Democracy under scrutiny (PDF)

Prof. Ursula J. van Beek, Head of Transformation Research Initiative (TRI), University of Stellenbosch, South Africa

Based on a cross-country evaluation this volumemakes a major contribution to whatcould be labelled comparative consolidationof democracy literature.Ulf Engel auf H-Net.org, April 2011This book makes an important contribution to the study of political attitudes and all scholars who work in the field of political behaviour, as well as democratization ought to read it.Prof. Amanda Gouws in: Politikon, March 2011There are many positive features of this book, and those interested in citizen-elite comparisons in developing nations should be especially interested. The role of elites in democratic transitions is widely recognized, but seldom is systematic empirical evidence available. Even though many of the comparisons are partial, or uncertain because of limitations on the elite sample, the TRI plots a research course that should be followed. And while the patterns of mass-elite comparisons often fulfill theoretical expectations, these expectations now have empirical evidence to support prior theorizing.The TRI is a significant research project that extends beyond the seven nations in this project. Its innovative use of the World Values Survey and paired surveys of political elites has great potential to expand our understanding of the democratic process and its variation, especially in developing nations.Russell J. Dalton in Taiwan Journal of Democracy, Volume 6, No. 2"The starting premise of the study is the belief that the sharing of values buildsbridges between the elites and the citizens, and that the closer the convergence ofdemocratic values between them, the greater the potential for the strengthening ofthose democratic values and the quality of democracy in general” (15), schreibt die an der Universität Stellenbosch in Südafrika lehrende Herausgeberin in ihrer Einführung zu diesem Band. Er resultiert aus einem internationalen Forschungsprojekt. In dessen Rahmen wurden die Wertvorstellungen von Eliten aus Parlament und Medien mit denen der sogenannten