The Condition of Democracy

Reviews / Votes

"The editors, all members of the Centre for Citizenship, Social Pluralism and Religious Diversity at Potsdam University, have once again put together a wide ranging and informative anthology on the crises of democracy. This volume is a must read for scholars seeking an overview of the challenges that European states face viewed from a comparative perspective."

Mabel Berezin, Professor of Sociology, Cornell University

"This volume sets up a consideration for democratization today in the guise of 'Dahrendorf's Paradox': if, say, our aim as citizens of the same polity is to end violence, and to do so only through democratic techniques (e.g. liberal, representative, deliberative, or still thousands more), exactly which techniques would we choose? The answer to just that question is anything but non-conflictual as your choice of democratic technique could in itself be anathema to mine or half-way to 'true democracy' as concerns the views of other citizens in our metaphorical polity. So policy proposals to end violence, though all democratic in how they are conceived by us, will at the same time be non or less-democratic. A paradox indeed. Thankfully, this volume does not leave us hanging by the wrists in this realm of tension but rather asks us to orient this perplexing energy at the end of violence, or mitigating xenophobia, or re-articulating citizenship. Bravo to the editors and contributors for this insightful and extremely useful collection."

Jean-Paul Gagnon, Associate Professor of Politics, University of Canberra