Institutions and Organizations as Learning Environments for Participation and Democracy

This book discusses opportunities and limitations todemocratic participation in institutions and organizations across thelife course. It demonstrates that democratic participation is not something that is learned once and forall and applied in formal political settings, butsomething that is lived every day throughout life in various contexts. Institutions and organizations frame human lives and strongly determine theability toparticipate and co-determine their communities. They are places forlearning, deliberation and thedevelopment ofthecommon good. Thebook conceptually and empirically analyses thepotential ofdemocratic participation within various institutions. Thecontributions range fromearly childhood institutions, schools, youth programs, workplaces, and vocationaleducation tocultural organizations and nursing homes fortheelderly. Thebook thereby provides a cross-sectional and interdisciplinary knowledge base toinspire future research and practical efforts topromote democratic participation within and across institutions around theworld.