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Summary

Dowdle, Michael W. (2006). Public Accountability: Conceptual, Historical, and Epistemic Mappings In Michael W. Dowdle, Ed., Public Accountability, Designs, Dilemmas and Experiences. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Pp. 1-29.

"Many in the Anglo-American world perceive a growing crisis in public accountability. In particular, many fear that privatization and globalization are breaking down the traditional accountability arrangements which give us confidence in our government. Privatization seems to be devolving important political authority and power onto private actors who are able to operate outside of the public accountability mechanisms designed for civil servants. Globalization seems to be shifting governmental powers and responsibilities onto transnational actors, both public and private, that operate outside the jurisdictional reach of domestically formulated accountability systems. All this leads many people to wonder whether the political forces affecting their lives are really acting in the interest of the public." (excerpt)

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