Perilous Participation: Democracy, Autonomy, and Power in an Age of Expertise

Brad Bryan, University of California, Berkeley

Abstract

In contemporary democratic societies, popular sentiment and its political expression are often guided by the views of experts – something necessary in an age where daily life is complex and specialized knowledge can command a premium. However, while expertise is necessary to solve increasingly difficult problems, the point of democracy has traditionally been to empower citizens to govern themselves. There is an inherent tension between the demands of a society built upon foundations of specialized knowledge and expertise and the demands of democracy. In Perilous Participation I bring into question the possibilities for democracy in an age of expertise. What happens to autonomy and democratic participation in an age when expertise and specialized knowledge have become necessary for the ordinary functioning of society?