The Multivocal “Citizens” vs. “the Voice of the People”
Abstract: The paper examines the interplay of three processes. First, it explores how globalization and re-traditionalization interact, with rapid change and societal fluidity leading to a longing for the past, a solidification of borders, and a return to traditional values. In this context, a unified “people” emerges, embodying tradition and place, while multivocal citizens are viewed as outsiders and marginalized. This dichotomy favors a singular, homogeneous subject over the diversity of civil society. The third process concerns knowledge, where “eternal truths” are upheld by the unified “people,” while diverse perspectives are dismissed as false and harmful. Together, these processes challenge the foundations of liberal democracy, promoting a political regime that rejects pluralism. The paper raises the question of whether civil society can unite to defend modern values and pluralist democracy against the rising influence of re-traditionalization and the solidification of “the people” as a dominant force.
Keywords: civil society, “the people,” liberal democracy, re-traditionalization.
Petya Kabakchieva is a Bulgarian sociologist and professor at the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Philosophy, Sofia University. Her research encompasses a range of areas within the discipline, including political sociology, the sociology of the civil sector, regional studies, migration, education and more.