The book aims to complement the existing research on democratic innovations mainly by making unique comparative analyses of the democratic innovations at the local level in selected European post-communist countries, i.e. the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia. Democratic innovations can help overcome political apathy, decreased confidence in democracy and improve efficiency of governance. We traditionally consider cities and municipalities to be cradles of democracy and connect them with deliberations on the further development of democratic theory and political practice. We therefore argue that the local level is a suitable arena and laboratory for both changes of institutional settings within the traditional model of representative democracy, and the structural changes, which concern changing relations between local representatives and citizens.
Pavel Saradín is Associate professor in the Department of Politics and European Studies at Palacký University in Olomouc, Czech Republic.

Hana Hurtíková is Researcher in the Department of Political Science and European Studies, at the Faculty of Arts, Palacký University in Olomouc, Czech Republic.

Michal Soukop is a Ph.D candidate in the Department of Politics and European Studies at the Faculty of Arts, Palacký University Olomouc, Czech Republic.

Markéta Zapletalová is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Politics and European Studies, Faculty of Arts, Palacký University Olomouc, Czech Republic.

The book aims to complement the existing research on democratic innovations mainly by making unique comparative analyses of the democratic innovations at the local level in selected European post-communist countries, i.e. the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia. Democratic innovations can help overcome political apathy, decreased confidence in democracy and improve efficiency of governance. We traditionally consider cities and municipalities to be cradles of democracy and connect them with deliberations on the further development of democratic theory and political practice. We therefore argue that the local level is a suitable arena and laboratory for both changes of institutional settings within the traditional model of representative democracy, and the structural changes, which concern changing relations between local representatives and citizens.