Abstract
AbstractResponsiveness is a core value in democratic politics. Individual legislators are important mechanisms for implementing this concern in real‐world settings and thus facilitating responsive government. This introduction to the special section on this topic starts out by highlighting the special relevance of individual legislators in this regard and by sketching important theoretical considerations that emerge from the political science literature on this issue. In its main part, it summarizes the key findings of the contributions in relation to its main theme, namely the personal sources of responsiveness. We end with a short conclusion that reflects on possible tensions between responsiveness and the personalization of representative systems.
Highlights
Responsiveness is widely considered a core value in democratic politics
We explore the role of individual legislators as mechanisms for responsive government
Why should we care about the responsiveness of legislators? This emphasis is motivated by two sets of issues that reconcile practical and scientific concerns in political science research
Summary
Responsiveness is widely considered a core value in democratic politics. In its most essential reading, it expects public policy making to take the interest of citizens into account (Manin 1997; Pitkin 1967). Responsive legislators are assumed to take efforts to act upon public demands in formal decision-making and to publicly convey their actions to either accommodate existing concerns and signal related activities or convince and mobilize constituents (Disch 2011) Advancing from these prescriptions, in this special section, we aim to further explore their behavioral and motivational embodiments in the context of European politics. It raises questions about the continued role of parties as the means for responsive government and about mechanisms that might supplement their appeals and functions This concern spurred academic and public interest in the personalistic dimension of politics, and in how individual politicians may help to appeal to citizens on the basis of what motivations, and with what effects for responsiveness (Balmas et al 2014; Karvonen 2010). We conclude in a third step by stressing the main themes that emerge from the contributions and open questions and issues for future research
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