Many analysts have pointed to the critical importance of 'democratic deficits' of various stripes, ranging from those in the United Nations and the European Union to the communities in which we live or teach. Do such deficits really matter? For those who believe that they do, we finally have a cohesive edited volume that addresses a complex, but indispensable and often overlooked, challenge for scholars who truly care about the future of global governance, namely its democratic legitimacy. ...If you are interested in democracy and global governance and there should be no one who is not - read this book from cover to cover. It is essential reading for those interested in the future of our troubled and fragile planet.' - From the foreword by Thomas G. Weiss, CUNY Graduate Center, USGlobalization needs effective global governance. The important question of whether this governance can also become democratic is, however, the subject of a political and academic debate that began only recently. This multidisciplinary book aims to move this conversation forward by drawing on insights from international relations, political theory, international law and international political economy. Focusing on global environmental, economic, security and human rights governance, it sheds new light on the democratic deficit of existing global governance structures, and proposes a number of tools to overcome it. This book will be required reading for researchers, academics and students with an interest in political science and law, and indeed anyone concerned with the future of global governance. Contributors: E. Becault, S. Bijlmakers, A. Braeckman, C. Carroll, K. Chan, C. Crombez, H. Hazenberg, T. Heysse, M. Lievens, A. Mulieri, G. van Calster, S. Van Kerckhoven, T.G. Weiss, J. Wouters