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The Rise of Citizen Groups? The Mobilization and Representation of Danish Interest Groups, 1975–2010
Author(s) -
Skorkjær Binderkrantz Anne,
Fisker Helene Marie,
Pedersen Helene Helboe
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
scandinavian political studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.65
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1467-9477
pISSN - 0080-6757
DOI - 10.1111/1467-9477.12073
Subject(s) - representation (politics) , mobilization , politics , danish , political science , argument (complex analysis) , interest group , inclusion (mineral) , political economy , public administration , special interest group , public relations , sociology , social science , law , philosophy , linguistics , biochemistry , chemistry
Over the last several decades, a number of societal changes can be expected to have led to the increased mobilization of interest groups representing citizen interests. For this mobilization to be effective, citizen groups need to win access to relevant political arenas. This article investigates the development of the Danish interest group system and the representation of interest groups in political arenas. While replicating findings of increasing citizen mobilization from other countries is expected, it is argued here that the development of groups’ political representation as a consequence of this mobilization depends on the dynamics of resource exchange in different political arenas. This argument is tested on a unique dataset of Danish interest groups in 1975 and 2010 which includes data on group populations and group access to the administration and the media. The analysis demonstrates that citizen groups must overcome not only the challenge of organizing, but also persistent logics guiding the inclusion of, interest groups in different political arenas. Citizen groups have been more successful in increasing their representation in the media than in the administrative arena.