Rethinking Democratic Accountability

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Rethinking Democratic Accountability

Author : Robert D. Behn
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
Page : 329 pages
File Size : 51,7 Mb
Release : 2004-05-26
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780815798101

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Rethinking Democratic Accountability by Robert D. Behn Pdf

Traditionally, American government has created detailed, formal procedures to ensure that its agencies and employees are accountable for finances and fairness. Now in the interest of improved performance, we are asking our front-line workers to be more responsive, we are urging our middle managers to be innovative, and we are exhorting our public executives to be entrepreneurial. Yet what is the theory of democratic accountability that empowers public employees to exercise such discretion while still ensuring that we remain a government of laws? How can government be responsive to the needs of individual citizens and still remain accountable to the entire polity? In Rethinking Democratic Accountability, Robert D. Behn examines the ambiguities, contradictions, and inadequacies in our current systems of accountability for finances, fairness, and performance. Weaving wry observations with political theory, Behn suggests a new model of accountability—with "compacts of collective, mutual responsibility"—to address new paradigms for public management.

Rethinking Democratic Accountability

Author : Robert D. Behn
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
Page : 332 pages
File Size : 46,6 Mb
Release : 2004-05-26
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 0815798105

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Rethinking Democratic Accountability by Robert D. Behn Pdf

Traditionally, American government has created detailed, formal procedures to ensure that its agencies and employees are accountable for finances and fairness. Now in the interest of improved performance, we are asking our front-line workers to be more responsive, we are urging our middle managers to be innovative, and we are exhorting our public executives to be entrepreneurial. Yet what is the theory of democratic accountability that empowers public employees to exercise such discretion while still ensuring that we remain a government of laws? How can government be responsive to the needs of individual citizens and still remain accountable to the entire polity? In Rethinking Democratic Accountability, Robert D. Behn examines the ambiguities, contradictions, and inadequacies in our current systems of accountability for finances, fairness, and performance. Weaving wry observations with political theory, Behn suggests a new model of accountability—with "compacts of collective, mutual responsibility"—to address new paradigms for public management.

Constructivist Turn in Political Representation

Author : Lisa Disch
Publisher : Edinburgh University Press
Page : 320 pages
File Size : 42,5 Mb
Release : 2019-01-22
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781474442626

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Constructivist Turn in Political Representation by Lisa Disch Pdf

This volume traces the roots of the constructivist turn in the distinct (and competing) traditions of Continental and Anglo-American Western political thought. Divided into three thematic parts, these 13 newly commissioned essays develop the constructivist turn as a central concept. They advance the insight that there can be no democratic politics without representation; constituencies or groups exist as agents of democratic politics only insofar as they are represented.

Open Democracy

Author : Hélène Landemore
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Page : 272 pages
File Size : 48,6 Mb
Release : 2022-03-08
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780691212395

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Open Democracy by Hélène Landemore Pdf

To the ancient Greeks, democracy meant gathering in public and debating laws set by a randomly selected assembly of several hundred citizens. To the Icelandic Vikings, democracy meant meeting every summer in a field to discuss issues until consensus was reached. Our contemporary representative democracies are very different. Modern parliaments are gated and guarded, and it seems as if only certain people are welcome. Diagnosing what is wrong with representative government and aiming to recover some of the openness of ancient democracies, Open Democracy presents a new paradigm of democracy. Supporting a fresh nonelectoral understanding of democratic representation, Hélène Landemore demonstrates that placing ordinary citizens, rather than elites, at the heart of democratic power is not only the true meaning of a government of, by, and for the people, but also feasible and, more than ever, urgently needed. -- Cover page 4.

Patrons, Clients and Policies

Author : Herbert Kitschelt,Steven I. Wilkinson
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 344 pages
File Size : 54,6 Mb
Release : 2007-03-29
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780521865050

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Patrons, Clients and Policies by Herbert Kitschelt,Steven I. Wilkinson Pdf

A study of patronage politics and the persistence of clientelism across a range of countries.

Technocracy and the Law

Author : Alessandra Arcuri,Florin Coman-Kund
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 346 pages
File Size : 40,7 Mb
Release : 2021-05-27
Category : Law
ISBN : 9781000390148

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Technocracy and the Law by Alessandra Arcuri,Florin Coman-Kund Pdf

