Rethinking representation

The challenge of non-humans

Bibliographic Data

ID6234935
AuthorsMihnea Tănăsescu (0000-0001-5829-4644, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, corresponding author)
Year2014
Volume49
Issue1
Pages40-53
Publication date2014-01-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAustralian Journal of Political Science (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1036-1146 • E-ISSN: 1363-030X
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/10361146.2013.874404
OpenAlexW2056577972
LanguageEN
Citations received14
References cited37

This article argues that the standard model of political representation mischaracterises the structure of representation. After surveying the classical types of representation and their application to non-humans, the basic nature of representation is shown to have been unduly centred on interests, responsiveness and unidirectional protocols. It proposes a different structure by drawing inspiration from recent scholarship and developments in political philosophy, as well as the representation of non-human actors. It proposes an ontological grounding of representation in ‘irreducible multiplicity’, and a structural analysis based on the concepts of claim and relation. This abstract form of representation can take into account both human and non-human cases, and works to ground different typologies. The relational structure of representation creates interests and preferences, subjects and actors, power dynamics and seemingly immutable identities.作者认为,标准的政治代表模式错误地勾画了代表的结构。作者首先考察了代表的经典类型并将其应用于非人类,指出关于代表的本质,以往过多强调利益、反应、单向协议等等。作者根据从近年学术研究、政治哲学以及非人类主体的代表性那里得到的灵感,提出了另一种结构。文章指出代表的本体论根据在于不可简化的多重性。作者还提出了一种基于诉求和关系概念的结构分析。这种抽象代表形式既考虑了人类也考虑非人类的情况,并为不同的类型提供了根据。代表的关系结构造就了利益和偏好、对象和主体、权力的动态以及看似不变的身份。Keywords: non-human representationpolitical ecologypolitical philosophypolitical representationsubstantive representation

Epistemology · Political science · Politics · Relation (database · Representation (politics · Scholarship · Sociology · Computer Science · Foucault, Power, and Ethics · Law · Philosophy · Political Philosophy and Ethics · Social Media and Politics

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