Democracy's Hidden Heroes

“This compelling book is a must-read for anyone wanting a greater understanding about how the tensions between democracy and bureaucracy are navigated behind the scenes by hidden heroes working for the public good.”—Rosemary O’Leary, Edwin O. Stene Distinguished Professor Emerita at the University of Kansas School of Public Affairs, and author of The Ethics of Dissent: Managing Guerrilla Government

“This terrific book is especially timely, given the widespread interest by policymakers, scholars, and the citizenry in improved accountability and results for public services. Campbell’s thorough, very readable book profiles, in rich detail, the implementation of community-based initiatives and the complex tradeoffs faced by community leaders and service providers as they strive to balance responsiveness to local communities with adherence to government regulations and programmatic expectations. At a time of polarized politics, Democracy’s Hidden Heroes offers important and highly useful recommendations for improving democratic practice and community services. It will be a valuable resource for faculty, students, policymakers, and practitioners concerned with contemporary policy implementation and community-based services.”—Steven Rathgeb Smith, American Political Science Association