Inequalities, Participation, and the Construction of Democratic Citizenship

Abstract

This article explores the complex relationship between social inequalities, political participation and democratic citizenship. Moving beyond conventional approaches that view inequalities as merely barriers to participation, the article argues that growing inequalities are transforming the conditions through which citizenship, political voice and collective agency are established. First, the article examines the material, cultural, social and symbolic obstacles that marginalised groups face in accessing political participation. It then analyses the ambivalent role of institutions, welfare policies and participatory governance, demonstrating how inclusion and participation can serve as both mechanisms of empowerment and devices of discipline, responsibilisation and depoliticisation. Particular attention is given to the erosion of collective identities, the rise of resentment and populism, and the way in which social problems are individualised under neoliberal forms of governance. It further investigates how contemporary forms of collective action are being reconfigured through networked, connective and prefigurative practices that blur the boundaries between personal experience and political engagement. Finally, it asserts that participation itself has become an important dimension of inequality as access to political voice and collective agency depends on resources, recognition and participatory capacities that are distributed unequally. Understanding these transformations is essential for assessing the future of democratic citizenship in increasingly fragmented and unequal societies.