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Groups, Representation and Democracy

Between Promise and Practice

Darren Halpin author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Manchester University Press

Published:1st Jul '10

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

Groups, Representation and Democracy cover

Whether called pressure groups, NGOs, social movement organisations or organised civil society, the value of ‘groups’ to the policy process, to economic growth, to governance, to political representation and to democracy has always been contested. However, there seems to be a contemporary resurgence in this debate largely centred on their democratising potential: can groups effectively link citizens to political institutions and policy processes? Are groups an antidote to emerging democratic deficits? Or do groups themselves face challenges in demonstrating their legitimacy and representativeness?

This book debates the democratic potential and practice of groups; focussing on the vibrancy of internal democracies, and modes of accountability with those who join such groups and to the constituencies they advocate for. It draws on literatures covering national, European and global levels, and presents new empirical material from the UK and Australia

This study should attract scholars interested in contemporary democracy and in domestic and international advocacy and public policy. Professor Ian Marsh, University of Tasmania Groups, Representation, and Democracy is destined to become an important and influential book. Dr. Halpin attempts nothing less than to arrive at a comprehensive understanding of the democratizing qualities of interest groups. The analysis is theoretically driven, empirically rich, and endlessly provocative. In the end, the author makes a persuasive case that previous analyses have failed to understand fully the democratizing influence of interest groups. In doing so, the author points us toward new ways to study and understand interest group politics. Tony Nownes

ISBN: 9780719076527

Dimensions: 216mm x 138mm x 19mm

Weight: 526g

328 pages