How can government stay linked to its citizens? Across the world, governments' basic principles are turned on their heads as global markets, weakened national states, and active citizens emerge. Governments increasingly act not alone, but many governments and private groups make policy jointly - labeled 'governance'. But this raises new concerns for adequate citizen responsiveness. Leaders and parties previously considered left or right make unexpected choices - as leaders explore Third Ways, New Political Cultures, and more. As policy choices grow more complicated, they are harder to present to citizens - which undermines citizen legitimacy of parties and elected officials.

How can government maintain democratic accountability? This volume explores new answers by probing citizen involvement in specific cities and countries the world over. There is no single problem, hence no single remedy. But by contrasting key elements of national and local contexts, this volume offers lessons about how citizens are variously activated; about what works, where, and why. From specific results emerge insights about how citizens may drive policy, or be ignored, in a time of turbulence and rapid cultural change for government policy making.

Drawing heavily on contributing cultural and ethnic factors, this book analyzes Miami's fiscal insolvency since 1996 and describes what led to the financial crisis, the explanations for the crisis, and the reasons for a slow recovery. Comparing Miami's insolvency with the earlier fiscal crises in Philadelphia, New York City, and Orange County, CA, the authors show the role of Miami's poor economic climate, the increasing ethnic influence, the emphasis on fiscal conservatism and a pay-as-you-go philosophy, the lack of standard and professional budgetary practices, and the corruption of several city officials. In conclusion, the authors consider Miami's outlook for the future.

To fully understand Miami's original crisis and the extremely slow financial recovery, the authors believe it is necessary to explore how the dominant culture contributed to the city's financial problems. The authors show that structural features of the local government are less important than broader cultural and ethnic attitudes and practices.

This work studies urban problems and policy. It addresses the socio-economic context of the Metropolitan region. It also discusses: fragmentation, divisiveness and governmental organization; divisiveness and law enforcement; divisiveness and the social services; and, divisiveness and regional development.