Synopses & Reviews
The popular pressures for reforms of the democratic process have mounted across the OECD nations over the past generation. In response, democratic institutions are changing, evolving, and expanding in ways that may alter the structure of the democratic process. These changes include reforms of the electoral process, the expansion of referendums, introduction of open government provisions, and more access points for direct political involvement. Indeed, some observers claim that we are witnessing the most fundamental transformation of the democratic process since the creation of mass democracy in the early 20th Century.
This international team of distinguished scholars assembles the evidence of how democratic institutions and processes are changing, and considers the larger implications of these reforms for the nature of democracy. The findings points to a new style of democratic politics that expands the nature of democracy, but also carries challenges for democracies to include all its citizens and govern effectively in an environment of complex government.
Review
"For those who assume that within those countries we commonly consider to be the wealthiest and most stable liberal democracies, there exists a single shape, form, and formula for democracy itself, they need to consult this bold, innovative, and informative volume.... a superb collection."--Perspectives on Politics
Table of Contents
Tables
Figures
Notes on Contributors
Foreword, Austin Ranney
Introduction
1. New Forms of Democracy?: Reform and Transformation of Democratic Institutions, Russell J. Dalton, Susan E. Scarrow, and Bruce Cain
Part I: Electoral Change
2. Expanding the Electoral Marketplace, Russell J. Dalton and Mark Gray
3. Making Elections More Direct? Reducing the Role of Parties in Elections, Susan E. Scarrow
4. Political Parties and the Rhetoric and Realities of Democratization, Miki Caul Kittilson and Susan E. Scarrow
5. Changing Party Access to Politics, Shaun Bowler, Elisabeth Carter, and David M. Farrell
Part II: Change in Non-electoral Institutions
6. Toward More Open Democracies: The Expansion of Freedom of Information Laws, Bruce Cain, Sergio Fabrinni, and Patrick Egan
7. The Decentralization of Governance: Regional and Local Delegation, Christopher Ansell and Jane Gingrich
8. Reforming the Administrative State, Christopher Ansell and Jane Gingrich
9. Participation, Representative Democracy, and the Courts, Rachel Chichowski and Alec Stone Sweet
Part III: The Consequences of Political Reform
10. A Second Transformation of Democracy, Mark Warren
11. Democratic Publics and Democratic Institutions: New Forms or Adaptation, Russell J. Dalton, Bruce Cain, and Susan E. Scarrow