Introduction

The Problem of Thomas Hobbes
Formalistic Views of Representation
"Standing For": Descriptive Representation
"Standing For": Symbolic Representation
Representing as "Acting For": The Analogies
The Mandate-Independence Controversy
Representing Unattached Interests: Burke
Representing People Who Have Interests: Liberalism
Political Representation

Appendix on Etymology
Notes
Bibliography
Index

"A brilliant study, characterized by a closely-knit organization of ideas and by a well-written text fairly bristling with challenging insights. It is the most comprehensive—and very likely the best—book yet written on the concept of representation."—Polity

"A major contribution to the study of representative government...It is the special virtue of her work that so well defined an argument has room for so many issues and so much scholarship."—Political Science Quarterly

"An outstanding contribution to professional knowledge...great enough to be required reading."—Journal of Politics

"We are very fortunate in having such a thorough and philosophically well-informed treatment of the subject...From now on this book can be expected to be the starting point for philosophical discussions of its subject."—Philosophical Quarterly

"A thorough, scholarly, and lucid investigation of the nature of representation. The reader who wishes a searching examination of the conflicts connected with the term representation...need only read this book...No serious student of the problems of our society can proceed without reading this splendid monograph."—Library Journal

"The argument is tightly reasoned and difficult reading but well worth the effort. In short, the Pitkin book...is 'must' reading for every serious student of representative government."—Midwest Journal of Political Science

"A concise and perceptive analysis of the various senses that have been given to the concept of representation in European and American political theory...an indispensable guide to the questions that ought to be asked whenever anyone says that a system is representative."—Australian Journal of Politics and History

Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science, 2003 Skytte Foundation at Uppsala University