Materializations through political work

Area of Science:

• Political Science
• Sociology of Science
• Organizational Studies

Background:

• Current political research often overlooks the practical, material aspects of political work.
• Traditional understandings of politics face a "double bind" between truthful rationality and democratic legitimacy.
• Analogous challenges existed in early laboratory studies of scientific practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the opposition between politics and work by examining the materiality of politics in parliaments.
• To introduce "political work" as a concept that bridges "matters of fact" and "matters of concern".
• To understand how political actors materialize forceful ideas that assemble groups and mobilize people.

Main Methods:

• Ethnographic research conducted across four parliamentary levels in Germany.
• Analysis of how political actors navigate diverse "matters of concern" within parliamentary settings.
• Observation of shifts between different work modes: political game, settling of issues, and political composition.

Main Results:

• Political actors actively "materialize forceful ideas" to overcome the rationality-legitimacy double bind.
• Parliamentary actors employ rapid shifts between distinct work modes to manage diverse concerns.
• Resources such as law, opposition stances, and scientific facts are strategically used to shape political reality.

Conclusions:

• Political work is essential for transitioning between facts and concerns, materializing ideas, and assembling political support.
• Understanding the materiality of political work offers new insights into political practice and its challenges.
• The study highlights the dynamic and adaptive strategies employed by political actors in contemporary parliaments.