Book contents
- Contested Representation
- SSRC Anxieties of Democracy
- Sponsored by the Social Science Research Council
- Contested Representation
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- 1 Introduction
- Part I The Contested Idea of Political Representation
- 2 Contested Representation
- 3 Deliberative Minipublics and the Populist Conception of Representation As Embodiment
- 4 An Evolved Representative Democracy in a Brave New World of Ideological Protest
- 5 Rising to the Challenge?
- 6 Progress and Failure in Achieving Equal Representation
- Part II Representation and Responsiveness in Unequal Societies
- Part III Polarization, New Cleavages, and Shifts in Democratic Government
- Part IV Constitutional Crisis and Institutional Reform
- Bibliography
- Index
5 - Rising to the Challenge?
Political Representation in the European Union
from Part I - The Contested Idea of Political Representation
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 November 2022
- Contested Representation
- SSRC Anxieties of Democracy
- Sponsored by the Social Science Research Council
- Contested Representation
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- 1 Introduction
- Part I The Contested Idea of Political Representation
- 2 Contested Representation
- 3 Deliberative Minipublics and the Populist Conception of Representation As Embodiment
- 4 An Evolved Representative Democracy in a Brave New World of Ideological Protest
- 5 Rising to the Challenge?
- 6 Progress and Failure in Achieving Equal Representation
- Part II Representation and Responsiveness in Unequal Societies
- Part III Polarization, New Cleavages, and Shifts in Democratic Government
- Part IV Constitutional Crisis and Institutional Reform
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
Several recent elections – including the Brexit referendum – suggest a looming disconnection between political representatives and citizens. This perceived gap in representation gives fuel to populist parties, who claim to speak on behalf of the people suffering under the rule of disregarding elites (see Chapters 9 and 13). While representation used to be the solution to large-scale democracy, today it would seem, it is precisely what is causing problems to democratic societies all over the world (see Chapters 2 and 15). There is therefore an urgent need to acquire more knowledge about the dynamics of the relationship between the elected representatives and the people they represent.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Contested RepresentationChallenges, Shortcomings and Reforms, pp. 63 - 81Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2022