근대 민주주의의 역설과 랑시에르 민주주의 논의의 함의: 영화 <콘크리트 유토피아>를 중심으로

초록

This study aims to analyze the film Concrete Utopia, which symbolically depicts the dystopian aspects of contemporary Korean society, to explore the limitations of modern (representative) democracy and seek the democracy to come. Modern democracy, conceptualized around representative systems, has led to a crisis of democracy and the rise of populism due to its limitations—such as substituting the ‘method’ of gathering public opinion for democracy itself and the elitism resulting from the principle of excellence in electing representatives. To explore the possibilities of another form of democracy beyond these limitations of modern representative democracy, this study utilizes the theory of Rancière, which discusses ‘the absence of the qualification to govern’ as a democratic aspiration. In Concrete Utopia, this study analyzes: 1) the institutional exclusion of non-citizens distinguished from citizens, 2) the justification of differential distribution and inequality based on meritocracy, and 3) the collapse of the community resulting from exclusion and inequality, discussing these as dystopian social phenomena brought about by the crisis of modern (representative) democracy. Secondly, the openly shared everyday life space of those without qualifications depicted in the film’s final scene is interpreted as an imagination of ‘a new democratic life.’ The significance of this study lies in its contribution to the discussion of future democracy by applying Rancière’s theory of democracy. This theory identifies democracy not as an institution, but as the political expression of the demos (those who have no part), and their practice of claiming their share. By connecting this theory to the imaginative content of the film, the study offers new insights into the potential shape of future democratic practices.

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