Sortition: Theory and Practice

This volume reflects the up-and-coming academic interest in sortition. It is based on contributions to the first international conference dedicated to the subject held at the University of Political Science (Sciences-Po) in Paris in November 2008. The papers explore important theoretical questions such as how we should recognise and define differing lottery forms; the relationship between sortition and different aspects and forms of democracy; and its potential benefits to current political and commercial practice. Contributors Hubertus Buchstein, Gil Delannoi Oliver Dowlen, Gerhard Gohler Barbara Goodwin, Michael Hein Yves Sintomer, Peter Stone Antoine Vergne Gil Delannoi is Research Director at Sciences-Po Paris (Centre de recherches politiques). Oliver Dowlen is an independent scholar and a founder member of the Society for Democracy including Random Selection (SDRS).

"In the first article, Gil DeLannoi tells us why we should care about sortition ("Reflections on Two typologies for Random Selection"). Althought he provides good coverage of the uses to which sortition can be put, and the value it provides in those uses, it is less clear that the typologies offered are the best way to organize that materical."