The public voice in a democracy at risk /

The public's level of political sophistication and its capacity for sustaining a democratic polity have been enduring concerns for both the empirical researcher and the democratic theorist. Typically the pessimistic findings of the former (e.g., Eric R.A.N. Smith, The Unchanging American Voter, 1989) are countered by optimistic prescriptions of the theoretician (e.g., James Fishkin, Deliberation and Democracy: New Directions for Democratic Reform, CH, Jul'92). The editors of this anthology are aligned with the latter. But this is more than just another call for a more informed citizenry. The dozen essays that make up this volume are a mix of analytical and prescriptive studies that address two central concerns: the obstacles that inhibit effective citizen participation in civic debate and the need to better prepare citizens for coping with contemporary politics. Communication specialists probably will be interested in the chapters describing how various forms of collaboration among media outlets, citizens, and organizations can facilitate public understanding and deliberation of various types of public issues. Overall, this is a well-integrated set of very readable studies. Recommended for political communication specialists. Graduate level and above. E. C. Dreyer; University of Tulsa