(Re)building representative relationships: the importance of ludic spaces

The presentation zooms in on the problem of spectacularisation that plagues contemporary democracies, and that has radically affected our capacity to build meaningful representative relationships. The presentation first provides an analysis of the challenges presented by spectacle democracy (as the most recent transformation of representative democracy). Next, it draws on theatre and performance studies to explore the possibility for re-configuring political representation as a ludic space that reinvigorates the playfulness of democratic contestation and enables citizens to reclaim an equal “playing field” with those who claim to represent them.