ABSTRACT
This chapter demonstrates that governance networks between different public and private actors across different levels in the EU can be an important contribution to EU democratization, despite the criticism levelled against governance networks and other interactive forms of governance. It suggests that networks can facilitate 'inter-demos' participation and deliberation not only to the benefit of the overall quality of European governance, but also to the level of participation and deliberation within each of the European demoi. The chapter aims to show that governance networks making up an important part of pluricentric systems can trigger democratization by making democracy more inclusive, because they can help institutionalize inter-demoi governance. It demonstrates how traditional liberal theories of democracy have tended to focus on intra-demos participation and deliberation, while paying little or no attention to the democratic quality of the interplay between demoi. The chapter shows how governance networks can contribute to the development of a strong pluricentric democracy.
