Citizens are central to any meaningful definition of democracy. What does it say about the health of Canadian democracy when fewer citizens than ever are exercising their right to vote and party membership rolls are shrinking? Are increasingly well-educated citizens turning away from traditional electoral politics in favour of other forms of democratic engagement or are they simply withdrawing from political participation altogether?
The first comprehensive assessment of citizen engagement in Canada, this volume raises challenging questions about the interests and capabilities of Canadians as democratic citizens, as well as the performance of our democratic institutions. It is essential reading for politicians and policy-makers, students and scholars of Canadian politics, and all those who care about the quality of Canadian democracy.
Figures
Foreword
1 Auditing Democratic Citizenship
2 How Much Attention Do Canadians Pay to Politics?
3 What Do Canadians Know About Politics?
4 Can Canadians Get By with Less Information?
5 How Much Do Canadians Participate in Politics?
6 How Civic-Minded Are Canadians?
7 Engaging Canadians
Discussion Questions
Additional Reading
Works Cited
Index
Elisabeth Gidengil is Hiram Mills Professor and Director of the Centre for the Study of Democratic Citizenship at McGill University.
André Blais is Professor of Political Science and Canada Research Chair in Electoral Studies at the Université de Montréal.
Neil Nevitte is Professor of Political Science and cross-appointed as Professor at the School of Public Policy and Governance and the School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto.
Richard Nadeau is a professor of Political Science at l'Universite de Montreal.
I strongly recommend this volume to those concerned with the state of Canadian democracy, as well as to instructors of senior undergraduate and graduate courses in political behaviour. The authors turn what could have been a mundane recitation of data into a thoughtful and important reflection on the social, policy and electoral consequencesof the democratic divide.
~Livianna Tossutti, Brock University, Canadian Journal of Political Science
The first comprehensive assessment of citizen engagement in Canada, this volume raises challenging questions about the interests and capabilities of Canadians as democratic citizens, as well as the performance of our democratic institutions. It is essential reading for politicians and policy-makers, students and scholars of Canadian politics, and all those who care about the quality of Canadian democracy.
~International Review of Administrative Sciences 71(4), 2005
This is an excellent exposition of the attention Canadians pay to their politics, the information they have about it, their levels or participation, and their civic mindedness. The volume also places the information in a comparative context, measuring the data against the background afforded by such observers as Ron Inglehart and Douglas Coupland, both of whose works deal with the impact of generations on attitudes and values. This volume is part of the “Canadian Democratic Audit” series examining how well Canadian democracy is practiced at the outset of the 21st century. The product of the combined efforts of four notable Canadian academic specialists, it is also a timely effort; coming when the levels of Canadian voting are diminishing while media commentary discusses apparent public cynicism and alienation from the political process. The range of topics is wide. It deals with such group dynamics as sex, social class, education, income, etc., as well as activities at the three levels of government – federal, provincial, and municipal. This worthy addition to the series could serve as an important segment of courses in Canadian and comparative politics. Highly Recommended.
~P. Regenstreif, University of Rochester, Choice
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.