Lottocratic Conceptions of Deliberative Democracy

This chapter analyzes “lottocratic” conceptions of deliberative democracy. Their defenders put their democratic hopes on the generalized use of deliberative minipublics such as citizens’ juries, citizens’ assemblies, and deliberative polls. Some propose conferring political decisional-power upon minipublics as a way of increasing citizens’ democratic control over the political process. Against this view, the chapter argues that such proposals cannot be defended on participatory grounds. By expecting citizens to blindly defer to the political decisions of a randomly selected group of citizens, the generalized use of minipublics for decision-making would decrease rather than increase the citizenry’s ability to take ownership over and identify with the policies to which they are subject, as the democratic ideal of self-government requires. Lottocrats are right to highlight the democratic potential of minipublics. But in order to unleash that potential we must resist the temptation of taking the “micro-deliberative shortcut” and keep our eyes on the macro-deliberative goal. Instead of empowering minipublics to make decisions for the rest of the citizenry, citizens should use minipublics to empower themselves.

Vae Victis! Spatial Planning in the Rescaled Metropolitan Governance in France

The paper focuses on the gap between the expectations and the effects of the recent rescaling of planning powers in France. Through a series of legislative reforms in 2010, 2014 and 2015, France has introduced “metropolises”. Designed for large cities of more than 500,000 inhabitants, metropolises are a new way of grouping municipalities (Etablissement Public de Coopération Intercommunale), more integrated than the previous bodies which they replace (communauté urbaine, communauté d’agglomération). With enlarged territories and increased decisional power, they were expected to become strong collective actors, providing better services for their inhabitants and making better use of their resources. However, the first outcomes of the reform do not meet these expectations. Metropolises are often smaller than expected. Their perimeters result more from political bargains than from geographical considerations. The emergence of a collective metropolitan power is slowed down by the mayors, who stick to localist approaches, as well as by the national government. Planning objectives have shifted from a redistributive approach (ensuring balanced territorial development) to a growth-oriented policy (enhancing metropolitan potentials). As a result, central areas are gaining economic weight and autonomy while peripheral areas keep declining: there are winners and losers.

Maintaining Connections

The concepts of user and non-user are frequently deployed within media and communications literature. What do these terms mean if examined regarding age and ageing? In this article we explore and trouble these notions through an analysis of twenty-two conversations with a group of octogenarians and nonagenarians living in a retirement home. Their descriptions of their changing uses of media througout lifetime, and their encounters with mobile phones, computers, newspapers, television, radio and landline phones, are presented as a set of ‘techno-biographies’ that challenge binary divisions of use and non-use, linear notions of media adoption, and add texture to the idea of ‘the fourth age’ as a time of life bereft of decisional power. Speaking with octogenarians and nonagenarians provides insights into media desires, needs and uses, and opens up ‘non-use’ as a complex, variegated activity, rather than a state of complete inaction or disinterest.

Attitudes et perception de contrôle des personnes âgées envers la prise de médicaments à action anxiolytique, sédative et hypnotique (ASH)

ABSTRACTThis study examines the importance of variables from the Theory of Planned Behaviour (i.e.,attitudes toward behaviour, subjective norms, and perceived control) for the prediction of consumption of anxiolytic and sedative-hypnotic (ASH) medications in a sample of older persons, aged 69 years on average, 62 consumers and 92 non-consumers. A favourable attitude toward ASH and a sense of having less control regarding these drugs predict both current usage and intention to continue. Perceived control predicts intention to start consumption of ASH in current non-consumers. This study underlines the importance of considering the role of the older person’s decisional power in the consumption of these medications.

Gender Equity and the Population Problem

The central issue with which this essay is concerned is the relation between (1) high fertility rates and (2) the low decisional power—indeed subjugation—of women.