Synopses & Reviews
Leading political scientists address the challenges faced by democracy in the 21st century. The contributors tackle the changing nature of democratic ideas, in particular equality in society and the satisfaction of citizens. They examine changing patterns of political involvement, from voting to new forms of participation and protest using the Internet and new technologies. Finally, they look at the challenge to democracy posed by the changing nature of state institutions: party systems, bureaucracy and e-government, regulation and the processes of institutional development.
Synopsis
Introduction CHALLENGES FOR DEMOCRACY: EQUALITY AND SATISFACTION Political Equality in the Coming Century; R.Dahl Levelling Down; J.Wolff The Political Economy of Human Happiness; B.Radcliff Freedom and the Achievement of Happiness; J.Ott CHALLENGES FROM SOCIETY: CHANGING PETTERNS OF POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT Is there a Crisis of Democracy in Great Britain? Turnout at General Elections Reconsidered; R.Johnston & C.Pattie Social Capital, Civic Literacy and Political Participation: Explaining Differences in Voter Turnout; H.Milner A Virtuous Circle? The Impact of Political Communications in Post-Industrial Democracies; P.Norris Hactivism: Direct Action on the Electronic Flows of Information Societies; T.Jordan Deliberative Democracy and Referendums; J.Parkinson Creating Spaces of Deliberation in Barcelona: Its Good to Talk?; G.Blakeley CHALLENGES FROM THE STATE: CHANGING INSTITUTIONS External Influences on Party Development and Transnational Party Cooperation: The Case of Post-Communist Europe; G.Pridham Promoting Parties and Party Systems in New Democracies: Is there Anything the International Community Can Do?; P.Burnell Regulatory Accountability: Towards a Single Citizen-Consumer Model?; M.Lodge E-Governance: Weber's Revenge?; Perri 6 Decentralization and Development: the New Panacea; E.Ostrom Index
About the Author
Keith Dowding is Professor of Political Science and Jim Hughes is Senior Lecturer in Comparative Politics, Department of Government, both at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Helen Margetts is Reader in Political Science at the School of Public Policy, University College London.
Table of Contents
Part I: Challenges for Democracy: Equality and Satisfaction * Political Equality in the Coming Century--Robert Dahl * Levelling Down--Jonathan Wolff * The Political Economy of Human Happiness--Benjamin Radcliff * Freedom and the Achievement of Happiness--Jan Ott *
Part II: Challenges from Society: Changing Patterns of Political Involvement * Is there a Crisis of Democracy in Great Britain? Turnout at General Elections Reconsidered--Ron Johnston & Charles Pattie * Social Capital, Civic Literacy and Political Participation: Explaining Differences in Voter Turnout--Henry Milner * A Virtuous Circle? The Impact of Political Communications in Post-Industrial Democracies--Pippa Norris * Hacktivism: Direct Action on the Electronic Flows of Information Societies--Tim Jordan * Deliberative Democracy and Referendums--John Parkinson * Creating Spaces of Deliberation in Barcelona: It's Good to Talk?--Georgina Blakeley *
Part III: Challenges from the State: Changing Institutions * External Influences on Party Development and Transnational Party Cooperation: The Case of Post-Communist Europe--Geoffrey Pridham * Promoting Parties and Party Systems in New Democracies: Is There Anything the "International Community" Can Do?--Peter Burnell * Regulatory Accountability: Towards a Single Citizen-Consumer Model?--Martin Lodge * E-Governance: Weber's Revenge?--Perri 6 * Decentralization and Development: The New Panacea--Elinor Ostrom
Part I: Challenges for Democracy: Equality and Satisfaction * Political Equality in the Coming Century--Robert Dahl * Levelling Down--Jonathan Wolff * The Political Economy of Human Happiness--Benjamin Radcliff * Freedom and the Achievement of Happiness--Jan Ott *
Part II: Challenges from Society: Changing Patterns of Political Involvement * Is there a Crisis of Democracy in Great Britain? Turnout at General Elections Reconsidered--Ron Johnston & Charles Pattie * Social Capital, Civic Literacy and Political Participation: Explaining Differences in Voter Turnout--Henry Milner * A Virtuous Circle? The Impact of Political Communications in Post-Industrial Democracies--Pippa Norris * Hacktivism: Direct Action on the Electronic Flows of Information Societies--Tim Jordan * Deliberative Democracy and Referendums--John Parkinson * Creating Spaces of Deliberation in Barcelona: It's Good to Talk?--Georgina Blakeley *
Part III: Challenges from the State: Changing Institutions * External Influences on Party Development and Transnational Party Cooperation: The Case of Post-Communist Europe--Geoffrey Pridham * Promoting Parties and Party Systems in New Democracies: Is There Anything the "International Community" Can Do?--Peter Burnell * Regulatory Accountability: Towards a Single Citizen-Consumer Model?--Martin Lodge * E-Governance: Weber's Revenge?--Perri 6 * Decentralization and Development: The New Panacea--Elinor Ostrom