Democracies are transforming worldwide, but at the same time political inequality is increasing. This development threatens to leave growing portions of mass publics effectively 'outside' the political process. This volume brings together leading authorities in the field of democratic citizenship and participation to address pertinent questions concerning the quality of the democratic political process at the beginning of the twenty-first century. Analysing causes and consequences of recent developments in democratic governance and citizenship, it contributes new and original research to the ongoing debate on the crisis of representative democracy. The contributors deal with a broad range of issues including aspects of democratic citizenship and citizens' perceptions of system performance, political inequality and the democratic impact of participatory innovations. This book will be of key interest to scholars and students in democratization studies, democratic citizenship, comparative politics, political sociology and political participation.

This unique book offers an empirical assessment of how social and political involvement relates to theories of citizenship and democracy, providing a detailed comparative assessment of the potential that voluntary organizations offer citizens for social and political participation in several European countries.
The coherent chapters, written by leading European researchers, examine the participatory opportunities offered by a wide and diverse variety of voluntary associations and provides a comparative perspective on the role, structure and functions of associations in six medium-sized European cities - Aalborg (Denmark), Aberdeen (UK), Bern (Switzerland), Enschede (the Netherlands), Mannheim (Germany) and Sabadell (Spain).
This book has a companion volume entitled Citizenship and Involvement in European Democracies edited by Jan van Deth, Jose Ramon Montero and Anders Westholm (Routledge, 2006).
Both volumes will be of great interest to students and researchers of European politics, comparative politics and sociology.

Voluntary associations have been presented as a solution to political apathy and cynicism towards representative democracy. The authors collected in this volume, however, argue that these claims require more robust substantiation and seek to critically examine the crucial link between the associative sector and the health of democracy. Focusing on the role of context and using diverse approaches and empirical material, they explore whether these associations in differing socio-political contexts actually undermine rather than reinvigorate democracy.

This unique book offers an empirical assessment of how social and political involvement relates to theories of citizenship and democracy, providing a detailed comparative assessment of the potential that voluntary organizations offer citizens for social and political participation in several European countries. The coherent chapters, written by leading European researchers, examine the participatory opportunities offered by a wide and diverse variety of voluntary associations and provides a comparative perspective on the role, structure and functions of associations in six medium-sized European cities - Aalborg (Denmark), Aberdeen (UK), Bern (Switzerland), Enschede (the Netherlands), Mannheim (Germany) and Sabadell (Spain). This book has a companion volume entitled Citizenship and Involvement in European Democracies edited by Jan van Deth, Jose Ramon Montero and Anders Westholm (Routledge, 2006). Both volumes will be of great interest to students and researchers of European politics, comparative politics and sociology.

Recently, civil society has been celebrated as a solution to political apathy and cynicism towards representative democracy. This however, argues that the role of associations in and for democracy is only properly understood if we take the context into account.
The authors collected in this volume critically examine the crucial link between the associative sector and the health of democracy. Focusing on the role of context and using diverse approaches and empirical material, they explore whether there association in differing socio-political contexts can sometimes undermine rather than reinvigorate democracy.
The book features empirical and comparative studies on the effects of associative democracy focusing on Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Northern Ireland, European Union institutions and South America. It will interest student and researchers of social capital, civil society and associative democracy.

Democracies are transforming worldwide, but at the same time political inequality is increasing. This development threatens to leave growing portions of mass publics effectively 'outside' the political process. This volume brings together leading authorities in the field of democratic citizenship and participation to address pertinent questions concerning the quality of the democratic political process at the beginning of the twenty-first century. Analysing causes and consequences of recent developments in democratic governance and citizenship, it contributes new and original research to the ongoing debate on the crisis of representative democracy. The contributors deal with a broad range of issues including aspects of democratic citizenship and citizens' perceptions of system performance, political inequality and the democratic impact of participatory innovations. This book will be of key interest to scholars and students in democratization studies, democratic citizenship, comparative politics, political sociology and political participation.

Im Mittelpunkt dieses Bandes steht der soziale und politische Wandel der vergangenen Jahrzehnte. Seit den 1980er Jahren hat das deutsche Parteiensystem massive Veranderungen erlebt, aus dem scheinbar stabilen zweieinhalb Parteiensystem entstand allmahlich eine heterogene Mehr-Parteienlandschaft. Die deutsche Vereinigung fuhrte zur Ausweitung des Elektorats auf Burgerinnen und Burger, die unter voellig anderen systemischen Vorzeichen sozialisiert wurden. Medien- und Bildungssystem haben umfassende Veranderungen erlebt. Dieses Buch stellt die Frage, ob und in welchem Umfang dieser Wandel auch die Einstellungen und Praferenzen der Burgerinnen und Burger umfasst. Aus unterschiedlichen Perspektiven untersuchen die Autorinnen und Autoren den Wandel der Einstellungen und Verhaltensmuster in einer Langfristperspektive empirisch.

Mit dem Aufkommen der politischen Psychologie stehen politische Informationen und ihre Verarbeitung im Fokus des Interesses der Wahl- und Einstellungsforschung: Wie sieht das Informationsumfeld in modernen Demokratien aus, mit dem sich Menschen konfrontiert sehen? Welche Informationen nehmen Menschen aus dem vorhandenen Angebot wahr und wie verarbeiten sie diese? Welche Rolle spielen dabei Emotionen? Wie pragen Informationen und Emotionen die politischen Einstellungen der Burger? Welche Verhaltenskonsequenzen gehen damit einher? Dieser Band beinhaltet - neben einem kompakten UEberblick uber den State of the Art - empirische Studien, die sich diesen Fragen im Detail widmen.

Der Band liefert empirische Analysen zur Bundestagswahl 2009. Dabei beleuchtet er insbesondere die bei dieser Wahl aussergewohnlichen Aspekte: die niedrige Wahlbeteiligung (und ihre Hintergrunde), die Vielfalt der Koalitionsmoglichkeiten, aber auch die wachsende Bedeutung von Kandidaten. Anknupfend an den vorherigen Band des Arbeitskreises Information Wahrnehmung Emotion liegt zudem ein Schwerpunkt auf politischer Kommunikation sowie der Wahrnehmung und Verarbeitung politischer Informationen."