General Introduction: The Crooked Roads of Democratization Notes on Contributors PART 1: CONCEPTUALIZING, MEASURING, AND EXPLAINING DEMOCRACY Introduction to Part 1: Conceptualizing, Measuring,and Explaining Democracy The Transition from Direct to Representative Democracy Core Criteria for Democracy: Is Responsiveness Part of the Inner Circle? The Democracy Barometer: A New Instrument to Measure the Quality of Democracy and Its Potential for Comparative Research The Lopsided Dynamics of Democratization PART 2: DEMOCRACY PROMOTION AND INTERNATIONAL STABILITY Introduction to Part 2: Democracy Promotion and International Stability Early Elections, Weak Institutions, and the Risk of Violence Governance Trumps Democracy: Examining the African Experience Competitive Elections and Agricultural Sector Initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa Democracy Is not Enough: The Real Challenges to Democracy Promotion in Fragile States Part 3: REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY AND DEMOCRATIC RENEWAL Introduction to Part 3: Representative Democracy and Democratic Renewal Democracy as Dialogue and Partnership: The Democratic Philosophy of Hal Koch in Light of Democratic 'Deficit' and 'Decay' Democratic Governance and the Challenge of Executive Dominance in International and National Settings Bespoke Democracy: Direct Political Participation for the Consumer Age? To Model a New Way of Democracy: The Case of National Forums in Iceland