With public confidence in representative institutions dropping to distressing levels, it is time for political theorists to reconnect issues of representation to considerations of justice, rights, citizenship, pluralism, and community. Representation and Democratic Theory investigates theoretical and practical aspects of innovative political representation in the early twenty-first century. It reveals the complexity of contemporary political representation and the importance of re-invigorating public life outside legislatures, political parties, and competitive elections.

A crucial supplement to empirical studies of conventional political representation this book offers a timely and thought-provoking contribution to contemporary democratic theory. It will be a necessary and welcome addition to the libraries of many political and social scientists.

David Laycock is a professor and chair in the Department of Political Science at Simon Fraser University.

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Scholars of many different areas of political science will probaly find something here that addresses their own concerns, while scholars of either Canadian politics or democratic theory are likely to find much of interest in this collection.

Political Studies Review, Vol 3, No 3, September 2005