Public participation for 21st century democracy

Public participation in the 21st century is often complex, frustrating, and confusing. A guide to help navigate through the labyrinth of bureaucracy and conventional participation is necessary as we strive to find ways in which our civic engagement will create a more democratic, just, and participatory country. With Public Participation for 21st Century Democracy, Tina Nabatchi and Matt Leighninger provide a history of public participation, contemplate the current state of our democracy, and offer both theory and praxis regarding how we might effectively engage in public participation to create the changes we desire. This book presents more than hypothetical constructs, and instead produces concrete examples to illustrate how various methods of public participation have succeeded. The authors emphasize the importance of partnerships, especially those between members of the public and the institutions that represent them. Public Participation for 21st Century Democracy offers both the hope and means for people to solve public problems, effect social change, and ensure democracy’s survival