Democracy and the Role of Associations: Political, Organizational and Social Contexts (Routledge Ecpr Studies in European Political Science)

Voluntary associations have been presented as a solution to political apathy and cynicism towards representative democracy. The authors collected in this volume, however, argue that these claims require more robust substantiation and seek to critically examine the crucial link between the associative sector and the health of democracy. Focusing on the role of context and using diverse approaches and empirical material, they explore whether these associations in differing socio-political contexts actually undermine rather than reinvigorate democracy. Democracy, fascism, and civil society / E. Spencer Wellhofer The limits of civil society within a divided community : the case of Northern Ireland / Feargal Cochrane European civil society : institutional interests and the complexity of a multi-level policy / Stijn Smismans Welfare through organizations / William A. Maloney and Sigrid Rossteutscher The position of interest groups in Eastern European democracies : maturing servicemen or trojan horses? / Umut Korkut Activating participation : generating support for campaign groups / Emma L. Clarence, Grant Jordan and William A. Maloney Tracing the contradictions : associational life versus informal networks in a third world context / Nadia Molenaers Churches as voluntary associations : their contribution to democracy as a public voice and source of social and political involvement / Joep de Hart and Paul Dekker Women's power under threat? voluntary organizations in transition / Dag Wollebæk and Per Selle Civic communities and multicultural democracy / Meindert Fennema and Jean Tillie. "Recently, civil society has been celebrated as a solution to political apathy and cynicism towards representative democracy. This book, however, argues that the role of associations in and for democracy is only properly understood if we take the context into account." "The authors collected in this volume critically examine the crucial link between the associative sector and the health of democracy. Focusing on the role of context and using diverse approaches and empirical material, they explore whether these associations in differing socio-political contexts can sometimes undermine rather than reinvigorate democracy." "The book features empirical and comparative studies on the effects of associate democracy focusing on Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Northern Ireland, European Union institutions and South America. It will interest students and researchers of social capital, civil society and associative democracy."--Jacket Annotation Voluntary associations have been presented as a solution to political apathy and cynicism towards representative democracy. The authors collected in this volume, however, argue that these claims require more robust substantiation and seek to critically examine the crucial link between the associative sector and the health of democracy. Focusing on the role of context and using diverse approaches and empirical material, they explore whether these associations in differing socio-political contexts actually undermine rather than reinvigorate democracy