The President’s Professor of Public Scholarship and Engagement Brian Wampler recently published a book with the Oxford University Press. The book is co-authored with Michael Touchton, a former Boise State faculty member.
The book, “Voice in Local Development,” addresses several topics surrounding participatory democratic institutions: Do participatory institutions expand accountability, empower citizens and advance development in these environments? Many governments in semi-democratic regimes have adopted participatory democratic institutions to promote development and accountability. However, limited resources, weak civil society, and a history of authoritarian politics make building subnational democratic institutions daunting.
Wampler and Touchton address these points by evaluating citizen decision-making in Kenya’s participatory budgeting processes.