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Burdett A. Loomis, Editor
University of Kansas
January 2003
New Perspectives on Representation
As my reasonably lengthy
and largely enjoyable tenure as editor of Extension
of Remarks draws to a close, I thought that a reconsideration of democratic
representation might make for a fitting finale.
In more than a quarter century of thinking about legislatures, the idea
of representation remains perhaps the core idea to which I continue to return,
whether focusing on individual legislators, party leadership, campaigns and
elections, or organized interests.
The seven articles
included in this edition of Extension of
Remarks employ various frameworks and methods to get at the idea of
representation. Several bring in a
comparative perspective, both across nations and the American states. The Internet comes into play, as does the
growing strength of partisanship within the district activities of American
House members. Institutional design
reflects another recurring theme, whether in broad electoral reforms or term
limits in the American states. And
representation, we are reminded, can take place within the bureaucracy as well
as in legislatures.
In the end, there is no
“solution” to the “puzzle” of representation.
Rather, we need to take the idea seriously and understand, as best we
can, the implications of the choices we make in designing the institutions that
serve us. Representation will continue
to afford legislative scholars a cornucopia of opportunities to the nuanced and
changing relationships between office-holders and citizens – the core of
democratic practice.
Contents of this issue:
Christian R. Grose,
Representatives and Constituency Effort:
Garry Young,
Political Representation and the Internet:
Whither Responsible Party Government?
Thomas
Zittel, Center for European Studies,
Opposition, Representation and
the “Second Game”
Carolyn Forestiere, Emory
Term Limits and the Representation
of Women
Krista Jenkins and Susan J. Carroll,
Democracy, Herterogeneity and Representation:
Explaining Representational Differences Across States
Benjamin G. Bishin,
Common Ground: Links Between Bureaucratic
and Legislative Representation
Jill Nicholson-Crotty,
Members may go to http://pub37.ezboard.com/blegislativestudiessectionhuge69973 to post comments on the Bulletin Board for Extension of Remarks.
