Political Voice: Protest, Democracy, and Marginalized Groups

Aidan McGarry - Loughborough University
Political Voice: Protest, Democracy, and Marginalized Groups

Abstract
This talk will outline the theoretical foundations of my new book Political Voice: Protest, Democracy, and Marginalized Groups (OUP, 2024). It advances an important argument, namely, that some sections of society are routinely ignored or actively excluded from mainstream politics. In order to be visible and present in public life, marginalized groups must speak up and speak out, often through protest. As marginalized groups articulate their collective voice through protest, they simultaneously lay claim to belonging to political community, and paradoxically, constitute democracy, an institution which frequently excludes them. The talk outlines the original concept of political voice which is based on three core elements: autonomy, representation, and constitution. The talk applies the concept of political voice to queer activism in India.