Technocratic law and governance is under fire. Not only populist movements have challenged experts. NGOs, public intellectuals and some academics have also criticized the too close relation between experts and power. While the amount of power gained by experts may be contested, it is unlikely and arguably undesirable that experts will cease to play an influential role in contemporary regulatory regimes. This book focuses on whether and how experts involved in policymaking can and should be held accountable. The book, divided into four parts, combines theoretical analysis with a wide variety of case studies expounding the challenges of holding experts accountable in a multilevel setting. Part I offers new perspectives on accountability of experts, including a critical comparison between accountability and a virtue-ethical framework for experts, a reconceptualization of accountability through the rule of law prism and a discussion of different ways to operationalize expert accountability. Parts I–IV, organized around in-depth case studies, shed light on the accountability of experts in three high-profile areas for technocratic governance in a European and global context: economic and financial governance, environmental/health and safety governance, and the governance of digitization and data protection. By offering fresh insights into the manifold aspects of technocratic decisionmaking and suggesting new avenues for rethinking expert accountability within multilevel governance, this book will be of great value not only to students and scholars in international and EU law, political science, public administration, science and technology studies but also to professionals working within EU institutions and international organizations.

Private Government

Author : Elizabeth Anderson
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Page : 222 pages
File Size : 41,5 Mb
Release : 2019-04-30
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780691192246

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Private Government by Elizabeth Anderson Pdf

Why our workplaces are authoritarian private governments—and why we can’t see it One in four American workers says their workplace is a “dictatorship.” Yet that number almost certainly would be higher if we recognized employers for what they are—private governments with sweeping authoritarian power over our lives. Many employers minutely regulate workers’ speech, clothing, and manners on the job, and employers often extend their authority to the off-duty lives of workers, who can be fired for their political speech, recreational activities, diet, and almost anything else employers care to govern. In this compelling book, Elizabeth Anderson examines why, despite all this, we continue to talk as if free markets make workers free, and she proposes a better way to think about the workplace, opening up space for discovering how workers can enjoy real freedom.

Creating Credibility

Author : Lloyd David Brown
Publisher : Kumarian Press
Page : 201 pages
File Size : 53,8 Mb
Release : 2008
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781565492639

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Creating Credibility by Lloyd David Brown Pdf

In many countries, civil society organizations (CSOs) are more trusted by the general public than businesses and government. Business leaders might maximize their profits at the expense of the business or its customers, and government officials might use their power for their own gain, but CSOs depend on their good reputations and performance in order to mobilize resources. They have fewer opportunities to convert resources into self-interested uses. Recent experience suggests, however, that civil society leaders can also be guilty of self-interested behavior, even though the rewards may be less dramatic than they are in other sectors. This is especially a concern as CSOs become more influential in national and international affairs. Without legitimacy in the eyes of the public and other key actors, CSOs cannot effectively function in the transnational arena. Civil society expert L. David Brown provides approaches to assessing and enhancing the legitimacy and accountability of CSOs, allowing them to reach their full potential in contributions to governance and problem-solving. Creating Credibility is an essential text for anyone concerned with understanding the challenges to civil society legitimacy and finding ways CSOs can respond to these challenges.

Why Bother?

Author : S. Erdem Aytaç,Susan C. Stokes
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 175 pages
File Size : 43,9 Mb
Release : 2019-01-10
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781108475228

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Why Bother? by S. Erdem Aytaç,Susan C. Stokes Pdf

Using surveys, experiments, and fieldwork from several countries, this book tests a new theory of participation in elections and protests.

Democratic Accountability and International Human Development

Author : Kamran Ali Afzal,Mark Considine
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 322 pages
File Size : 50,5 Mb
Release : 2014-11-27
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9781317661320

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Democratic Accountability and International Human Development by Kamran Ali Afzal,Mark Considine Pdf

Scholars and policymakers have long known that there is a strong link between human development and spending on key areas such as education and health. However, many states still neglect these considerations in favour of competing priorities, such as expanding their armies. This book examines how states arrive at these decisions, analysing how democratic accountability influences public spending and impacts on human development. The book shows how the broader paradigm of democratic accountability – extending beyond political democracy to also include bureaucratic and judicial institutions as well as taxation and other modes of resource mobilisation – can best explain how states allocate public resources for human development. Combining cross-country regression analysis with exemplary case studies from Pakistan, India, Botswana and Argentina, the book demonstrates that enhancing human capabilities requires not only effective party competition and fair elections, but also a particular nesting of public organisational structures that are tied to taxpaying citizens in an undisturbed chain of accountability. It draws out vital lessons for institutional design and our approach to the question of human development, particularly in the less developed states. This book will be of great interest to postgraduate students and researchers in the fields of political economy, public policy, governance, and development. It also provides valuable insights for those working in the international relations field, including inside major aid and investment organisations.

