Towards a political sociology of revolving doors. From the origins of the phenomenon to the implications for public action

The aim of this article is to lay the foundations for a sociological approach to revolving doors, at the crossroads of the sociology of elites, the sociology of political staff and the sociology of public action. To this end, it firstly reviews the literature on circulations between the public sector (positions held by elected representatives, political staff and senior civil servants) and the private sector (more specifically, the interest representation sector). In particular, it discusses a number of North American and European studies from the fields of political science and economics, to identify questions, methodologies and results. Secondly, it raises methodological issues and suggests new avenues to explore, focusing on the sources of the phenomenon - transformations in political arenas and administration, and the development of lobbying consultancy markets - and its consequences for public action and the general interest.