Books in the New Directions in Culture and Governance series

Local Politics: A Resource for Democracy in Western Europe? examines the relationship between local institutional design and citizens' attitudes toward democracy. Vetter highlights the conditions under which locally socialized political orientations may serve as a resource for democracy at higher system levels.

The renowned political scholars who contribute to this volume outline both the theory and practice of so-called 'extra-formal democracy,' wherein societal governance is more accurately described as a 'network activity' and citizens, politicians, public administrators and other professionals act together on issues or problems that are defined as public. This new and complex form of democracy-explored here in three unique settings: the United States, the Netherlands, and Demark-is increasingly regarded as an achievable vision for a multi-faceted theory of government.