Abstract:
Debates on representation are foundational in both political philosophy and theories of the state. This article aims to analyze Ernesto Laclau’s concept of political representation and to identify the approaches with which he dialogues and that he criticizes. Our interest in Laclau’s concept of representation is justified by the increasing academic attention to this debate. This theory also includes proposals for political intervention that can be useful when representative democracy is in crisis. Discourse Theory further proposes a specific view of the process of representation. The article is divided into three sections. The first focuses on the theoretical tools developed by Laclau to explain his political theory. The second explores the connection between representation and representative democracy in the institutional area. The last part analyzes how political representation develops in populist contexts.
Keywords:
Ernesto Laclau; representation; democracy; populism