Unit 03: Participatory Democracy and Governance

The focus of Unit 3 is on democracy, a political concept intimately linked to the practice of citizenship, and the notion of rights, duty and responsibility. Despite the global proliferation of democracy as a form of government, it is increasingly felt to be in crisis. This unit will examine the processes involved in the ‘democratic deficit’, particularly manifest in declining patterns of political engagement, and ways to address this through ‘deepening democracy’.

After completing this unit, you should be familiar with the following concepts and issues:

• Different forms of democracy, its effectiveness and appropriateness;
• Triumphs, deficits and contestations in democracy;
• Approaches to strengthening and deepening democracy.