구조적 한계와 변화의 딜레마: 2024총선넷 사례로 본 선거참여운동의 현재

초록

This study examines the “electoral participation movement” in South Korea, a form of non-partisan activism that typically emerges during election periods. Originating in the early 1990s as part of a broader political reform movement, it gained significant social attention and influence through the campaign against unsuitable candidates led by the Citizens’ Alliance for the 2000 General Election. However, the movement’s influence has sharply declined since then and has yet to be restored. This research aims to understand this decline within the context of structural changes and to analyze the movement’s current challenges through a case study of the Citizens’ Network for the 2024 General Election (CN2024). The analysis is based on primary data from the CN2024 and its predecessor organizations, as well as in-depth interviews with five of its key organizers. This study makes two main arguments. First, the electoral participation movement is confronted with significant structural limitations. Factors such as the stabilization of institutional and party politics, the differentiation and pluralization of civil society, and the individualization of citizen participation methods act as structural constraints. This reality implies that a substantial transformation of the movement’s activities is necessary. Second, despite this pressing need, the movement is caught in a dilemma of change. While the necessity for transformation is high, the prospect of implementing it is low, as a complete overhaul or discontinuation of its core activities is difficult, and a new direction for its activism remains unclear.

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