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The Sociology of Political Representation and Deliberation
Article first published online: 28 JUN 2008
DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-9020.2008.00127.x
© 2008 The Authors. Journal Compilation © 2008 Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Additional Information
How to Cite
Perrin, A. J. and McFarland, K. (2008), The Sociology of Political Representation and Deliberation. Sociology Compass, 2: 1228–1244. doi: 10.1111/j.1751-9020.2008.00127.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 21 JUL 2008
- Article first published online: 28 JUN 2008
- Sociology Compass 2/4 (2008): 1228–1244, 10.1111/j.1751-9020.2008.00127.x
- Abstract
- Article
- References
- Cited By
Abstract
The language of democracy and citizenship is infused with a complicated idea: political representation. While political theorists have explored what representation and deliberation should be like, most research on how political discussion actually happens fails directly to address these theoretical standards. This article shows the importance of representation and deliberation to our contemporary ideas about democracy and citizenship. It shows that there is no clear line between deliberation and everyday conversation. Instead, everyday talk constitutes the foundation on top of which citizens build ideas about politics. These, in turn, are the bedrock of democratic representation.