With public confidence in representative institutions dropping todistressing levels, it is time for political theorists to turn theirattention to representation, and to reconceive its normative foundations and connections to other aspects of a revived publiclife.
This volume investigates theoretical and practical aspects ofinnovative political representation in the early 21st century. Somecontributors tackle problematic dimensions of representation head on,while others explore democratic participation and deliberation,multicultural pluralism, contested citizenship, and other backgroundconditions of contemporary representation. Still others consider thechallenges posed to representation by national minorities, nationalboundaries, multinational and federal governance, and cultural andsocial obstacles to either individual or group autonomy. Throughout,the volume reveals the complexity of contemporary politicalrepresentation, and demonstrates how normative attention to the problemof representation can crystallize and illuminate debates over thenature of justice, equality, citizenship and deliberation in moderndemocratic politics.
A crucial supplement to empirical studies of conventional politicalrepresentation, Representation and Democratic Theory offers a timelyand thought-provoking contribution to contemporary democratic theory.It will be a necessary and welcome addition to the libraries of manypolitical and social scientists.
