Overview
- Is the first analytical contribution to present a unifying framework to study the value of democracy in a comparative perspective
- Tells a clear story about what value democracy does and does not bring in an era of uncertainties
- Urges the need for a conceptual change affecting how we would answer the question whether democracy is ‘better’ than any other political system
Part of the book series: The Theories, Concepts and Practices of Democracy (PSTCD)
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About this book
This book is the first comprehensive analysis of the instrumental value of democracy in a comparative perspective. Based on extensive analyses of quantitative studies from different disciplines, it explores both the expected beneficial and harmful impact of democracy. Democracy’s reputation as delivering peace and development while controlling corruption is an important source of its own legitimacy. Yet, as this book acutely demonstrates, the arguments tend to be normatively driven interventions in ideologically charged policy debates. The book argues that we need neither a utopian framing of democracy as delivering all ‘good things’ in politics nor a cynical one that emphasizes only the ‘dangerous underbelly’ of this form of government. The author also raises critical questions about the value of the study of democracy: the choice for particular concepts and measures, the unknown mechanisms, and the narrow focus on specific instrumental values. This volume will be necessary reading for anyone interested in debates on democracy in the contemporary global context.
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Keywords
Table of contents (7 chapters)
Reviews
“Insightful, illuminating – with some startling conclusions – this is a wonderfully readable book that offers original critiques of democracy studies. The book has a realistic take on democracy's value without resorting to false optimism or fatalistic despair. It makes a strong and refreshing case for taking the value of democracy seriously in these times of imminent threats to democracy. This important book takes the scholarly debate forward in a nuanced way.” (Arend Lijphart, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, UC San Diego, USA)
“Timely and important, this book tackles the key question of whether democracy is 'worth it'. It challenges standard assumptions and its conclusion makes sobering reading. The book still calls on scholars not to abandon democracy, however, but to pursue further why and how democracy matters and to whom. A really brave book, with crucial findings, that, at the same time, sets out an agenda for future research.” (Jean Grugel, Professor of Development Politics, University of York, UK)
“Breaking new ground in democracy studies, this thoughtful book shows that the instrumental value of democracy has frequently been overstated. Connecting findings from political science, sociology and economics, it makes the compelling case for cross-fertilization between disciplines. Not just the empirical findings are admirably clear, but also the normative insights are interesting and inspiring. This comprehensive study will leave democracy scholars with much to ponder.” (Brigitte Geißel, Professor and Director of the Research Unit ‘Democratic Innovations’, Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany)
Authors and Affiliations
About the author
Renske Doorenspleet is Associate Professor in Comparative Politics at the University of Warwick, UK.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Rethinking the Value of Democracy
Book Subtitle: A Comparative Perspective
Authors: Renske Doorenspleet
Series Title: The Theories, Concepts and Practices of Democracy
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91656-9
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham
eBook Packages: Political Science and International Studies, Political Science and International Studies (R0)
Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2019
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-319-91655-2Published: 02 August 2018
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-06274-3Published: 06 December 2018
eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-91656-9Published: 21 July 2018
Series ISSN: 2947-4469
Series E-ISSN: 2947-4477
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: IX, 266
Number of Illustrations: 2 b/w illustrations
Topics: Democracy, Comparative Politics, Political Theory