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Democracy can be understood as a concept as well as a system of government associated with certain values, including transparency, accountability, the protection of rights, and non-oppressive government. This cutting edge new book explores the current contours of democracy and asks important questions such as: Does contemporary democracy mean the same thing that it did centuries ago? Are the longstanding assumptions about democracy and good governance sustainable in the face of digital transformation, paradigm shifts, and the liberalization of knowledge? Is democracy still applicable in the way that it has been traditionally envisioned? Gathering together insights from academics and practitioners with expertise on democracy and governance in the Caribbean context, this book is designed to spark a conversation about the ways in which appetites for democracy may be shifting in the Caribbean and beyond, exploring the conditions that brings these shifts to bear.
Section one focuses on conceptual pieces that investigate democracy and good governance, their definition, and comparative analysis of how the conceptualization of democracy can shape outcomes in different governmental contexts. Section two explores the ways in which events, trends, and technologies have impacted democratic or undemocratic values and attitudes. Section three examines shifts in democratic inclination in the 21st century.¿ Together the chapters represent an overdue study of the foundational governmental system of our time in a region that has historically been overlooked. Rethinking Democracy and Governance: Perspectives from the Caribbean is required reading for students of governance, public administration, and public policy.¿
List of contents
1. Introduction: A Long walk to Democracy: How far we have come 2. Reflections on Democracy: Concepts, Norms, and Problems 3. Democracies and their Fragility: Working only for the people who they were made for 4. Government and the "Trust" to Kill: Public trust, Extralegal Governance, and Patriotism 5. Re-Imagining Liberal Democracies in the face of COVID-19 6. Claim-Making in The Digital Age: A Framework for Co-Optation in the Production and Conveyance of Political Claims in Social Media 7. The digital identity revolution: Assessing the opportunities and challenges for Developing Countries 8. Digital Transformation and the Politics of Disruptive Technologies 9. Democracy and the Politics of Indigenous-Settler Reconciliation in Australia and Canada 10. Demystifying Environmental Democracy in a New Era of Governance: Whole of Community efforts among Citizens, Nonprofits, the Public and Private Sectors 11. Promoting Democratic Governance among the Jamaican youth through Civic Education: The Experiences of the UWI-Mona Department of Government’s Governance Society 12. Civil Society Organizations in Democratic Societies: A Case Study looking at the Impact of the Jamaica Debates Commission on Jamaica’s 2020 General Elections 13. Healing the Defects of Democracy Using Deliverology in the Context of Citizen Security: The Case of Jamaica’s Citizen Security Plan 14. Increasing Citizen e-Democratic Participation using digital technologies: The Case of Jamaica’s National Identification System (NIDS) 15. How Healthy is Democracy: The Role of Healthcare and Social Equity Considerations in the Governance of People 16. The Influence of Privately-Owned Print Media on Election Outcomes: The Case of Guyana’s 2020 General Elections 17. Democracy, Inequality, Public Administration and Good Governance: An Uncertain Future Conclusion
About the author
Donavon Johnson is a data scientist and a digital transformation expert whose research focuses on digital transformation, governance, and innovation in the realm of public administration, public policy, and development studies. Dr. Johnson’s research interests also include social equity, public management, democracy, and representation. He is a quantitative and qualitative methodologist.
Summary
Gathering together insights from academics and practitioners with expertise on democracy and governance in the Caribbean context, this book is designed to spark a conversation about the ways in which appetites for democracy may be shifting in the Caribbean and beyond, exploring the conditions that brings these shifts to bear.
