Radicalizing Democracy for the Twenty-first Century

Radicalizing Democracy for the Twenty-first Century
Author: Jane Mummery
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 269
Release: 2016-11-18
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 1315436841

Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Acknowledgements -- Introduction -- Part I Situating radical democracy -- 1 The idea of democracy -- 2 Theories of radical democracy -- Part II Radical democracy in action -- 3 Subjects and agency: Who is the radical democrat? -- 4 Communities in question: Where is the radical democrat? -- 5 Radical deliberations: The radical democrat in action -- Part III Radical democracy in a globalized world -- 6 Radical cosmopolitanism -- 7 Greening democracy as radical democracy -- Conclusion -- Index

Tools for Radical Democracy

Tools for Radical Democracy
Author: Joan Minieri
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 479
Release: 2007-09-10
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0787997404

Tools for Radical Democracy is an essential resource for grassroots organizers and leaders, students of activism and advocacy, and anyone trying to increase the civic participation of ordinary people. Authors Joan Minieri and Paul Getsos share stories and tools from their nationally recognized and award-winning work of building a community-led organization, training community leaders, and conducting campaigns that changed public policy and delivered concrete results to tens of thousands of people. This how-to manual includes: · In-depth analysis of how to launch and win a campaign · Tools and guidelines for training people to lead their own campaigns and organizations · Insights for using technology effectively, building more powerful alliances, and engaging in the social justice movement

Open Democracy

Open Democracy
Author: Hélène Landemore
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Total Pages: 272
Release: 2022-03-08
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 0691212392

To the ancient Greeks, democracy meant gathering in public and debating laws set by a randomly selected assembly of several hundred citizens. To the Icelandic Vikings, democracy meant meeting every summer in a field to discuss issues until consensus was reached. Our contemporary representative democracies are very different. Modern parliaments are gated and guarded, and it seems as if only certain people are welcome. Diagnosing what is wrong with representative government and aiming to recover some of the openness of ancient democracies, Open Democracy presents a new paradigm of democracy. Supporting a fresh nonelectoral understanding of democratic representation, Hélène Landemore demonstrates that placing ordinary citizens, rather than elites, at the heart of democratic power is not only the true meaning of a government of, by, and for the people, but also feasible and, more than ever, urgently needed. -- Cover page 4.

Legislature by Lot

Legislature by Lot
Author: John Gastil
Publisher: Verso Books
Total Pages: 449
Release: 2019-04-09
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1788736087

Democracy means rule by the people, but in practice even the most robust democracies delegate most rule making to a political class The gap between the public and its representatives might seem unbridgeable in the modern world, but Legislature by Lot examines an inspiring solution: a legislature chosen through “sortition”—the random selection of lay citizens. It’s a concept that has come to the attention of democratic reformers across the globe. Proposals for such bodies are being debated in Australia, Belgium, Iceland, the United Kingdom, and many other countries. Sortition promises to reduce corruption and create a truly representative legislature in one fell swoop. In Legislature by Lot, John Gastil and Erik Olin Wright make the case for pairing a sortition body with an elected chamber within a bicameral legislature. Gastil is a leading deliberative democracy scholar, and Wright a distinguished sociologist and editor of the Real Utopias series, of which this is a part. In this volume, they bring together critics and advocates of sortition who have studied ancient Athens, deliberative polling, political theory, social movements, and civic innovation. Without obscuring its limitations, the contributors offer a wide variety of ideas for how to implement sortition and examine its potential for reshaping modern politics. Legislature by Lot includes sixteen essays that respond to Gastil and Wright’s detailed proposal. Essays comparing sortition to contemporary reforms see it as a dramatic extension of deliberative “minipublics,” which gather random samples of citizens to weigh public policy dilemmas without being empowered to enact legislation. Another set of essays explores the democratic principles underlying sortition and elections and considers, for example, how a sortition body holds itself accountable to a public that did not elect it. The third set of essays considers alternative paths to democratic reform, which limit the powers of a sortition chamber or more quickly establish a pure sortition body. With contributions by Arash Abizadeh, Tom Arnold, Terrill Bouricius, Deven Burks, Lyn Carson, Dimitri Courant, Donatella della Porta, David M. Farrell, Andrea Felicetti, James S. Fishkin, Brett Hennig, Vincent Jacquet, Raphaël Kies, Tom Malleson, Jane Mansbridge, Christoph Niessen, David Owen, John Pitseys, Min Reuchamps, Yves Sintomer, Graham Smith, Jane Suiter, and Pierre-Étienne Vandamme.

