The Democratic Imagination: Envisioning Popular Power in the Twenty-first Century, by James Cairns and Alan Sears

Hugo Bonin

doi:10.18740/s4930p

Abstract

Book review

Highlights

Once this distinction is established, Cairns and Sears explore a series of topics in which they present the analysis and challenges of both democratic conceptions
The authors’ analysis of the relation of democracy and knowledge offers a useful summary of the debates on the role of expertise in democracy while expanding the question by talking about pedagogical democracy. Their proposition of ‘problem-based learning’ as an example of the fact that ‘democracy goes together with an unleashing of learning powers’ (128) can be seen as problematic. Considering how this approach has been successfully integrated in school curriculums without causing transformations to the structure of education, the potential for democratizing education seems rather limited
One can consider that the overall structure of the book, with its small thematic chapters, while great for course reading, might lack a more cohesive narrative

Summary

Introduction

Once this distinction is established, Cairns and Sears explore a series of topics (citizenship, representation, bureaucracy, education and body politics) in which they present the analysis and challenges of both democratic conceptions. At times the discussion of the topic might not go far enough for some of the readers. The authors’ analysis of the relation of democracy and knowledge offers a useful summary of the debates on the role of expertise in democracy while expanding the question by talking about pedagogical democracy. Their proposition of ‘problem-based learning’ as an example of the fact that ‘democracy goes together with an unleashing of learning powers’ (128) can be seen as problematic.

Results

Conclusion