Michele Giavazzi
Ph.D.

The question at the centre of my research is whether democratic legitimacy requires that citizens are politically competent and able to act as informed decision-makers.

Whereas most democratic theorists either reject this idea on egalitarian grounds or focus exclusively on the impact of citizens’ competence on political outcomes, my project moves past this division by reframing the value of citizens' epistemic competence.

Central to it is the idea that, while legitimate political decision-making requires the joint co-authorship of citizens, the latter cannot be properly fulfilled or achieved unless citizens uphold an epistemically responsible conduct.

During my doctoral and post-doctoral studies, I worked extensively on voting and on the topic of epistocracy, arguing that considerations of civic accountability can legitimize some modest constraints on political participation. I am currently working on a book manuscript on this topic.