A Pnyx of Research Fields

Multidisciplinarity about Sortition and Democracy

Abstract

This article conveys the objectives and results of an international and multidisciplinary − or interdisciplinary − research project still in operation, until the end of 2018. Based in the University of Cádiz (Spain), this project deals with ancient, modern and contemporary discussions, representations and narratives of Democracy, focusing on the contrast and comparison between a democratic system based on sortition, namely − broadly speaking − selection by lot to public offices and representative democracy. The article discusses the relevance of the investigation, the applicability of the results and the real effects of the actionresearch part. It also argues that − paradoxically − scientific autonomy is indispensable if that kind of research seeks to achieve tangible impact in society and its political fields. In short, this article asks about the inevitable fragility of the interaction between ethics, political commitment, and investigative objectiveness in humanities and social sciences.