Marie Michael Library

Associations and the exercise of citizenship and new democracies: Evidence from Sao Paulo and Mexico City

Houtzager, Peter; Acharya, Arnab; Lavalle, Adrian Gurza

Democratic theory suggests that associations are the schools of democracy and are vital to its quality. This may not be the case in newer democracies with authoritarian legacies. Instead of focusing on voting behaviour or partisan activities, this paper explores the civil component of active citizenship that operates when citizens seek access to the public goods necessary for enjoyment of rights and entitlements constitutive of citizenship.