Montambeault's outstanding book provides us with a much-needed account of the relationship between participatory democracy and deepening democracy. Far from looking at civil society and participatory innovation as magic bullets, the book draws on rigorous empirical research to persuasively illuminates the conditions conducive to both the success and failure of local participatory innovations.
Adrian Gurza Lavalle
University ... Read moreof Sao Paulo
[Montambeault] makes a strong case that political institutions alone will not further democratization but that effective participation in local affairs contributes to a positive state-society relationship that underscores the fostering of democratic politics. While doing academically rigorous analysis, she never loses sight that the lives of real human beings are at the center of this process of democratization. This valuable work is recommended for large university libraries, especially those with strong holdings in Latin America.
J.A. Rhodes
CHOICE
Montambeault's study of local-level participatory democracy stands out for its distinctive research strategy-comparing cities across and within Brazil and Mexico-and for its integrated theoretical perspective that dynamically combines structures, institutions, and actors.
Benjamin Goldfrank
Seton Hall University
Montambeault demonstrate[s] the shortcomings of participatory institutions for fostering inclusive democratization, while at the same time defining the parameters that lead to their success.... [Her work] contributes to our understanding of how to transform state-civil society relationships, and the roadblocks to expect along the way.
Maureen Donaghy
Latin American Research Review
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