Rethinking Democracy and the European Union

Author : Erik Oddvar Eriksen,John Erik Fossum
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 250 pages
File Size : 47,8 Mb
Release : 2013-06-17
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781136490903

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Rethinking Democracy and the European Union by Erik Oddvar Eriksen,John Erik Fossum Pdf

While the Lisbon treaty was meant to clarify the European Union’s role and political identity, it remains a challenge for politicians and decision-makers to define. Rethinking Democracy and the European Union looks at both the concept of the EU as a political system, and analyses the meaning and status of democracy in Europe today. This book draws upon leading scholars and practitioners from the RECON project (Reconstituting Democracy in Europe) to frame and analyse a range of institutional realms and policy fields, including constitutionalisation, representative developments, gender politics, civil society and public sphere, identity, and security and globalisation. Drawing together these strands, the book questions whether EU politics require a new theory of democracy, and evaluates the relationship between union and state, and the possible future of post-national democracy. Lucid and accessible, this book is at the forefront of the intellectual debate over the character of the EU, presenting research, theory and analysis on a critical political issue of our time. Rethinking Democracy and the European Union will be of interest to students and scholars of democracy, European Union politics and international relations.

Accountability in Public Policy Partnerships

Author : J. Steets
Publisher : Springer
Page : 260 pages
File Size : 53,6 Mb
Release : 2010-10-13
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780230290617

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Accountability in Public Policy Partnerships by J. Steets Pdf

A PDF version of this book is available for free in open access via the OAPEN Library platform, www.oapen.org. This book presents a new model of accountability which ensures that public-private partnerships don't erode public accountability. It defines concrete accountability standards for different types of partnerships.

The Illusion of Accountability in the European Union

Author : Sverker Gustavsson,Christer Karlsson,Thomas Persson
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 312 pages
File Size : 41,9 Mb
Release : 2009-09-11
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781135220587

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The Illusion of Accountability in the European Union by Sverker Gustavsson,Christer Karlsson,Thomas Persson Pdf

This book examines accountability in the EU from different perspectives and considers whether EU citizens have real opportunities for holding decision-makers accountable. This book critically analyses five arguments which claim there are sufficient means for holding decision-makers to account in the Union. The main conclusion is that the current institutional set-up and practice of decision-making in the EU is one that merely creates an illusion of accountability. Using a strict framework focusing on the difference between formal mechanisms and actual opportunities for accountability, this highly coherent volume will be of interest to students and scholars of European politics, especially those interested in the democratic foundations of the European political system. Chapter 1 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 3.0 license. https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/tandfbis/rt-files/docs/Open+Access+Chapters/9780415480994_oachapter1.pdf

Elements of Effective Governance

Author : Kathe Callahan
Publisher : CRC Press
Page : 360 pages
File Size : 40,5 Mb
Release : 2006-09-29
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781420013429

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Elements of Effective Governance by Kathe Callahan Pdf

Elements of Effective Governance: Measurement, Accountability and Participation is one of the first books to explore the relationship between accountability, government performance, and public participation. It discusses two main assumptions: greater accountability leads to better performance; and the more the public is involved in the measurement of government performance, the more they can hold government accountable for its performance. Presenting an introduction to each topic, this book provides a thorough understanding of theories, concepts, and practices. The beginning sections explore the basics of performance measurement, look at public sector accountability, and examine the rationale for and against direct citizen participation. The later sections provide an integrated discussion of performance measurement, accountability, and citizen participation and demonstrate how the strategic alignment of these critical concepts can lead to more effective governance. The final section incorporates in-depth case studies of a variety of efforts to implement performance measurement, hold individuals and organizations accountable for results, and involve the public in the deliberative process. Through theoretical and practical discussions, this book highlights the importance of, as well as the challenges associated with, government performance, accountability, and citizen participation. By combining these components under one cover, this book demonstrates the importance of their mutually reinforcing relationships. This volume provides the tools needed to design and develop strategies to improve government performance and demonstrate accountability. It provides a balanced perspective with its rational discussion of performance measurement and its skeptical assessment of the relationship between performance improvement and the demands for greater accountability.

Pencils Down

Author : Wayne Au,Melissa Bollow Tempel
Publisher : Rethinking Schools
Page : 324 pages
File Size : 43,7 Mb
Release : 2012
Category : Education
ISBN : 9780942961515

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Pencils Down by Wayne Au,Melissa Bollow Tempel Pdf

This powerful collection from the groundbreaking Rethinking Schools magazine takes high-stakes standardized tests to task. Despite overwhelming evidence that the tests are invalid ways to measure teaching and learning -- and continuing signs of their unjust effects on students and teachers -- "reformers" and policymakers continue to force high-stakes tests into the public schools. Through articles that provide thoughtful and emotional critiques from the frontlines of education, Pencils Down deconstructs the damage that standardized tests wreak on our education system and the human beings that populate it. Better yet, it offers visionary forms of assessment that are not only more authentic, but also more democratic, fair, and accurate.