Discourse, political space and the politics of citizenship

ABSTRACT

Political space can be defined as opportunities for and restrictions on citizenship struggles. The purpose of the article is to develop a theory of political space that takes into account the role of discourse and meaning in shaping political space. Starting from how political space is conceptualized as a political opportunity structure in social movement theory, the author argues for employing discourse theory to recast political space as discursive space that shapes the opportunities for and restrictions on citizenship struggles. Her argument is supported by an analysis of strategies used by Chinese labour non-governmental organizations to remake their political space. She finds that political space is constituted through discourses that assign meaning to the actors involved in citizenship struggles, the sites of action, and the issues on which actors mobilize in particular ways, which may either enable or constrain action. Concurrently, political space is dynamic, as actors may remake their political space by rearticulating the discourses on actors, issues, activities and interests that constitute the political space. The author concludes that the metaphorical and literal meanings of political space are mutually constitutive. The opportunities for and restrictions on citizenship struggles cannot be analysed independently from where such action takes place.

KEYWORDS:

• China
• discourse theory
• non-governmental organizations
• political opportunity structure
• political space

Notes

1 In the text, Laclau & Mouffe (2001, 110) do not talk about spatial metaphors, but about ‘Synonymy, metonymy, metaphor’ in general.

2 Unpublished manuscript titled ‘The politics of civil society engagement’ by M.S. Gleiss, E. Sæther and K. Fürst.