Rethinking Popular Representation

Abstract

1st edition. Rethinking Popular Representation starts out from the deep concern with contemporary tendencies towards depoliticisation of public issues and popular interests. It is argued that the root cause of this is flawed representation, due to both elitist institution building and fragmented citizen participation. Hence the book makes a case for the need to rethink more democratic popular representation. Towards this end the book outlines an overarching analytical framework for popular representation, examines key theoretical issues and empirical experiences of popular representation and provides a policy-oriented conclusion. -- Publisher description. 1. Introduction: The Problem Is Representation! Towards an Analytical Framework --- 2. What Is the Relationship Between Participation and Representation? --- 3. The Paradox of Civil Society Representation: Constructing New Forms of Democratic Legitimacy in Brazil --- 4. Symbolic Representation as Political Practice --- 5. School Provision, the Capacity to Aspire, and the State of Popular Representation in West Bengal --- 6. The Politics of Gradualismo: Popular Participation and Decentralised Governance in Mozambique --- 7. Representation by Design? Variations on Participatory Reforms in Brazilian Municipios --- 8. Patronage Democracy in Provincial Indonesia --- 9. Compromised Democracy: Observations on Popular Democratic Representation from Urban India --- 10. Trade Unions and Popular Representation: Nigeria and South Africa Compared --- 11. Popular Politics of Representation: New Lessons from the Pioneering Projects in Indonesia, Kerala, and the Philippines --- 12. From Research to Practice: Towards the Democratic Institutionalisation of Nodes for Improved Representation.