Abstract
Democracy, as I will argue, is more than institutional design, more than assembly. It is assemblage. Democracy is not only constituted by carefully planned processes, but also by the many things – human and non-human – that assemble in ever novel and unforeseen configurations. Democracy is a moment in which material objects, sentient bodies, and performative expressions align in a manner that affords freedom and equality. The term democratic assemblage does not only denote a formation that realizes democratic core values, but also the very process by which such a constellation is brought about. Democratic assemblage is both a state and a becoming. As subjective experience, democracy is felt in these moments when freedom and equality align to mutually actualize each other. These moments are part of fluid processes of a becoming democracy, a living assemblage that is ever in the making.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | What Makes an Assembly? |
| Subtitle of host publication | Stories, Experiments, and Inquiries |
| Editors | Anne Davidian, Laurent Jeanpierre |
| Place of Publication | Germany |
| Publisher | Sternberg Press |
| Pages | 249-260 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9783956796456 |
| Publication status | Published - Feb 2023 |