Democratic systems are under pressure facing populism and growing citizen dissatisfaction. Hence, identifying the root causes of these problems and seeking solutions is crucial. The work Die Fabrikation von Demokratie discusses this crisis of democracy and attempts to broaden perspectives: Is the cause truly, as often cited, the failure of the liberal-representative democracy model?
This model, originating in the 19th century in Europe and the USA and later spreading worldwide, primarily defines democracy through party competition and elections. Crisis, in this context, primarily means: underrepresentation of certain societal interests, lower voter turnout, declining trust in institutions, and the rise of authoritarian regimes.
The volume, co-edited by Dr. Hagen Schölzel (Professorship of Political Philosophy and Theory), calls for thinking outside of the box and looking beyond this dominant model to explore alternative democratic practices and approaches: Can new democratic practices and strategies emerge in the shadow of the liberal model? The plea: being open minded an thinking democracy as more felxible in order to highlight the diversity of democratic practices and techniques that express the will of the people. Only in this way new forms of democracy can be explored.
In this context, Dr. Hagen Schölzel also encourages rediscovering political representation. The foundation for this lies in the work of the French philosopher, anthropologist, and sociologist Bruno Latour, who broadens the concept of the political: everything can be political – from scientific questions to familial relationships. Democracy thus emerges through an interplay of political theory and societal practice. Therefore, not considering both emerges as a core problem of the contemporary representation crisis and as the starting point for the diagnosis of democratic deficits. Schölzel encourages new perspectives with the aim of enabling better collaboration and decision-making.