This volume strengthens the dialogue between conceptual perspectives, approaches, and fields on deliberative and participatory forms of democratic innovation and offers novel insights, focusing on the Southeast European space. Traditional forms of participation seem insufficient in satisfying the growing complexity of the democratic processes, especially in the context of autocratizing societies. With examples from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia, and the former Yugoslavia, this book delves into contemporary and past efforts to enhance democracy in Southeast Europe, highlighting the potential of social movements as drivers of democratic innovations.

This book is the result of the project “Active Citizenship: Promoting and Advancing Innovative Democratic Practices in the Western Balkans” funded under the Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Programme. It has been published by Routledge and is fully available in open access.