Have you ever wondered why politicians reach for democratic innovations? How do they evaluate deliberative practices involving ordinary citizens and what political value do they ascribe to them? Do they want to put citizens' perspectives at the centre of decision-making processes in the face of a growing crisis of representative democracy, or are their motivations more nuanced and instrumental? This book is an absolute must-read for anyone interested in the future of democracy, using unique data from in-depth interviews with local politicians to explore decision-makers' attitudes towards deliberative innovation and propose some truly effective ways to design it in relation to traditional representative institutions.
Deliberative Innovation according to the Decision-Makers: A Clash between Perceptions and Reality is now available in paperback for individual customers.
Joanna Podgórska-RykaÅa, Ph.D. (2016), is an associate professor at the University of the National Education Commission in Krakow. She has published monographs and many articles on deliberative democracy, democratic innovation, local government, and public policy, including Deliberative Democracy, Public Policy, and Local Government (Routledge, 2024).
Introduction
1âAsymmetric Power Balance under Democratic Conditions
â1âDemocracy in Crisis
â2âDemocracy as an End or a Means to an End?
â3âComponents of Democracy [Definitione]
â3.1âDemocratic Rift between Theory and Practice
â3.2âThe Edges of Democracy: demos
â3.3âDemocracy as Power
â3.4âDemocracy as a Complex of Institutions Created in the Historical Process
â3.5âProcedure: Minimalist Conceptions of Democracy
â3.6âDemocracy as Conflict Resolution without Bloodshed
â3.7âAxiological Dimension of Democracy
â3.8âTemporal Delimitation of Democracy and Rational Instability
â3.9âResponsiveness as a Characteristic of Democracy
â3.10âPotential for the Spread of Democratic Practices and Institutions
â4âBottom Line: How to Democratically Promote Mutability in Power Relations?
2âDeliberative Democracy as Promoting Mutability in Power Relations
â1âDeliberative Democracy as a More Democratic Democracy?
â2âPolitical Involvement: Mass Participation vs. Structured Deliberation
â3âDeliberative Ideals from the Perspective of Decision-Makers â A Case Study
â3.1âWhen and Why Do Decision-Makers Reach for Small Deliberative Forums? Evidence from Poland
â3.2âWhat Place and Role Was Assigned to ca in the Decision-Making Process? Evidence from Poland
â3.3ââPure Profitâ: The ca Proposals as an Important Contribution to Public Policy Making. Evidence from Poland
â3.4âConclusions: Empirical Findings in the Context of Existing Evidence
â4âBottom Line: Participation in Decision-Making Processes without Power-Sharing
3ââThe Rebuilding a Ship at Seaâ that Is Institutional Change
â1âInstitutions to Guard Democracy
â2âThe Role of Deliberative Mini-publics in the Democratic Institutional System
â2.1âIntegration of dmpâs with Formal Institutions of Power. Evidence from Poland
â2.2âdmpâs as an Ad Hoc or Cyclical Approach? Evidence from Poland
â2.3âThe Role of the dmp in the Decision-Making System. Evidence from Poland
â2.4âConclusions: Empirical Findings in the Context of Existing Evidence
â3âBottom Line: The Integration Potential of dmpâs
Conclusion
Index
The book is a valuable resource for academics (political scientists, lawyers, sociologists), decision-makers at all levels, civil society activists, and anyone interested in understanding the complex nature of practical applications of deliberative innovation in politics.