Who represents whom in politics and government, and how can individuals claim to represent others? Saward (Univ. of Warwick) addresses these and other questions of representation in this study. . . As witness to the regimes of representatives claiming power as populists who have a direct connection with their citizens, this book explores the character, scope, and functions of representation. Separate chapters explore the day-to-day actions of representation, how claimants become representatives, the performance of claims of representation, the "shape-shifting representative," how time affects representation, legitimation of representative claims, and how other aspects of culture can provide useful insights. Saward recognizes that representation means "re-presentation," whereby an intermediary tries to make present something (or someone) that is absent, arguing that representation is a social achievement. He relies on the disciplines of political science, political theory, performance studies, sociology, anthropology, and art to communicate a deeper understanding of this form of social action. The list of references invites wide-ranging further reading, and the text gives readers access to a subtle topic. Ultimately Saward argues that the representative claim perspective can illuminate how political representation works. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students, faculty, and professionals.