Démocratie représentative et participative : état des lieux en Belgique francophone

This chapter gives a general outline of the developments in the field partially covered by the ABSP Working Group on DEMOCRACY. Between the field and the WG, it is time that should be interposed. The WG DEMOCRACY is one of the youngest in the ABSP, while the field it covers is one of the oldest in political science. Since Antiquity, precursors of political science have studied democracy. Established during the 2014-2015 academic year, the WG is among the newest in the ABSP. The field covered by the WG has undergone many changes, certainly over the last 20 years, both in terms of the object of study and the approaches mobilised. We will highlight three concepts in particular - representation, participation and deliberation - which have been at the heart of major developments. The object has been transformed, with the analysis of the democratic phenomenon giving greater space to a continuum in the analysis, beyond the typology of political regimes, and to an opening up to other perspectives and forms of democracy.