Civic Power
Rebuilding American Democracy in an Era of Crisis

Provides a richly researched yet concrete agenda for addressing the current crises of American democracy.

K.Sabeel Rahman (Author), Hollie Russon Gilman (Author)

9781108422116, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 29 August 2019

290 pages
23.5 x 15.7 x 2.1 cm, 0.54 kg

'The book provides multiple examples of cities and organizations, in the US and beyond, that have taken on the task of creating meaningful connections among disparate groups, strengthening common bonds beyond one-time political activities toward transformational and sustained political power.' D. C. Downey, Choice

What will it take to restore American democracy and rescue it from this moment of crisis? Civic Power argues that the current threat to US democracy is rooted not just in the outcome of the 2016 election, but in deeper, systemic forms of inequality that concentrate economic and political power in the hands of the few at the expense of the many. Drawing on historical and social science research and case studies of contemporary democratic innovations across the country, Civic Power calls for a broader approach to democracy reform focused on meaningfully redistributing power to citizens. It advocates for both reviving grassroots civil society and novel approaches to governance, policymaking, civic technology, and institutional design - aimed at dismantling structural disparities to build a more inclusive, empowered, bottom-up democracy, where communities and people have greater voice, power, and agency.

Preface
1. Democracy in crisis
Part I. Civic Power through Organizing: 2. Democracy and inequality as a function of the balance of power
3. Organizing for power
Part II. Civic Power through Governance: 4. From governance to power – rethinking democracy reform
5. Bureaucratizing participation
6. Power-oriented policy design
7. Conclusion – democracy's future
Bibliography.

Subject Areas: Law [L], Political structures: democracy [JPHV]