After Democracy

What do ordinary citizens really want from their governments? Democracy has long been considered an ideal state of governance. What if it’s not? Perhaps it is not the end goal but, rather, a transition stage to something better. Drawing on original interviews conducted with citizens of more than thirty countries, Zizi Papacharissi explores what democracy is, what it means to be a citizen, and what can be done to enhance governance.   As she explores how governments can better serve their citizens, and evolve in positive ways, Papacharissi gives a voice to everyday people, whose ideas and experiences of capitalism, media, and education can help shape future governing practices. This book expands on the well-known difficulties of realizing the intimacy of democracy in a global world—the “democratic paradox”—and presents a concrete vision of how communications technologies can be harnessed to implement representative equality, information equality, and civic literacy.

"This is a deeply original and well-written book. The focus on conversations, combined with personal reflections and engagement with key theory, is valuable, personal and always feels intimate—rare in a book about something so abstract and distant as 'democracy.'"—Mark Deuze, author of Media Life“Papacharissi brings her singular style to understanding today’s reeling democracy. After Democracy provides a blueprint for more engaged and creative communication research and more responsive and responsible governance.”—Adrienne Russell, author of Journalism as Activism: Recoding Media Power“Derived from listening to citizens’ discontent with how they’re governed, Zizi Papacharissi ‘s After Democracy is a wise book on democracy’s unfilled promise, and how that promise can be more fully realized in the technological age.”—Thomas E. Patterson, author of We The People: An Introduction to American Government“At a moment when the future of democracy is in question, After Democracy provides a much needed reflection on what we are truly ‘after,’ and how we might achieve it.”—­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Michael X. Delli Carpini, author of After Broadcast News“A fascinating perspective on our current political, economic and communication crises, featuring citizen interviews from around the world. After Democracy offers insightful conclusions about how we can restore democracy.”—W. Lance Bennett, author of News: The Politics of Illusion

Zizi Papacharissi is professor of communication and political science, head of the communication department, and University of Illinois Scholar at the University of Illinois–Chicago. She lives in Chicago.