Overview

"Despite a recent wave of democratization around the world, traditional systems of representative democracy seem to be in crisis. Citizens in both the North and the South lack opportunities, rights and access to information and have expressed growing disillusionment with their governments. Ordinary citizens (especially women, poor people and other marginalized groups) are largely excluded from the political processes that directly affect their lives. There is now growing consensus that good governance is participatory governance (PG), but public officials are often reluctant to adopt such an approach. """"From Political Won't to Political Will"""" addresses the particular challenge of encouraging these officials to involve citizens in the political process. The book brings together participants from CIVICUS' 2008 workshop on PG. Coming from the perspective of civil society actors, they discuss issues such as identifying PG champions, demonstrating the benefits of PG to governments, and building trust. Their practical and highly original findings will interest anyone eager to see the empowerment of people around the world."

Full Product Details

9781565493117

Table of Contents

Reviews

Participation is political; participatory governance is about transforming relations of power; thus, political support for participatory governance is essential at various levels. This book is an important contribution for understanding, and acting upon, the dynamics of politics in support of participatory governance.

The experiences in this book show us how to do the difficult right instead of the easy wrong... active citizenship is a key element in building political will for participatory governance. A must read for all believers in participatory governance. We know that representation and participation are the two pillars that make any democratic architecture, whether it be at the local, national or global level. While we know a great deal about the principles and rules of representative (electoral) democracy, participatory democracy seems much less understood and appreciated. This book offers unique insights into the latter through a collection of fascinating case studies of participatory governance. Carmen Malena and her colleagues have put together a fascinating analysis of experiences in constructing participatory governance in a wide range of countries and contexts. Building on detailed cases of participation in local governance, budgeting and national governance, the book articulates strategies, success factors and lessons for building the political will that enables sustainable participatory governance. This book will have great value for activists and policy-makers as well as students of democratic governance, for it illuminates the ingredients of successful change even in the face of resistance from powerful interests. Essential reading for anyone who cares about participatory public governance and wants to make it happen. Firmly grounded in rich experiences, it offers a trove of practical insights on what it takes to nurture and sustain political will, not just at the level of individual actors but up through organizations and the relationships between state and society. Participation is political; participatory governance is about transforming relations of power; thus, political support for participatory governance is essential at various levels. This book is an important contribution for understanding, and acting upon, the dynamics of politics in support of participatory governance.

Author Information

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available