Jacques Rancière in parliament: practising democracy in plenary debates

Abstract

SUMMARYCurrent democratic theories tend to disregard parliamentarism in defining democracy, focusing instead on extra-parliamentary activities. However, parliamentary studies in recent decades have inter alia rediscovered parliamentarism as a culture of debate, emphasizing the importance of rhetoric in parliamentary politics and scrutinizing the emergence of a specific parliamentary culture within democracy. When analysing plenary debates, this institutional context is important; however, parliamentary procedures do not guarantee the democratic character of plenary debates. Starting from the conceptual difference between parliamentary and democratic practice, this article poses the question of whether plenary debate in parliament holds the potential to serve as a mechanism for the practice of democracy according to definitions of democracy in theories of radical democracy. This article suggests a radical democratic perspective on plenary debates, applying Jacques Rancière's conception of democracy as an analytical tool.