FEATURED PANEL Facing the Spectre of Populism: Innovations for Enhancing Recursive Representation (A Participedia Panel)

Abstract

In the face of democratic deficits many citizens feel they are not being heard—creating fertile ground for the rise of populist politicians who promise to change the status quo. In this panel, Jane Mansbridge suggests it is time to do away with older concepts of representation. Mansbridge offers the concept of recursive representation, an iterative process where both representatives and constituents take in what the other is saying, update, revise, and respond to one another. This panel also clarifies what kind of democratic innovations can enhance the capacities of citizens to enter the democratic process on an equal basis with their representatives and educate their elected representatives about their preferences. James Fishkin and Graham Smith offer examples of democratic innovations that promote recursive representation in representative systems. This panel is sponsored by the Participedia Project (www.participedia.net), a global network sharing knowledge about participatory engagement and democratic innovation.