Spaces For Change? The Politics of Citizen Participation in New Democratic Arenas

Abstract

This book studies one of the greatest challenges of our age: building democratic politics where all can realize their rights and claim substantive citizenship. In recent years, innovations in governance have created a plethora of new democratic spaces in many countries. Yet there remains a gap between the intention to institutionalize participation and the reality of exclusion of poorer and marginalized citizens. Through case studies of a diversity of institutions – hospital facility boards in South Africa, a national-level deliberative process in Canada, sectoral management councils and community groups in Brazil, India, Mexico and Bangladesh, budgeting processes in Argentina, NGO-created forums in Angola and Bangladesh, community forums in the UK, and new intermediary spaces created by social movements in South Africa – contributors examine how the democratic potential of these new spaces might be enhanced.

Citation

A. Cornwall (Editor). Spaces For Change? The Politics of Citizen Participation in New Democratic Arenas. Zed Books, London, (2006) ISBN 9781842775523

Spaces For Change? The Politics of Citizen Participation in New Democratic Arenas

Published 1 January 2006