Democracy

A Groundwork Guide

by James Laxer, series edited by Jane Springer

tagged: politics & government, modern

Description

"[The Groundwork Guides] are excellent books, mandatory for school libraries and the increasing body of young people prepared to take ownership of the situations and problems previous generations have left them." -- Globe and Mail

In this eye-opening work, political scientist and award-winning author James Laxer warns readers that our common assumptions about democracy -- that it is a natural progression of advanced societies and that it is on the rise worldwide -- are misguided. Democracy, in fact, is very fragile.

Showcasing examples from all over the world, this book explains the rise of democracy in the twentieth century and examines the current status of democracy in advanced countries and in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. Laxer warns that globalization and the widening gap between the rich and poor threaten to weaken democracy and the vigor of democratic regimes -- even in countries where it has been long established.

About the Authors

James Laxer

Award-winning author James Laxer has written many books and appears regularly on television discussions of issues of the day. He is a professor of political science at York University in Toronto. Visit James Laxer's blog: http://blog.jameslaxer.com/ Follow James Laxer on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jameslaxer/

Jane Springer

JANE SPRINGER is an author, editor and translator who has worked in developing countries in Africa and Asia. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Contributor Notes

JAMES LAXER (1941–2018) was the award-winning author of more than twenty-five books, including Staking Claims to a Continent; the #1 national bestseller Tecumseh & Brock: The War of 1812; Stalking an Elephant: My Discovery of America (published by the New Press in the United States as Discovering America); and The Border: Canada, the U.S., and Dispatches from the 49th Parallel. He was a professor of political science in the Department of Equity Studies at York University.

Jane Springer is the author of Genocide, part of the Groundwork Guides series for which she is also the series editor. She is a consultant in international development and has lived and worked in Mozambique and India. She is the author of Listen to Us: The World's Working Children and translator of the Portuguese-language books Nest Egg and Tales from the Amazon. Jane Springer lives in Toronto.

Age:: 14 to 18
Grade:: 9 to 12
Reading age:: 0

Awards

Commended, Booklist Top 10 Youth Series - Nonfiction

Out of print

This edition is not currently available in bookstores. Check your local library or search for used copies at Abebooks.