysis help us better comprehend the connections between democratic processes at the state and transnational levels? Can we identify practices or institutions that address or exacerbate democratic deficits throughout the system? In short, can a systemic approach help us better understand what is promotes democracy in transnational politics and what needs to be changed?