Risk, democracy and schizophrenia: the changing roles of citizens in risk policy-making putting GMO policy to the test

For more than two decades, participatory mechanisms have often been invoked as quasi-policy instruments to counterbalance a deficit of legitimacy surrounding political representation. Scientific literature has widely investigated this process. Empirical studies have documented it. However, a blind spot remains. How does this process influence the role of citizens when they are called to sanction political decisions concerning risks, decisions to which they have been at least partly associated? This paper innovatively combines theories of democracy and sequential policy analysis to investigate the articulation of participation and representation when risk issues are regulated. This paper's theoretical reflection is documented through the example of GMO policy in Europe and, more specifically, in Belgium.