Enacting Accountability Under Populist Pressures: Theorizing the Relationship Between Anti-Elite Rhetoric and Public Accountability

Wood, Matthew; Matthews, Felicity; Overman, Sjors; Schillemans, Thomas

doi:10.1177/00953997211019387

Cited by 12 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 87 publications

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“…43 Second, an emerging body of literature is focusing on the impact of rising populism and democratic backsliding on public administrations (Bauer and Becker 2020;Wood et al 2021). These studies highlight the importance of studying the policy agendas of populist leaders as regards public administration, as well as the impact of populist discourses on bureaucracies, the reforms that are actually implemented, and the reactions of bureaucrats to these evolutions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Of Violence, Paper and Neoliberalism: Bureaucracy and the Everyday State in South Asia

Girard

2023

samaj

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It is, however, not difficult to list a number of obstacles that the ethnographer, willing to embark on a study of the bureaucracy, might encounter, such as arduous access to the organization and its inner workings, lack of legitimacy, etc. It is therefore noteworthy that the three books under review are based on extensive and impressive fieldwork. Gupta's book is based on a year-long ethnography conducted in the early 1990s in two administrative offices in the Mandi subdistrict. Qureshi's analysis is grounded on a rich ethnography, conducted over more than a year, mostly at the Pakistani National Aids Control Program (NACP). Mathur's analysis is based on a tenmonth ethnography during which she immersed herself in the daily activities of the cell charged with implementing NREGA in the town of Gopeshwar. In the last two cases, the authors became involved in day-to-day state activities, ranging from small tasks such as translation and letter typing (Mathur 2016:26) to writing and editing activity reports or being an official observer for a World Bank mission (Qureshi 2018:18).

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Of Violence, Paper and Neoliberalism: Bureaucracy and the Everyday State in South Asia

Girard

2023

samaj

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“…Being answerable for actions undertaken is a fundamental feature of openness in the application of public resources and a key basis for public management (Verger et al, 2019, Wood et al, 2022. It provides a firm foundation for ensuring that public assets are well applied to national and international objectives (Wood et al, 2022;Okitasari and Katramiz, 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing public accountability in a city authority

Makanga,

Orobia,

Kaawaase

et al. 2024

JWAM

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PurposeThis paper seeks to provide a multi-theoretical explanation of the living practice of a public entity found in Uganda, an African developing country, which successfully enhanced public accountability.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative narrative enquiry through storytelling was used to portray the practices of public accountability. The perceptions of various individuals were obtained using in-depth interviews, from which a coherent story structured under the themes of context, actions, results and lessons was obtained.FindingsFindings show that public entities that put in place oversight mechanisms and management structures, involve stakeholders and create an ethical work climate enhance public accountability. The results further show that the integration of theories (agency, stewardship, stakeholder and ethical work climate) promotes public accountability.Research limitations/implicationsIn terms of limitations and areas for future research, the study has been conducted on a single city authority to explain public accountability. Perhaps there is a need to conduct similar studies with other city authorities or a combination of organizations. The study has used a qualitative methodology through narrative enquiry to explain public accountability. Future studies can use a quantitative methodology, more so to test the proposed conceptual model of public accountability. Despite the study limitations, the results of this study remain relevant.Practical implicationsThis study uses the positive story of a public entity from a developing country that successfully practiced public accountability. Consequently, from a practical perspective, the findings of this study can be used as a benchmark for promoting effective public accountability practices, especially in developing countries across the globe, where public accountability has proven to be a challenge. Furthermore, governments in developing countries can also use the study findings to strengthen public accountability policies in their respective countries.Social implicationsThe study suggests that enhancement in public accountability practice requires an approach that brings together a multiplicity of factors. The study affords public accountability practitioners an opportunity to replicate the successful accountability practices from the story. When public accountability is enhanced, service delivery in terms of social services by the public organizations is likely to improve, leading to better quality of life in the communities served.Originality/valueThe study is novel in its use of a positive story that depicts an entity from a developing country that successfully enhanced public accountability. To explain this phenomenon, the study uses a multi-theoretical approach, unlike prior studies.

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“…Various factors have recently been adding to the social complexity in which bureaucrats act. Authoritarian and populist political programs and activities not only challenge the bureaucratic values relating to political neutrality (Box, 2021), but also bureaucrats' accountability relationships with politicians (Wood et al, 2022). Furthermore, bureaucratic agencies have become overburdened and hyperresponsive (Meier, 1997), forced to deal with increasingly complex tasks and demands from the people, as well as from politicians.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Theoretical Perspectives on Bureaucrats: A Quest for Democratic Agents

Železnik

Fink‐Hafner

2023

Administration & Society

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While the relationship between bureaucracy and democracy has gained attention in historical cycles, the literature on the roles of bureaucrats in relation to democracy has become increasingly fragmented. Drawing on comparisons among public administration theory, as well as participatory, deliberative, and collaborative democracy, this article provides typologies that reflect the historical multiplication of the theoretically determined roles and characteristics of bureaucracy that contribute to democracy. This comparative analysis has demonstrated a common democratic trend among the four schools in adding stresses on bureaucrats’ autonomy, morality, publicity, and direct connection to citizens, with a constant coexistence of rational and managerial elements.

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Enacting Accountability Under Populist Pressures: Theorizing the Relationship Between Anti-Elite Rhetoric and Public Accountability

Cited by 12 publications

References 87 publications

Of Violence, Paper and Neoliberalism: Bureaucracy and the Everyday State in South Asia

Of Violence, Paper and Neoliberalism: Bureaucracy and the Everyday State in South Asia

Enhancing public accountability in a city authority

Theoretical Perspectives on Bureaucrats: A Quest for Democratic Agents

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