PolCite
PolCite focuses on the study of political participation. Citizenship studies include multiple dimensions, including not just law, territoriality, and identity, but also participation. This research group focuses on that last aspect, and in particular on the different forms of participation by citizens.
More specifically, PolCite examines the political participation of individuals and different social groups often perceived as less active due to a low level (apparent or real) of political resources. Notable examples include migrants, the unemployed, the young, and women. So-called “conventional” and “unconventional” forms of participation are often approached separately in the literature, and research on the links between these forms of participation is rare. However, “unconventional” forms are tending to become institutionalized and to become part of the political action repertoires of increasingly diverse social groups.
Furthermore, other activities such as political consumerism are tending to spread out among citizens while electoral participation is seeing declines in many Western democracies. Conventional and unconventional participation are, of course, not mutually exclusive, and the ways they are articulated remain relatively unexplored.
The investigations of the PolCite group are thus centered around questions such as: How are the links between different forms of political participation articulated? Do we observe differences in the use of different forms of political action according to social group or political context?
These questions illustrate a broader reflection on the links between different forms of political participation and citizenship.
PolCite offers a meeting ground for everyone studying the effects of transformations in terms of political participation, particularly the emergence of new repertoires of political action and the links between the forms of participation, on ideas of citizenship in post-industrial, globalized societies.
The PolCite group sees itself as a space for reflection on these questions that we approach especially from the following angles:
1) The influence of social and political contexts on the political participation of these groups
2) the impact of insertion in different social networks on political participation
3) the construction of the political attitudes of these social groups as a function of their different life experiences and the effects of these attitudes on political participation
PolCite pursues the following activities:
Discussion of the research and work by its participants. It offers a forum for discussion of both the research projects and work conducted by PolCite members.The network provides crucial support for when researchers are preparing to submit research or grant proposals, with the goal of improving projects and their chances of success through a new, dedicated forum for encounters and discussion.
Organization of seminars and workshops. PolCite also offers a discussion group for pre-publication editing by group members, and the possibility for them to discuss the results of their research with international researchers working on similar topics at thematic workshops.