Jean-paul Gagnon

Biography

My research is centered in the vibrant field of democracy studies. I'm engaged in several original research projects that contribute to the expanding histories of democracies, the critical engagement of democracy's contemporary problems, and the normative debates about the futures of democracies. I've three pronounced research interests that stand out from the work that I do on democracy's pasts, presents and futures. They are (1) nonhuman democracy (e.g. looking for answers to our democracy problems among the democratic techniques used by nonhumans), (2) the sociology of democracy (e.g. what is the everyday life of democracy? How do young people nurture democracy?), and (3) the democratic economy/economic democracy (e.g. participatory taxation, fettering transnational capital to democracies). I co-founded and now co-edit the journal Democratic Theory published and distributed by Berghahn (Oxford, New York). I co-conceived and was subsequently commissioned by Palgrave Macmillan to edit the book series The Theories, Concepts, and Practices of Democracy. These roles form an integral part of my research activities. Lastly, I'm a member or am otherwise affiliated with several democracy research institutes in Australia and abroad including the Sydney Democracy Network, the WZB (Berlin), and the Bernard Crick Centre for the Public Understanding of Politics (Sheffield).

Research Interest

Areas of Research Interest Democratic theory Democracy Histories and futures of democracy Nonhuman politics Political reform Research Theories / Models of Interest Participatory democracy Economic democracy Non-Western democracy Global democracy New democracy Research Methods of Interest Pragmatism Historical inquiry Discourse analysis Qualitative research methods Comparative