On 10 July 2024, Eline Severs (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) presented a paper at the European Conference on Politics and Gender, hosted by Ghent University in Belgium. The paper, titled “Look Who’s Watching. The Audience in Political Representation”, offered a critical intervention in the study of representative politics.
Severs challenged the dominant focus on political claim-makers by turning attention to the often-overlooked role of audiences in interpreting, reshaping, and even undermining representative claims. Drawing on a case study of a Flemish party leader’s post-election press conference, she illustrated how reactions, both in-person and online, can significantly influence the perceived meaning and legitimacy of political messages.
The presentation aligns with REDIRECT’s broader aim of revisiting the dynamics of representation in contemporary democracies. By foregrounding the agency of audiences, the paper contributes to a more relational and interactive understanding of how representation is constructed and contested in real time.
Date: 10 July 2024
Location: European Conference on Politics and Gender, Ghent University, Belgium
Partner: Vrije Universiteit Brussels (VUB)
Author: Eline Severs
Type of event: Conference / Paper presentation
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