Climates of democracy: Skeptical, rational, and radical imaginaries

Abstract

How will the theories and practices of democracy fare in a climate changing world? Are conventional democratic institutions ultimately doomed or are they able to become more responsive to a changing climate? Is there a need to reimagine democracy and how might it be reimagined? This article reviews the different responses to these questions by distinguishing between three “political imaginaries” in which the relationship between climate change and democracy takes distinct forms. I start by showing how the concept of “political imaginaries” can facilitate the comparison of the different ways in which the relation between democracy and climate change is constructed, before reviewing three such imaginaries. The skeptical imaginary, found in the “eco‐authoritarianism” of the 1970s that is echoed by much sociopolitical analysis today, casts doubt on the possibilities of democratic mechanisms to respond adequately and swiftly to the problem of climate change. Those who resist such skepticism often defend democracy by arguing that institutions and processes of democracy can be made more “ecologically rational”—the rational imaginary of climate democracy involves improvements in political representation and participation. Finally, I present the alternative radical democratic imaginary, in which the crisis of climate change provides a moment for the rupture of existing sociopolitical structures and the formation of alternatives. The article concludes that although none of these imaginaries is able to capture the entirety of climate change politics around the world, the radical democratic imaginary is responsive to the inevitable and valuable plurality around the issue of climate change. This article is categorized under: Climate, Nature, and Ethics > Ethics and Climate Change Policy and Governance > Multilevel and Transnational Climate Change Governance

Democracy, Agony, and Rupture: A Critique of Climate Citizens’ Assemblies

“…In the context of a changing climate that both stems from and exacerbates socioeconomic inequalities and injustices, it seems crucial to attend to the way that institutions, ideals, and practices of democracy might be reimagined and rebuilt more sustainably (Fischer 2017, p. 3;Machin 2022a). The CA is widely promoted as a new democratic instrument for both enhancing democratic participation and reconciling democracy with sustainability.…”

“…Various proposals to enhance participation and to "green" democracy have been promoted (Machin 2022a). But one democratic innovation that has recently been given copious amounts of attention is the citizens' assembly (CA).…”

Mapping the catastrophic imaginary: The organisation of environmental politics through climate change

“…According to Hay this argument is a straw man, as rarely do environmentalists speak of untouched or pristine nature (Hay, 2002: 173). Taking up environmental author Richard Mabey's characterisation, we can say modern nature writing focuses on the entanglements between human and non-human, more often than not with the expressed desire to trouble our received notions of personhood and community (Mabey, 2013). It is the balance of power within these entanglements that is the focus of much modern nature writing; what is perceived as lost is a more-than-human world that is not shaped or subsumed by humanity, and that has a degree of agency that exceeds us.…”

Why Democrats Should Be Committed to Future Generations

“…2 Other authors do not recommend but predict 1 See Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment Report (2022) for details. 2 In her overview, Amanda Machin (2022) helpfully suggests calling this the "skeptical imaginary" regarding democracy's ability to handle climate change. We may predict that the so-called "realist turn" (Valentini, 2012) in political theory strengthens the case for expertocracy and less democracy.…”

“… 2 In her overview, Amanda Machin (2022) helpfully suggests calling this the “skeptical imaginary” regarding democracy's ability to handle climate change. We may predict that the so-called “realist turn” (Valentini, 2012) in political theory strengthens the case for expertocracy and less democracy.…”