Declining interest among citizens in most Western societies in joining political parties and becoming involved in their local communities has been identified as a potential risk to the political systems in terms of losing its legitimacy. As a remedy, various new forms of participatory initiatives have been initiated. Some of the new forms of participation modes have been developed by the citizens themselves trying to get their voices better heard in political process. Other forms are initiated by leaders from above, who seek to improve the legitimacy of the political institutions.
This volume collects contributions by senior as well junior European scholars addressing a number of normatively relevant issues. What are the problems that the reforms are supposed to solve? Do they actually contribute to increased political engagement and participation at a more general level? The book consists of both theoretical reflections and a number of more empirically-related contributions. The contributions are results of discussions held in a workshop arranged by the Network of Excellence Civil Society and New Forms of Governance in Europe – the Making of European Citizenship (CINEFOGO) in collaboration with the Swedish independent foundation Riksbankens Jubileumsfond and Örebro University, Sweden.
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