Democracy enjoys unparalleled prestige at the beginning of the twenty-first century as a form of government. Some of the world's most prosperous nations are democracies, and an array of nations in Europe, Africa, and South America have adopted the system. This globalization has also met resistance and provoked concerns about international power exerted by institutions and elites that are beyond the control of existing democratic institutions. In this volume, leading scholars of democracy engage the key questions about how far and how fast democracy can spread, and how international agencies and international cooperation uneasily affect national democracies. At first glance, the efforts of intergovernmental organizations to intervene in a nation's governance seem anything but democratic to that nation. The contributors demonstrate why democracy has been so attractive and so successful, but are also candid about what limits it may reach, and why.

Contributors are Lisa Anderson, Larry Diamond, Zachary Elkins, John R. Freeman, Brian J. Gaines, James H. Kuklinski, Peter F. Nardulli, Melissa A. Orlie, Buddy Peyton, Paul J. Quirk, Wendy Rahn, Bruce Russett, and Beth Simmons.

| Contents Preface 1. Liberal Democracy in the 21st Century: Looming Large? Brian J. Gaines and Peter F. Nardulli II. Democratization on the Frontiers of the Third Wave 2. Democratization in the 21st Century: The Prospects for the Global Diffusion of Democracy Larry Diamond 3. Is Democracy Contagious? Diffusion and the Dynamics of Regime Transition Zachary Elkins 4. A Fourth Wave? The Role of International Actors in Democratization Bruce Russett 5. ?Western Institutions? and ?Universal Values?: Barriers to the Adoption of Democracy Lisa Anderson II. Globalization and Democracy 6. Issues, Information Flows, and Cognitive Capacities: Democratic Citizenship in a Global Era James H. Kuklinski, Paul J. Quirk, and Buddy Peyton, 7. Globalization, the Decline of Civic Commitments, and the Future of Democracy Wendy Rahn 8. Globalization, Sovereignty, and Democracy: The Role of International Organizations in a Globalizing World Beth Simmons 9. Democracy and Global Markets in the 21st Century: An Agenda John Freeman 10. Economic Globalization and Democratic Discourse Melissa Orlie Contributors Index | "Highly recommended for history teachers of recent global history, U.S. foreign policy since 1945, and specialists on democracy or political ideology."—Teaching History "An important reflection on the challenges facing democratic governance. This fascinating book offers an eclectic mix of novel contributions to the study of democracy and is most appropriate for classes in democratization, globalization, and international political economy."—Raymond M. Duch, associate editor of American Journal of Political Science
"An outstanding book on the international dimensions of democracy. It brings together scholars from virtually all sub-disciplines in political science—comparative politics, international relations, political economy, American politics, and political theory—in its systematic treatment of the international factors underlying democratization processes. An ideal tool for courses in any of these fields."—José Antonio Cheibub, author of Presidentialism, Parliamentarism, and Democracy
"The volume offers an interesting debate on future prospects for democracy . . . . Recommended."—Choice
|Peter F. Nardulli is a professor of political science, holds an appointment in the College of Law, and is the founding director of the Cline Center for Democracy at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He is the author or editor of many...