In:
International Political Science Review, SAGE Publications, Vol. 31, No. 5 ( 2010-11), p. 539-551
Abstract:
'Is democracy working?' was the theme of the International Political Science Association’s s 20th Political Science World Congress held in Fukuoka, Japan, in 2006, and it remains a fundamental theme for political science around the globe. In this article,1 I will discuss the historical development of the study of democracy through public opinion and behavior research. The article starts with a brief sketch of developments in Western democracies after World War II. With a general emphasis on comparative micro-survey research, it then traces major trends in the empirical study of political participation, with a particular emphasis on the Political Action Study (Barnes et al., 1979; Jennings et al., 1990). The significance of this study resides in its opening the way for political science to consider non-institutionalized acts of political participation not as a threat to pluralist democracies, but rather as an extension of the political repertory of democratic citizens. The article then discusses potential reasons for the observed unexpected decline of political support in Western democracies after the demise of totalitarian communism through the ‘velvet revolution’ in Central and Eastern Europe. In the conclusion, the article speculates about future developments in democratic governance in the light of encompassing social, economic and technological developments such as globalization and the Internet revolution.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0192-5121
,
1460-373X
DOI:
10.1177/0192512110388787
Language:
English
Publisher:
SAGE Publications
Publication Date:
2010
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2027393-9
SSG:
3,6
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