Democracy Here and Now: The Exemplary Case of Spain

“Ouziel argues that 15M served as a tipping point in democratic Spain because it manifested civic freedom, a culture of caring, and even a way of life. He believes it persists because its self-created participatory cooperation is interspersed with a civil citizenship. This distinction between civil and civic citizenship nicely contributes conceptually to understanding social movements. Mainstream political scientists and theorists will question the author’s hopeful argument about 15M’s long-term impact." T.D. Lancaster, Emory University, CHOICE

"How can democracy be preserved in the face of its present divisions? How can democracy be deepened in order to avoid citizen alienation? Pablo Ouziel aims to show that these questions are deeply related, that they turn out, in the end, to be the same question. Democracy in a modern state where elected governments exercise power over citizens needs to be undergirded by democratic forms where citizens can freely and openly work out their differences through mutual understanding and exchange. Pablo Ouziel’s rich discussion focuses on recent Spanish experience and draws on his many conversations with people in all parts of the country."

Charles Taylor, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, McGill University

"This is one of the best books I have read on the democratic uprising in Spain. An innovative, bottom-up approach grows into the prolegomena of an inspiring democratic theory for the twenty-first century."

Boaventura de Sousa Santos, Professor, School of Economics, University of Coimbra and Distinguished Legal Scholar, University of Wisconsin-Madison

"Even in countries called democracies, a politics of winning often dominates over joining hands in building better futures. Spain’s 15M is one of the most inspiring demonstrations that deeper democracy is possible. Pablo Ouziel’s’ Democracy Here and Now is the crucial resource for understanding this innovative movement."

Craig Calhoun, University Professor of Social Sciences, Arizona State University