
Climate Crisis and the Democratic Prospect
Participatory Governance in Sustainable Communities
Frank Fischer(Author)
Oxford University Press
Published on 15. June 2017
Book
Paperback/Softback
352 pages
978-0-19-959492-4 (ISBN)
Description
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.
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.
Reviews / Votes
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, Bluehdorn, 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 Bluehdorn, 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. *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 232 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 19 mm
Weight
532 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-959492-4 (9780199594924)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Frank Fischer
Climate Crisis and the Democratic Prospect
Participatory Governance in Sustainable Communities
E-Book
06/2017
1st Edition
OUP eBook
€24.49
Available for download

Frank Fischer
Climate Crisis and the Democratic Prospect
Participatory Governance in Sustainable Communities
E-Book
05/2017
1st Edition
OUP eBook
€24.49
Available for download
Person
Professor Frank Fischer has been Distinguished Professor of Politics and Global Affairs at Rutgers University and is currently Senior Faculty Fellow at the University of Kassel in Germany and Senior Research Associate at the Centre for Environmental Policy Research at the Free University of Berlin. He has published 15 books on public policy and environmental politics and taught and lectured around the world. He is also co-editor of Critical Policy Studies journal and one of the founders of the International Interpretive Policy Analysis Conference. He also received the Harold Lasswell Award for contributions to the field of Public Policy Studies from Policy Studies Organization.
Author
Professor Emeritus of Politics and Global AffairsProfessor Emeritus of Politics and Global Affairs, Rutgers University, USA
Content
PART I: CLIMATE CHANGE, CRISIS AND THE FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY: SETTING THE STAGE; PART II: DEMOCRATIC PROSPECTS IN FACE OF CLIMATE CRISIS; PART III: ENVIRONMENTAL DEMOCRACY AS PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE; PART IV: MAKING THEORY MATTER: FROM RESILIENCE TO ECO-LOCALISM AND PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE