Debates on Democratization

If democracy means anything, it means robust debates. Over the years, the pages of the have certainly seen their share of lively and illuminating scholarly disagreements. As a service to students and teachers who wish to deepen their understanding of the questions and controversies that surround contemporary democratization, the has now brought together a series of exchanges on the topic. explores the issues of democratic consolidation, the reality of the transition paradigm, the advisability of attempting to “sequence” elections and other liberal-democratic reforms, the nature and prospects of the “color revolutions” in the former Eastern Bloc, and the relative merits of presidentialism and its alternatives from the point of view of democratic governance and stability. The volume is filled with insightful, thought-provoking arguments by leading thinkers in the field. Graduate and undergraduate students alike will find it a useful guide to key issues facing emerging democracies today.