Political Voice: Protest, Democracy, and Marginalized Groups

Lecture and Book Presentation by Aidan McGarry (Loughborough University London)

This talk will outline the theoretical foundations of my new book Political Voice: Protest, Democracy, and Marginalized Groups (OUP, 2024). It advances an important argument, namely, that some sections of society are routinely ignored or actively excluded from mainstream politics. In order to be visible and present in public life, marginalized groups must speak up and speak out, often through protest. As marginalized groups articulate their collective voice through protest, they simultaneously lay claim to belonging to political community, and paradoxically, constitute democracy, an institution which frequently excludes them. The talk outlines the original concept of political voice which is based on three core elements: autonomy, representation, and constitution. It will discuss the relationship between protest and democracy and will analyse how political voice manifests in one marginalised group: LGBTIQ people in India.

Speaker:

Aidan McGarry examines the agency of marginalised people, emphasising the processes and strategies through which different communities around the world articulate their political voices.

McGarry, A. (2024). Political Voice: Protest, Democracy, and Marginalised Groups. Oxford University Press.

Book discussion by Simon Teune (Freie Universität Berlin).

The event is part of the Lecture Series Civil Society and Political Conflict.

The venue is wheelchair accessible. Please let Swea Starke (swea.starke [at] wzb.eu) know if you need special assistance.