 |
 |
Democracy in Rural Europe: Governance, Power and
Participation.
The democratic renewal of governance in rural Europe has been a key feature of social and political restructuring during the last quarter-century. In central, eastern and parts of southern Europe, political reforms over the last three decades have introduced new structures of democratic local government and have nurtured the construction of a civil society that has become engaged in governing activity through involvement in partnerships, political fora and active citizenship. In western and northern Europe, an implicit process of democratisation has challenged historically paternalistic and elitist power structures in rural society. This has included the creation of new institutions of rural governance alongside established local councils, and the promotion of community action and active citizenship – arguably representing a shift in emphasis from representational democracy (seen as prone to elite capture) to new forms of associational democracy.
However such reforms raise questions about power, participation and the legitimacy of political authority in rural society. Who has benefited from the political reforms? Has there been a genuine empowerment of rural communities, or have new power elites emerged? How extensive is public participation in rural governance? How accountable are new institutions of rural governance? How do rural leaders establish their legitimacy? How do we evaluate and explain the success or failure of democratisation projects?
This working group aims to explore these issues. Papers are invited that address the above questions or related themes in any part of rural Europe. Papers based on empirical research in other parts of the world that might help to inform the analysis of rural Europe will also be considered.
Proposals for papers, with an abstract of no more than 200 words, should be sent by 15 April to:
Michael Woods
Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences
University of Wales Aberystwyth,
Aberystwyth, SY23 3DB.
UK.