Books & ideas

The people who count

Marion Pollaert — 2026-05-19T13:22:12Z

What is the nature of the distinctive rationality that underpins Cleisthenes' reform, which many see as the birth of Greek democracy? What social mechanisms, civic experiences, and forms of vernacular knowledge made this new system of political organization possible?

To your machines, citizens!

Stanislas Deprez — 2026-04-14T07:00:00Z

Against the trend towards experts having exclusive control over technological development — justified on the grounds of the public's alleged incompetence — Adeline Barbin argues that citizens should be given greater power so as to ensure that techniques are consistent with democratic values.

A Return to Liberal Democracy

Laurent Warlouzet — 2026-01-22T07:00:00Z

Popular sovereignty and the rule of law are inseparable: the idea that there could be “illiberal democracies” is groundless and plays into the hands of populists.

Syria's Quest for Justice & Unity

Adèle Audouy — 2025-02-18T09:30:00Z

Lawyer, feminist activist and a prominent figure of the Syrian opposition, Dima Moussa advocates for an inclusive political transition, the establishment of genuine democratic institutions, and the necessity of a national debate open to all components of Syrian society.

The Vertical and Horizontal Axes of Democracy

Laure Gillot-Assayag — 2024-11-19T11:07:36Z

Following in Paul Ricœur's footsteps, Olivier Mongin proposes an interpretation of politics as a tension between state domination at “the top” and living together at “the bottom.” This tension, he argues, contains a potential for reciprocal violence that poses a threat to democracy.

Back in (debt) order

Jessy Bailly — 2024-09-05T08:30:00Z

When dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, the political and banking authorities seemed to shrug off budgetary concerns. But now that the pandemic's restrictions have eased, debt-related concerns are returning to the spotlight.

Democracy without Taking Sides?

Pierre Crétois — 2024-05-30T08:05:00Z

Do the institutions and procedures of democracy deliver more social justice than authoritarian regimes or a hypothetical government of experts? They can, suggests one philosopher, by virtue of the impartiality they foster between citizens.

In Defence of a Federative European Republic

Valéry Pratt — 2024-05-23T10:52:00Z

The political construction of the European Union has broken down. Restarting it would require profoundly changing our ways of thinking about sovereignty, the people and democracy – we must find a new way of thinking about our citizenship.

The Decomposed Passerby

Clément Rivière — 2024-04-04T08:03:00Z

Carole Gayet-Viaud's ethnographic study shows that city dwellers are far from always indifferent to their public environment. They sometimes interact with it, either by giving to beggars, getting into disputes, engaging in pure sociability, or perpetuating (but also combating) discrimination.

How democratic norms are used

Riadh Amine Ben Mami — 2024-02-29T07:13:00Z

Democracy has become a key element of government legitimacy throughout the word. A new book's comparative approach sheds light on the ambivalence of democratic norms, and the paradox of their strategic appropriation by authoritarian regimes like Russia and Turkey.