Bitter-Sweet Democracy?

Book excerpt: Discussions about the ‘crisis of representative democracy’ have dominated scholarly and public discourse for some time now. But what does this phrase actually entail, and what is its relevance today? How do citizens themselves experience, feel and respond to this ‘crisis’? Bitter-Sweet Democracy grapples with the complexities of these questions in the context of citizens’ relations to politics in Belgium—a nation that has experienced political instability and protests as well as social mobilization and democratic vitality in recent years. This timely and compelling volume offers new, empirical evidence on the state of trust, democracy and representation in Belgium; it further introduces an innovative methodological and conceptual framework to study this ‘crisis’, specifically by developing the concept of political resentment. The essays in this collection span diverse topics, from citizens’ conceptions of democracy itself and the expression of political resentment among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups, to the influence of different emotional dimensions of resentment on protest behaviours. By adopting a distinctive affective lens and by building upon the specific case of Belgium, this volume contributes to the broader conversation on political resentment and the critical role of emotions in contemporary politics. Bitter-Sweet Democracy will be invaluable for scholars researching the relationship between emotions and politics, political representation and democracy, and citizen-led conceptualizations of politics. It will also appeal to decision-makers and citizens seeking to understand the challenges facing democracy, as well as a wider audience of academics and students in the fields of political science, political psychology and sociology.