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An empirical assessment of whether participatory governance reforms within the EU enhance or endanger democracy. Many consider allowing civil society to take an active role in EU policy-making to offer the most effective means of enhancing democracy in the EU, whereas others argue that such attempts deepen the EU´s democratic deficit.

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Participatory Governance: Promises and Pitfalls Assessing Participatory Governance: A Survey Approach The Structure of Political Contestation Opportunities for Participation and Access to Information: Adequate and Equal? Chances to Influence Policy: Equal and Effective? Input and Output Legitimacy: Synergy or Trade-off? Participatory Governance: The Way Forward? Data Appendix

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KARL-OSKAR LINDGREN is Researcher at the Department of Government, Uppsala University, Sweden. His research interests include the involvement of civil society and interest groups in EU politics and comparative political economy. His research has appeared in journals such as European Union Politics, Comparative Political Studies, Journal of European Public Policy, and Social Networks.

THOMAS PERSSON is Associate Professor at the Department of Government, Uppsala University, Sweden. His research interests include the involvement of civil society and interest groups in European Union politics and the impact of European integration on national political systems. His recent publications include the co-edited volume The Illusion of Accountability in the European Union (2009).

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