Climate Crisis and the Democratic Prospect
Participatory Governance in Sustainable Communities
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Oxford University Press
Published:15th Jun '17
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This paperback is available in another edition too:
- Hardback£110.00(9780199594917)
Can contemporary democratic governments tackle climate crisis? Some argue that democracy has to be a central part of a strategy to deal with climate change. Others argue that experience shows it not to be up to the challenge in the time frame available-that it will require a stronger hand, even a form of eco-authoritarianism. A question that does not lend itself to an easy assessment, this volume seeks to out and assess the competing answers. While the book supports the case for environmental democracy, it argues that establishing and sustaining democratic practices will be difficult during the global climate turmoil ahead, especially in the face of state of emergencies. This inquiry undertakes a search for an appropriate political-ecological strategy for preserving a measure of democratic governance during hard times. Without ignoring the global dimensions of the crisis, the analysis finds an alternative path in the theory and practices participatory environmental governance embodied in a growing relocalization movement, and global eco-localism generally. Although such movements largely operate under the radar of the social sciences, the media and the political realm generally, these vibrant socio-ecological movements not only speak to the crisis ahead, but are already well established and thriving on the ground, including ecovillages, eco-communes, eco-neighborhoods, and local transition initiatives. With the help of these ideas and projects, the task is to influence the discourse of environmental political theory in ways that can be of assistance to those who will face climate crisis in its full magnitude.
The book is a work of impressive scholarship that presents an engaging overview of a diverse range of green political theories. * Chris Shaw, University of Sussex *
This book undertakes a valuable assessment of the challenge presented to democratic political systems by the future climate crisis. * Thomas O'Brien, Democratization *
The book's discussion is accessible and engaging...Fischer provides an excellent introduction to the topic of participatory processes, interspersing case-study material with an overview of key theoretical insights from Dryzek, Blühdorn, and Bookchin, amongst others. * Peter Tangney, Environmental Politics *
Penetrating, illuminating, and ultimately hopeful! Frank Fischer's hard thinking for the hard times that lie ahead revitalizes both democratic theory and green theorybut it does far more. By grounding his theory in vibrant socio-ecological movements, from community forestry to transition towns to ecovillages the world over, Fischer uncovers the new life already emerging in the cracks of failing systems. Think of this book as political survival gear for the coming decades. * Karen Litfin, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Washington *
An eminently important book on the politics of climate change at a time when liberal representative democracy has come under severe pressure from a number of sides. * Ingolfur Blühdorn, Head of the Institute for Social Change and Stability, Vienna University of Economics and Business *
Facing up to the climate crisis, Fischer insightfully poses afresh long-standing, yet recently neglected, questions in environmental thought. His new book thus offers an important point of departure that sharply challenges the current orthodoxy on democracy and the environment. * Douglas Torgerson, Professor Emeritus of Politics, Trent University *
As more individuals and societies face the hard realities of the intensifying global climate emergency, Frank Fischer offers a critical and comprehensive environmental political theory for coping with the ethical and political challenges of the climate crisis. It carefully outlines pragmatic approaches to participatory governance and environmental democracy that will succeed. While not giving up on global agreements or national policies, his timely analysis returns us to local intentional communities to create fair, practical and robust ways of life to cope with rapid climate change. * Timothy W. Luke, University Distinguished Professor, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. *
ISBN: 9780199594924
Dimensions: 234mm x 170mm x 18mm
Weight: 518g
352 pages