Eline Severs from the REDIRECT project presented new research at the ECPR Politics and Gender Conference held in Ghent, Belgium, which brought together scholars working on gender, political representation and democratic institutions.
The presentation, titled “(Re)building Representative Relationships: The Importance of Ludic Spaces”, examined the problem of spectacularisation in contemporary democracies and its impact on representative relationships. Drawing on insights from theatre and performance studies, it explored how political representation might be reimagined as a ludic space that restores the playfulness of democratic contestation and allows citizens to reclaim a more equal “playing field” with those who claim to represent them.
The conference provided an opportunity to exchange ideas with scholars working on gender and representation and to receive feedback on REDIRECT’s conceptual work on spectator and audience democracy.
Date: 10 July 2024
Location: Ghent, Belgium
Partner: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
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