[audiobook] Berkeley Bohemia Artists and Visionaries of the Early 20th Century by Ed Herny at Arts-Photography

Description

Recapturing Democracy is a short yet synoptic introduction to urban democracy in our era of political neoliberalism and economic globalization. Combining an original argument with a number of case studies; Mark Purcell explores the condition of democracy in contemporary Western cities. Whereas many scholars focus on what Purcell calls "procedural democracy" ndash; i.e.; electoral politics and access to it ndash; he instead assesses "substantive democracy." By this he means the peoplersquo;s ability to have some say over issues of social justice; material well being; and economic equality. Neoliberalism; which advocates a diminished role for the state and increasing power for mobile capital; has diminished substantive democracy in recent times; he argues. He looks at case studies where this has occurred and at others that show how neoliberalism can be resisted in the name of substantive democracy. Ultimately; he utilizes Henri Lefebvrersquo;s notion of "the right to the city;" which encompasses substantive as well as procedural democracy for ordinary urban citizens.