"[I]ntriguing . . . This book provides a very useful introduction to the topic under study, providing an important contribution to a key aspect of contemporary Peruvian democracy. It also has the not inconsiderable virtues of being written in straightforward jargon-free English and organised in a clear and logical fashion."—John Crabtree, Journal of Latin American Studies "Thoughtful and informed, Stephanie McNulty's book expertly argues that the post-Fujimori reforms set the stage for various regions in Peru to achieve effective leadership and a collaborative, organized civil society, critical to the establishment of a virtuous cycle of participation. McNulty's impressive research spans both multi-year observation at Peru's grassroots and comparative analysis across the globe."—Cynthia McClintock, Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, and Director, Latin American and Hemispheric Studies Program, George Washington University "Voice and Vote represents an impressive contribution to the literatures on decentralization and participatory democracy by showing what happens when participatory reforms are mandated from above rather than demanded from below. McNulty helps us understand why politicians decentralized, what types of institutions they designed, and why participation increased in some regions but not in others."—Kent Eaton, University of California, Santa Cruz "This book persuasively weaves together debates on decentralization and participatory governance to expand our understanding of how negotiations among Peru's national politicians during a national political crisis produced two forms of participatory governance. McNulty's insightful analysis is a must-read for students and scholars seeking to understand how top-down participatory governance institutions create opportunities and risks for governments and civil society activists as they seek to improve the quality of democracy."—Brian Wampler, Boise State University "Those interested in learning about the key issues of decentralization and its implementation, the politics of Peru, and/or the nitty-gritty details of political development processes will benefit from this research. . . Recommended."—S. M. Wheeler, Choice
