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Even though it is often considered that elected officials should reflect the society which they serve, citizens of immigrant origin often remain underrepresented in many countries across all levels of governance. This poses a problem for democratic legitimacy and there is a risk of interests not being represented. While the political representation of minority groups has been studied across many countries, the representation of citizens of immigrant origin has been explored in Belgium to a lesser extent. What is the level of descriptive representation citizens of immigrant origin achieve in Belgium at the local level and how do immigrant-origin councillors represent the interests of citizens of immigrant origin? 
The purpose of this study is to examine the descriptive and substantive representation of citizens of immigrant origin in the province of Liège. An original dataset of local councillors’ profiles in a selection of communes was analysed and interviews with immigrant-origin councillors were conducted. 
The findings demonstrate that there is an underrepresentation of citizens of immigrant origin in all local councils which suggests that they face challenges and important barriers to enter into political office. The demographic presence of specific migrant communities within a commune and the political party appear to have a significant influence on their chances of entering local politics. Further, the interviews show that immigrant-origin councillors consider themselves as representatives of the entire population rather than representatives of citizens of immigrant origin. Yet, an immigrant background and a sense of shared experience seem to lead to greater motivation to represent citizens of immigrant origin interests.

immigrants --- Belgium --- local elections --- political representation --- Sciences sociales & comportementales, psychologie > Sociologie & sciences sociales

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De recente theoretische evoluties in de vertegenwoordigingsliteratuur benadrukken de creatieve, interactieve en dynamische aspecten van het vertegenwoordigingsproces. Politieke vertegenwoordiging wordt daardoor niet langer beschouwd als een exclusieve aangelegenheid van verkozen vertegenwoordigers in wetgevende en parlementaire arena's, maar als een actief en dynamisch proces waarbij zowel verkozen als niet-verkozen actoren tot op zekere hoogte de groepen en belangen construeren die zij vervolgens in de traditionele parlementaire arena's én daarbuiten zullen vertegenwoordigen. Om deze nieuwe theoretische inzichten aan een volwaardige toets der wetenschappen te onderwerpen, moet het empirisch onderzoek naar de politieke vertegenwoordiging van sociale groepen echter nog een belangrijke inhaalbeweging maken. Deze masterproef onderzoekt daarom de substantiële vertegenwoordiging van Roma in Gent. Op basis van een kwantitatieve inhoudsanalyse van persartikels uit de voorbije lokale legislatuur (2007-2012) die melding maken van 'Roma' en 'Gent' onderzoeken we of er sprake is van substantiële vertegenwoordiging van deze etnische minderheid in de media, welke actoren deze rol op zich nemen en wat de voornaamste inhoudelijke thema's zijn die daarin aan bod komen. Deze empirische opzet is expliciet exploratief – i.e. het beschrijven van de substantiële vertegenwoordiging van Gentse Roma in de media – en dient als opstap om die vertegenwoordiging uitgebreider te bestuderen in voortgezet onderzoek op basis van Saward's model van 'vertegenwoordigende claims' (2006). Uit onze empirische bevindingen blijkt dat iets meer dan de helft van de artikels – waarvan de meerderheid de thema's van huisvesting, migratie en armoede bestrijken – uitingen van substantiële vertegenwoordiging ten aanzien van Roma bevatten. Bovendien blijken ook in deze buitenparlementaire arena, de verkozen politici en in tweede instantie de leden en organisaties uit de eigen sociale groep de belangrijkste actoren te zijn die de substantiële vertegenwoordiging van deze specifieke etnische minderheid op zich nemen.

Ethnic minorities. --- Etnische minderheden. --- Gent. --- Ghent. --- Political representation. --- Politieke vertegenwoordiging. --- Representative claims. --- S189-organisatiewetenschappen. --- Substantive representation. --- Substantiële vertegenwoordiging. --- Vertegenwoordigende claims.

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Representative government and representation --- Parliamentary government --- Political representation --- Representation --- Self-government --- Constitutional history --- Constitutional law --- Political science --- Democracy --- Elections --- Republics --- Suffrage --- REGIMES POLITIQUES --- DEMOCRATIE --- ELECTIONS --- POLITICIENS

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Representation is more than a matter of elections and parties. This book offers a radical new perspective on the subject. Representation, it argues, is all around us, a dynamic practise across societies rather than simply a fixed feature of government. At the heart of the argument is the straightforward but versatile notion of the representative claim. People claim to speak or stand for others in multiple, shifting, and surprising patterns. At the same time they offer images oftheir constituents and audiences as artists paint portraits. Who can speak for and about us in this volatile world of

Representative government and representation. --- Parliamentary government --- Political representation --- Representation --- Self-government --- Constitutional history --- Constitutional law --- Political science --- Democracy --- Elections --- Republics --- Suffrage

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Latin American Democracies: Colombia, Costa Rica, Venezuela

Liberalism --- Representative government and representation --- Parliamentary government --- Political representation --- Representation --- Self-government --- Constitutional history --- Constitutional law --- Political science --- Democracy --- Elections --- Republics --- Suffrage --- Liberal egalitarianism --- Liberty --- Social sciences