The Concepts of Civic Participation and Participatory Democracy through the Lenses of Theory. Cover Image

Koncepty občianskej participácie a participatívnej demokracie nazerané teoretickou optikou
The Concepts of Civic Participation and Participatory Democracy through the Lenses of Theory.

Author(s): Marián Sekerák
Subject(s): Civil Society, History and theory of political science, Sociology of Politics
Published by: Sociologický ústav - Slovenská akadémia vied
Keywords: Civic participation; participatory democracy; liberal democracy; e-democracy;

Summary/Abstract: The Concepts of Civic Participation and Participatory Democracy through the Lenses of Theory. The rapidly changing European political environment poses a big challenge not only to elected representatives but also to scholars. In the paper, I elucidate the theoretical approaches to civic participation. Consequently, a theory of participatory democracy, which is heavily neglected in the Slovak academia, is presented through the prism of Carole Pateman’s, C.B. Macpherson’s and Benjamin Barber’s writings. Their ideas on civic engagement in public life appear to be noteworthy again, especially in the light of the changing conditions of democratic citizenship – particularly in regards to the EU-wide decline in voter turnout, increasing income inequality, downgrade of social solidarity and cooperation, growing intolerance or dissatisfaction with representative democracy.

  • Issue Year: 49/2017
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 179-202
  • Page Count: 24
  • Language: Slovak