Democracy in Action: Collective Problem Solving in Citizens' Governance Spaces [Hardcover]

Democracy in Action provides a new lens for recognizing and understanding the more practical ways that citizens contribute to governance and democracy.Government and market failures spur many citizens to practical action today. Around the globe people form renewable energy cooperatives, provide support for marginalized populations, and deliver alternative justice and care services. What motivates citizens to begin such practical problem-solving? How do they engage others? What knowledge do they generate? How do they interact with state and market actors? What risks and opportunities do they hold for contemporary democracy?To answer these questions, Dzur and Hendriks develop the concept of citizens' governance space to delineate these efforts from contentious social movements, formal civic associations and local community organizations. Drawing on cases from around the globe, the authors examine how citizens do functional policy work, develop and disrupt knowledge, and selectively partner with governments and corporations. They reveal complexities and risks posed by citizens' governance spaces while also showing how they offer a distinct form of democratic participation centered on practical efforts and outcomes.Democracy in Actionprovides a new lens for recognizing and understanding the more practical ways that citizens contribute to governance and democracy.1. Citizen Action in Uncertain Times: Contextualizing Citizens' Governance Spaces2. Citizens' Governance Spaces: Characteristics of Citizen-led Problem Solving3. Citizens' Motivations and Governance Practices4. Doing, Thinking, and Sharing: Knowledge Contributions of Citizens' Governance Spaces5. Citizen Agency and Autonomy in Shared Governance6. Risks and Opportunities of Citizens' Governance Spaces: Insights for Democratic Theory and PracticeAlbert W. Dzur,Distinguished Research Professor of Political Science and Philosophy, Bowling Green State University,Carolyn M. Hendriks,Professor at lSo