Direct Democracy in the United States

Petitioners as a Reflection of Society

Ryan M Yonk editor Shauna Reilly editor

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd

Published:21st May '15

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

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Direct Democracy in the United States cover

The increased use of direct democracy measures across the United States has brought attention to the individual petitioner however their motivations and goals continue to be an enigma.

Drawing on behavioral, historical and legal analysis to provide a more concrete depiction of these individuals, expert contributors examine the true personalities, motivations and expectations, successes and failures of petitioners in the direct democracy process and how they culminate in policy formation across the United States. Six typologies; the zealot, the victim, the amateur, the lawyer, the professional, and the politician are identified and later applied to four key policy areas, taxation, health, the environment and education.

A lucid contribution to the existing literature on direct democracy and an excellent resource for studying how petitioners are able to influence their communities beyond the ballot box.

"This book is the first to explore the true motivations behind the people who are on the front lines of direct democracy. Without petitioners, direct democracy couldn’t exist and it is exciting to finally get an inside look into their true personalities."

—M. Dane Waters, Chairman, Initiative & Referendum Institute

"The authors of this volume marshal both quantitative and qualitative data to demonstrate the key role that individuals who propose ballot measures play in the policy process. We know that many measures are proposed by "repeat players" in the process, but these works indicate that sometimes motivations for involvement are varied and complex."

—Martha Kropf, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

ISBN: 9781138886575

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 362g

256 pages