Citizenship and Contemporary Direct Democracy

Offers a comparative study of the origins, performance, and reform of contemporary mechanisms of direct democracy.

List of contents

1. Democratic innovations for representative governments; Part I. Origins: 2. Breaking through: the rebirth of direct democracy in the age of the national-state; 3. Catching on: waves of adoption of citizen-initiated mechanisms of direct democracy since World War I; Part II. Nature: 4. Status quo bias? Political change through direct democracy; 5. Left or right? Investigating potential ideological biases in contemporary direct democracy; Part III. Reform: 6. Why adopt direct democracy? Much more than a simple vote; 7. How can direct democracy be improved? Citizens' commissions and citizens' counterproposals; 8. Conclusions: a new democratic equilibrium; Appendices; References; Index.

About the author

David Altman is Professor of Political Science and Chair of Comparative Politics at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile. His research and teaching interests lie in the field of comparative politics with an emphasis on democracy. He is the author of Direct Democracy Worldwide (Cambridge, 2011) and has twice received the Uruguayan National Prize for Political Science.

Summary

Citizenship and Contemporary Direct Democracy is for anyone who studies democracy, elections, or political institutions. Its original data makes it indispensable for researchers, while the accessible, non-technical approach makes it suitable for students and teachers alike. The normative argument will appeal to political theorists and philosophers.

Product details

• Authors: David Altman, David (Pontificia Universidad Catolica De Altman, David (Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile) Altman, Altman David
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 31.12.2018
• EAN: 9781108496636
• ISBN: 978-1-108-49663-6
• No. of pages: 276
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political education; POLITICAL SCIENCE / General, Political science & theory, Political structures: democracy, Comparative Politics, Political science and theory, Elections & referenda, Elections and referenda / suffrage