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4.14: Discussion Questions

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    Democracy as Practice and Paradox

    1. Democracy is often framed as both a procedure (elections) and a culture (participation, deliberation).
      • To what extent can a country be considered democratic if it fulfills procedural criteria but fails to achieve substantive inclusion?
      • Draw on Dahl (1989) and Crouch (2004) to support your argument.
    2. Compare liberal, participatory, and deliberative models of democracy.
      • Which model is best suited to addressing contemporary global challenges such as inequality and polarization?
      • Are these models complementary or fundamentally incompatible?

    Democracy, Peace, and Conflict

    1. Evaluate the strengths and limitations of Democratic Peace Theory.
      • Under what conditions does democracy reduce violence, and when might it exacerbate conflict?
      • Use at least two empirical cases from Section 4.9.
    2. Is peace a prerequisite for democracy, or is democracy a prerequisite for peace?
      • Construct an argument that critically engages with both directions of causality.

    Justice, Inequality, and Power

    1. To what extent does economic inequality undermine democratic legitimacy? Integrate Rawls (1971), Piketty (2014), and Sen (2009) in your response.
    2. Compare retributive, restorative, and transitional justice approaches.
      • Which is most effective in post-conflict societies, and why?
      • Consider both ethical and practical dimensions.

    Backsliding, Populism, and Global Governance

    1. Analyze democratic backsliding as a process rather than an event.
      • How does “executive aggrandizement” differ from traditional authoritarian takeovers?
      • Provide contemporary examples.
    2. Should international organizations intervene when democracies erode internally?
      • Where should the line be drawn between sovereignty and global accountability?

    Technology, Identity, and the Future of Democracy

    1. Does digital technology strengthen or weaken democracy overall?
      • Evaluate both democratic innovations and risks such as disinformation and surveillance.
    2. How does intersectionality reshape our understanding of democratic representation?
      • Can democracy function effectively without addressing intersecting inequalities?

    Bonus 

    1. How do participatory and deliberative innovations redefine what counts as “democratic”?
    2. In what ways are peace and justice prerequisites for democracy rather than outcomes of it?
    3. What roles should education, culture, and media play in sustaining democratic values?
    4. Can economic democracy coexist with global capitalism, or does it require systemic overhaul?
    5. How might intersectional solidarity reshape global institutions toward genuine justice?

    This page titled 4.14: Discussion Questions was last modified on Tue, 29 Sep 2026 19:13:15 GMT and is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Miloni Gandhi.