Social Capital, Ethnicity and Support for Democracy in the Post-Communist States

Dowley, Kathleen M.; Silver, Brian D.

doi:10.1080/09668130220139145

Cited by 81 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Yet, in small isolated communities local political parties often do not reflect their national counterparts; they may be defined by ethnicity, social group, education or even familial links (Dowley and Silver 2002). Often support by one party will result in opposition by another regardless of national interest or the virtues of the project.…”

Section: Local Politicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gatekeepers of island communities: exploring the pillars of sustainable development

Mackelworth¹,

Carić

2009

Environ Dev Sustain

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Sustainable development (SD) is generally recognised as having three dimensions, ecological, economic and social. Yet, its implementation is burdened with resistance and conflict rooted in the short-term 'business as usual' development model, opposed to the long-term sustainable benefit of local communities. Hence, the development of strategies to implement SD projects may require further differentiation of these dimensions in relation to the contextual situation in which the project resides. In two studies of SD projects on the Croatian islands, we identify five interlocking spheres of importance, Spiritual, Political, Economic, Educational and Health, in addition to Ecological. Each of these spheres is accessible through gate-keepers, individuals or a group of people who have the authority over the sector and as such, significantly influence public opinion. We suggest that in this particular island context the sustainability of these projects may lie with those gate-keepers. Hence, initiating and maintaining SD projects in these contexts requires a structured and targeted lobbying of these gate-keepers.

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Section: Local Politicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gatekeepers of island communities: exploring the pillars of sustainable development

Mackelworth¹,

Carić

2009

Environ Dev Sustain

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“…Warren (2000) explains that the associational life expands the domain, inclusiveness, and authenticity of democracy. Dowley and Silver (2002) confirm that voluntary organizations are vital to the development of democracy because they are the mediators between political élites and masses. The fundamental characteristic of an association is that it is formed on a voluntary basis.…”

Section: Associationsmentioning

confidence: 91%

The role of social networks in forest landscape planning

Paletto

Ferretti

Meo

2012

Forest Policy and Economics

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“…Hedlund & Sundstro¨m, 1996;Marsh, 2000aMarsh, , 2000bNichols, 1996Nichols, , 2001Petro, 2001Petro, , 2004Uslaner & Badescu, 2003), and there have been full or partial critiques of Putnam's ideas and/or their usefulness in post-communist contexts (e.g. Dowley & Silver, 2002;Kopecky & Mudde, 2003;Kornai et al, 2004;Rose, 1999;Rose et al, 1997).…”

Section: Democracy In the Eastern Half Of Europe 113mentioning

confidence: 96%

‘Making democracy work’ in the eastern half of Europe: Explaining and conceptualising divergent trajectories of post-communist democratisation

Bideleux

2007

Perspectives on European Politics and Society

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Europe's post-communist states have experienced widely differing degrees and trajectories of democratisation and (economic as well as political) liberalisation. Outcomes have frequently been explained and/or conceptualised in cultural or 'civilisational' terms -i.e. mainly with reference to 'culturalist' or 'essentialist' conceptions of allegedly prevalent 'mentalities', attitudes, belief-systems, value-systems and so-called 'political cultures'. This paper highlights the major objections to explanations and conceptualisations of this kind and advocates an alternative explanatory and conceptual framework that draws on Robert Putnam's Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy (1993) while also taking on board various critical responses to his highly influential ideas and to much of the thinking and research he has precipitated. Making Democracy Work (MDW) is most famous for its use and elaboration of conceptions of social capital, trust, norms of generalised reciprocity, networks of civic engagement and civic community, and for arguing that these have been the key determinants of political and economic outcomes in modern times. However, such phenomena have largely been dependent rather than independent variables, more akin to cultural attributes than to structural determinants. They are far less crucial than Putnam's lucid (but largely neglected) conceptualisation of the ways in which the emergence of more horizontally structured political, social and economic power-relations has increased the scope for and viability of liberal democracy and liberal market economies and, conversely, the ways in which vertically structured political, social and economic power-relations have limited the scope/potential for democratisation and liberalisation.

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Social Capital, Ethnicity and Support for Democracy in the Post-Communist States

Cited by 81 publications

References 10 publications

Gatekeepers of island communities: exploring the pillars of sustainable development

Gatekeepers of island communities: exploring the pillars of sustainable development

The role of social networks in forest landscape planning

‘Making democracy work’ in the eastern half of Europe: Explaining and conceptualising divergent trajectories of post-communist democratisation

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