Rethinking Popular Representation starts out from the deep concern with contemporary tendencies towards depoliticization of public issues and popular interests. It is argued that the root cause of this is flawed representation, due to both elitist institution building and fragmented citizen participation. Hence the book makes a case for the need to rethink more democratic popular representation. Towards this end, the book outlines an overarching analytical framework for popular representation, examines key theoretical issues and empirical experiences of popular representation, and provides a...

Two contrasting images typically represent 'the poor' in development studies and practice. On the one hand, they are portrayed as those who do not have: deprivation is the quintessence of their identity, the definition of their being. The very notion of 'poor' dooms the bearer to a subordinate, powerless status. Alternatively, they are idealistically depicted as thriving in solidarity, rich traditions and true authentic experience uncontaminated by capitalist ways of life and harmoniously linked to nature. An analysis of poverty requires stepping back from these stereotypical notions of the...