Building Democratic Institutions
Governance Reform in Developing Countries
Hardback: 978 1 56549 198 4
Price: $69.95  

Paperback: 978 1 56549 197 7
Price: $27.50  

Publisher: Kumarian Press
March 2005 , 288 pp., 6" x 9"
* Brings together a wide variety of recent scholarship on democratization processes
* Draws from original case studies the world over, including Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Arab Region and Eastern Europe
* Written by a seasoned practitioner at the forefront of practice and theory

Building Democratic Institutions bridges the gap between theoretical literature and the actual tools and practices needed to strengthen or rebuild democratic institutions and reform governance systems. Through original case studies and contemporary examples of good practices of governance, Cheema clarifies the links between governance, democracy, and human development and assesses the conditions that make democracy work.

A senior Advisor on Governance working with the United Nations and an Adjunct Professor of Politics at New York University, Cheema displays in this book the depth of his experience as both theoretician and practitioner. He examines institutional designs and practices concerning such core issues as strengthening parliaments, electoral management bodies, and judicial systems; combating corruption; and reinventing governance in crisis situations. Undergraduates, graduate students, and professionals will gain from his insight into the value of inclusive democracy and the innovations that promote responsiveness and accountability for an able, free, and just society.

Table of Contents:
1) Democracy, Governance and Development; 2) Elections and Democracy; 3) Integrity in Governance -- Combating Corruption; 4) Strengthening Parliamentary Process; 5) Promoting Human Rights Through Inclusive Democracy; 6) Democracy at the Grassroots Through Decentralization; 7) Globalization and Public Sector Management Capacity; 8) Judicial Reform -- Improving Access to Justice; 9) Governance in Crisis Situations; 10) Sustaining Democracy -- Contextual Factors


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Reviews & Endorsements:
"This book lays out a compelling argument about how the basic ingredients of democracy provide a basis for better governance in developing countries. In bringing democratic theory and practice to bear on important questions of governance, Cheema demonstrates how development outcomes can be enhanced even when there are significant contextual differences among countries."
- Merilee S. Grindle, Kennedy School of Governance, Harvard University
"A remarkable, lucid, and thorough overview by one of the world's leading governance experts! Cheema shows why and how governance matters in an era of globalization. This is a book that should be of interest to both students and practitioners in the development field."
- Goran Hyden, University of Florida