"Post-foundationalist democratic theorists, such as Chantal Mouffe, would argue that it is precisely [the] never-ending battle of values that makes a democracy. For this reason, as Robin Celikates states, it is also far too important a debate to involve only researchers. Instead of [researchers] classifying the butterflies from the fleas, we should look at how people act based on values. We must study how they argue, critique, and justify – and what values they draw on as pointers of a just world. Because that’s where democracy’s essence is incessantly being forged." - Taina Meriluoto
https://theloop.ecpr.eu/democracy-what-a-lovely-mess/
I agree with Meriluoto's assertion above for many reasons. One of those reasons is because the cultural artefacts of democracy that have captured my attention are in majority left behind by so-called "non-experts" in democracy/democratic theory.
If we are, therefore, serious about understanding democracy in all its flavours (Meriluoto starts her essay with ice cream :) ) then we must give more time to understanding how people - right down to the individual - understand popular rule. What do they value most in/of/for/about democracy?
What do you think? Is there any emphasis you might like to place on this work and why?
https://theloop.ecpr.eu/democracy-what-a-lovely-mess/
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Geoscience
- Asia
- India