Democracy and the Politics of Silence

Most people equate democracy with discussion, speech, and making one’s voice heard. But where does silence fit in? Democracy and the Politics of Silence investigates the largely overlooked role of silence in democratic politics. It challenges conventional wisdom by arguing that silence can support and affirm democratic pillars and outcomes like empowerment, inclusion, and equality.

Rather than focusing on theory, Brito Vieira explores real-world examples, including the Silent Parade of African Americans in 1916, demonstrations by the Women in Black in Serbia and Falun Gong practitioners in China, Gandhi’s political vows of silence, debates related to the representation and rights of nonhuman beings, and the famous Miranda judgment on the right to silence. Through these and other case studies, the author demonstrates how silence can be a means of building political community and resisting despotic rule. She reveals the power in silences, as well as their limitations, illuminating the complex relationship between speech and silence. In thus expanding the repertoire of democratic citizenship, Brito Vieira invites readers to consider what silence might teach them about democracy.

This timely book should appeal to political science students and scholars as well as anyone interested in the history of democracies and popular resistance movements.