Defending Politics

Defending Politics
Author: Matthew Flinders
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 221
Release: 2012-04-26
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 019964442X

Citizens around the world have become distrustful of politicians, skeptical about democratic institutions, and disillusioned about the capacity of democratic politics to resolve pressing social concerns. Many feel as if something has gone seriously wrong with democracy. Those sentiments are especially high in the U.S. as the 2012 election draws closer. In 2008, President Barack Obama ran--and won--on a promise of hope and change for a better country. Four years later, that dream for hope and change seems to be waning by the minute. Instead, disillusionment grows with the Obama adminstration's achievements, or depending where you fall on the spectrum, its lack thereof. Defending Politics meets this contemporary pessimism about the political process head on. In doing so, it aims to cultivate a shift from the negativity that appears to dominate public life towards a more buoyant and engaged "politics of optimism." Matthew Flinders makes an unfashionable but incredibly important argument of utmost simplicity: democratic politics delivers far more than most members of the public appear to acknowledge and understand. If more and more people are disappointed with what modern democratic politics delivers, is it possible that the fault lies with those who demand too much, fail to acknowledge the essence of democratic engagement, and ignore the complexities of governing in the twentieth century? Is it possible that the public in many advanced liberal democracies have become "democratically decadent," that they take what democratic politics delivers for granted? Would politics appear in a better light if we all spent less time emphasizing our individual rights and more time reflecting on our responsibilities to society and future generations? Democratic politics remains "a great and civilizing human activity...something to be valued almost as a pearl beyond price," Bernard Crick stressed in his classic In Defense of Politics fifty years ago. By returning to and updating Crick's arguments, this book provides an honest account of why democratic politics matters and why we need to reject the arguments of those who would turn their backs on "mere politics" in favor of more authoritarian, populist or technocratic forms of governing.

Radical Democracy

Radical Democracy
Author: Fouad Sabry
Publisher: One Billion Knowledgeable
Total Pages: 270
Release: 2024-08-10
Genre: Political Science
ISBN:

What is Radical Democracy? This book explores Radical Democracy's transformative potential, focusing on its principles, practices, and influence on modern political movements. It's a key resource for those interested in democratic innovations and social justice. Chapters Highlights: 1: Radical Democracy - Examine its core principles, challenge to traditional models, and focus on inclusivity and empowerment. 2: Deliberative Democracy - Discover how deliberation fosters informed, reflective discussions and enhances democratic engagement. 3: Ernesto Laclau - Review Laclau's contributions to Radical Democracy and his theories on populism. 4: Chantal Mouffe - Understand Mouffe’s impact, especially her ideas on agonism and the role of conflict in democracy. 5: Agonism - Explore the importance of political conflict for democracy as opposed to consensus models. 6: Andrew Arato - Investigate Arato’s views on civil society and constitutionalism in the context of Radical Democracy. 7: The Democratic Paradox - Analyze the tension between liberalism and popular sovereignty as described by Mouffe. 8: Post-Marxism - Examine how Radical Democracy intersects with Post-Marxism, focusing on power and social change. 9: Cristina Lafont - Delve into Lafont’s focus on communication and public reasoning in democratic theory. 10: Oral Democracy - Learn about the role of verbal communication in decision-making processes. 11: Democracy - Get a broad overview of democratic principles and their historical and contemporary applications. 12: Deliberation - Study how deliberation bridges divides and fosters mutual understanding. 13: Public Sphere - Explore the role of the public sphere in political action and democratic vitality. 14: Communicative Action - Understand Habermas’s concept of communicative action for achieving consensus. 15: Hegemony and Socialist Strategy - Analyze strategies for achieving hegemony in democratic societies. 16: Types of Democracy - Compare various democratic forms, from direct to representative. 17: Post-politics - Examine the shift from traditional ideologies to technocratic governance. 18: Citizens' Assembly - Learn how citizens' assemblies enable direct public participation in decision-making. 19: Essex School of Discourse Analysis - Understand the Essex School’s discourse analysis approach and its relevance to Radical Democracy. 20: Democratic Socialism - Explore democratic socialism’s blend of governance and social equity. 21: Online Deliberation - Investigate how digital platforms enhance democratic engagement. This book offers deep insights into Radical Democracy’s principles and practices, making it a valuable read for those interested in democratic governance.

