{"product_id":"speaking-for-others-the-ethics-of-informal-political-representation-9780674238534","title":"Speaking for Others: The Ethics of Informal Political Representation","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA political philosopher dissects the duties and dilemmas of the unelected spokesperson, from Martin Luther King, Jr., to Greta Thunberg.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003ePolitical representation is typically assumed to be the purview of formal institutions and elected officials. But many of the people who represent us are not senators or city councilors--think of Martin Luther King, Jr., or Malala Yousafzai or even a neighbor who speaks up at a school board meeting. Informal political representatives are in fact ubiquitous, often powerful, and some bear enormous responsibility. In \u003ci\u003eSpeaking for Others\u003c\/i\u003e, political philosopher Wendy Salkin develops the first systematic conceptual and moral analysis of informal political representation. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eSalkin argues that informal representation can be a political lifeline, particularly for oppressed and marginalized groups that are denied representation in formal political institutions. Yet informal political representatives exert outsized influence over the ways these groups' interests are understood by the public, without the represented having much recourse to hold them accountable. And many informal political representatives are selected not by the groups they represent but by outsiders, sticking these groups with representatives they would not choose but cannot shake. The role of informal political representatives is therefore fraught with moral questions. What exactly are their duties and to whom are they owed? Should they be members of the groups they represent? When is informal representation permissible and when is it best avoided? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eInformal political representation is taking place all around us. In fact, you yourself may be an informal political representative without knowing it. \u003ci\u003eSpeaking for Others\u003c\/i\u003e explores the tensions central to this pervasive yet underexamined practice, bringing light to both its perils and its promise.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Harvard University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50661724193042,"sku":"9780674238534","price":38.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_320d26a7-2da6-4a37-80bc-56a8898e95a8.jpg?v=1733505387","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/speaking-for-others-the-ethics-of-informal-political-representation-9780674238534","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}