Political Representation, Group Representation and Racial Quotas Policy: Feminist Views and Debates

Abstract

This article focus on the debate of political representation, especial grouprepresentation, and the policy of quotas with the purpose of highlighting their main and mostcontentious arguments, exploring their inconsistencies, problematizing and establishing a dialoguebetween them. It will be considered to what extent the argument for the inclusion of non-hegemonicgroup members in the political decision making process, through means such as quotas, may bejustified from a normative standpoint. Given the contentious character of the concept of politicalrepresentation and of the notion of group identity and interest, to what extent could this demandbe justified? This discussion will be carried out through a critical analysis on the meaning ofpolitical representation, the notion of group rights, interests, identities and perspectives, and themain arguments for and against quotas. The article will be centered on the debate about thepolitical representation of women, establishing thus a close dialogue with and between feministperspectives.