Abstract

This essay how the seemingly heterogeneous work of the sociologist and historian Pierre Rosanvallon can be read as a reflection on the problem of political representation. After having sketched that problem, the article turns to the method Rosanvallon uses to approach it as well as to the specific place he occupies in the French intellectual landscape. In a subsequent part, the genesis of the problem in the modern era is described. But where in most countries the problem was not directly visible, France experienced it already in the 19th century. An analysis of what happened then, may help us understand our problems today. The article closes with a diagnosis of the crisis of political representation and an assessment of the different remedies which are on offer. This reveals both the strengths and weaknesses of Rosanvallon’s approach.

How to Cite:

Weymans, W., (2005) “Op zoek naar het onvindbare volk: Pierre Rosanvallon en het probleem van de politieke representatie”, Tijdschrift voor Sociologie 26(4), 328–352. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/sociologos.86641