Reviving democracy : citizens at the heart of governance / Barry Knight, Hope Chigudu, and Rajesh Tandon.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Knight, Barry, 1947-

Contributor:

Chigudu, Hope Bagyendera.

Tandon, Rajesh.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Civil society.

Political participation.

Physical Description:

xviii, 214 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm

Place of Publication:

London ; Sterling, VA : Earthscan Publications, 2002.

Summary:

The aim of this book is to analyze the conditions for a good society and to show how citizens can be and need to be put at the center of the political process. Drawing on research in forty seven Commonwealth countries, the authors explore the ways in which this can be carried out. The book sets out to stimulate a change in the current political consensus and demonstrate the route forward to sustainable development. The book has enormous importance for future policy and will be vital for policy-makers and professionals in politics, social policy and development.

Contents:

Why listen to citizens? 3

Chapter 1 The Good Society in a Global Context 7

The good society 7

The current consensus 12

Cracks in the consensus 14

Global economic trends 16

Globalization 20

The rise of freedom 21

The downsides of freedom 24

Markets and state are not enough 28

Chapter 2 Civil Society and Participatory Research 30

How should we study civil society? 31

What is participatory research? 32

Countering conventional wisdom 33

Limitations 37

Methodology of the current study 38

Implementing the research 39

Examples of methods used 40

Categorizing respondents 40

Clustering 46

Developing a synthesis 46

The international framework for the research 47

The rise of civil society 51

Chapter 3 A Good Society 63

A model 64

Three basic components 64

Basic needs 64

Association 70

Participation 76

Variations 84

Aspects of a good society 87

The significance of the findings 89

Chapter 4 Friends and Enemies of a Good Society 90

Widespread disillusion 91

Good societies 99

Enemies of a good society 104

Basic needs 105

Association 111

Participation 115

Women 123

Other groups 129

Chapter 5 Good Governance 131

Differing challenges 131

State roles 133

What citizens can do 144

Citizens' leaders 150

The role of other actors 152

Factors that help and hinder 156

Good governance 158

Chapter 6 What is to be Done? 161

A new consensus 162

Strong state; strong civil society 162

Deepening democracy 163

Enlarging citizens' actions 165

Probable futures 166

Desirable futures 170

Appendix 1 Harare Commonwealth Declaration (1991) 173

Appendix 2 Millbrook Commonwealth Action Programme on the Harare Declaration (1995) 179

Appendix 3 The Fancourt Commonwealth Declaration on Globalization and People-Centred Development (1999) 186.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [193]-204) and index.

ISBN:

1853838810

1853838845

OCLC:

48241300