The democratic laboratory: recent experiences of citizen participation

Abstract

In his most recent book, Roberto Gargarella offers an insight of the constitutional law that delves into reflections which he has been sharing for more than twenty years. In chapter nineteen, the author analyzes a series of instances of popular participation that have been developed in recent years, which allows him to establish a position regarding current discussions linked to the modalities of citizen participation and, in some way, exemplify and refine central ideas of the book. In what follows, I will make a brief tour of the main topics of the chapter, drawing connections with the central core of the book and focusing on some discussions that clarify its conception of democracy.