Radicalizing Democracy for the Twenty-first century

Radicalizing Democracy for the Twenty-first century
Author: Jane Mummery
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 350
Release: 2016-11-18
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 1315436833

While the subject of democracy has been explored by philosophers since ancient times, in the last few decades democracy has been taken for granted in the West as the political norm. The recognition of democracy as an empty concept in Western political discourse and the emergence of theories of radical democracy have renewed engagement in democratic theory and politics. Radicalizing Democracy for the Twenty-first Century explores the radicalizing movement in democratic thought and: • Introduces readers to the key debates in contemporary philosophical theories about democracy. • Confronts popular assumptions about democracy. • Provides a philosophical underpinning for the rise of radical democratic theories, movements and politics. • Examines how radical democracy can respond to the challenges of the contemporary world. Radicalizing Democracy for the Twenty-first Century is an important resource for students, scholars and university teachers in the field of political philosophy, political theory and international relations.

Radical Markets

Radical Markets
Author: Eric A. Posner
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Total Pages: 208
Release: 2019-10-08
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0691196974

Revolutionary ideas on how to use markets to achieve fairness and prosperity for all Many blame today's economic inequality, stagnation, and political instability on the free market. The solution is to rein in the market, right? Radical Markets turns this thinking on its head. With a new foreword by Ethereum creator Vitalik Buterin and virtual reality pioneer Jaron Lanier as well as a new afterword by Eric Posner and Glen Weyl, this provocative book reveals bold new ways to organize markets for the good of everyone. It shows how the emancipatory force of genuinely open, free, and competitive markets can reawaken the dormant nineteenth-century spirit of liberal reform and lead to greater equality, prosperity, and cooperation. Only by radically expanding the scope of markets can we reduce inequality, restore robust economic growth, and resolve political conflicts. But to do that, we must replace our most sacred institutions with truly free and open competition—Radical Markets shows how.

The Radical Center

The Radical Center
Author: Ted Halstead
Publisher: Anchor
Total Pages: 272
Release: 2002-11-12
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1400033292

Record numbers of Americans describe themselves as “independents” and reject the conventional agendas of Left and Right. In this widely acclaimed book, Ted Halstead and Michael Lind explain why today’s ideologies and institutions are so ill-suited to the Information Age, and offer a groundbreaking blueprint for updating all sectors of America society. Taking on partisans and experts on both sides of the political divide, they propose far-reaching reforms for the way we provide health and retirement security, collect taxes, organize elections, enforce civil rights, and educate our children. Twice before the United States has dramatically reconfigured itself, shifting from an agrarian to an industrial society after the Civil War and successfully adapting to the massive technological and demographic changes of the early twentieth century during the New Deal era. Uniting a sweeping historical vision with bold policy proposals, The Radical Center shows us how to reinvent our nation once again so that all Americans can reap the benefits of the Information Age.

Demanding Democracy

Demanding Democracy
Author: Marc Stears
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Total Pages: 256
Release: 2013-03-03
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0691157901

This is a major work of history and political theory that traces radical democratic thought in America across the twentieth century, seeking to recover ideas that could reenergize democratic activism today. The question of how citizens should behave as they struggle to create a more democratic society has haunted the United States throughout its history. Should citizens restrict themselves to patient persuasion or take to the streets and seek to impose change? Marc Stears argues that anyone who continues to wrestle with these questions could learn from the radical democratic tradition that was forged in the twentieth century by political activists, including progressives, trade unionists, civil rights campaigners, and members of the student New Left. These activists and their movements insisted that American campaigners for democratic change should be free to strike out in whatever ways they thought necessary, so long as their actions enhanced the political virtues of citizens and contributed to the eventual triumph of the democratic cause. Reevaluating the moral and strategic arguments, and the triumphs and excesses, of this radical democratic tradition, Stears contends that it still offers a compelling account of citizen behavior--one that is fairer, more inclusive, and more truly democratic than those advanced by political theorists today.