Democracy in Action

Collective Problem Solving in Citizens' Governance Spaces

By: Carolyn M. Hendriks, Albert W. Dzur

Narrated by: Jonathan Todd Ross

Government and market failures spur many citizens to practical action today. Around the globe people form renewable energy cooperatives, provide support for marginalized populations, and deliver alternative justice and care services. What motivates citizens to begin such practical problem-solving? How do they engage others? What knowledge do they generate? How do they interact with state and market actors? What risks and opportunities do they hold for contemporary democracy?

To answer these questions, Dzur and Hendriks develop the concept of citizens' governance space to delineate these efforts from contentious social movements, formal civic associations, and local community organizations. Drawing on cases from around the globe, the authors examine how citizens do functional policy work, develop and disrupt knowledge, and selectively partner with governments and corporations. They reveal complexities and risks posed by citizens' governance spaces while also showing how they offer a distinct form of democratic participation centered on practical efforts and outcomes.

Democracy in Action provides a new lens for recognizing and understanding the more practical ways that citizens contribute to governance and democracy.

©2025 Albert W. Dzur and Carolyn M. Hendriks (P)2025 Tantor Media