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Speaking of Participation

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  • Michael S. Evans

Abstract

While participation in public life is generally agreed to be important for governance and citizenship, scholars focused on talk-oriented participation (in the Tocquevillian tradition) suggest that there is a participation deficit in the American public sphere. Qualitative analysis of responses from 60 interview respondents about whether or not they are participants in four prominent American debates suggests a novel explanation for this apparent deficit: Persons whom analysts classify as non-participants may believe that they are already participating, because their understanding of participation is not based on public political talk. Moreover, individual responses about participation vary substantially by debate, suggesting that what counts as participation is more fluid for respondents than for analysts. Implications for public sphere studies are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael S. Evans, 2014. "Speaking of Participation," SAGE Open, , vol. 4(4), pages 21582440145, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:sagope:v:4:y:2014:i:4:p:2158244014563520
    DOI: 10.1177/2158244014563520
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Archon Fung & Erik Olin Wright, 2001. "Deepening Democracy: Innovations in Empowered Participatory Governance," Politics & Society, , vol. 29(1), pages 5-41, March.
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