ABSTRACT
This chapter profiles the political project of democracy that is at the heart of the current debates in globalization. It examines another reason for moving beyond this narrow framework, the neglect of the human factor (HF) implications of the project. The neglect of the HF has important implications for sustaining democracy. Far from being on the periphery, the HF needs to be centrally placed in the discussion about transitions to democracy and democratic consolidation. The chapter traces neglect of human factor development and its implications for the process of democratization. It examines the political project of globalization and its implications for our understanding of contemporary society. The chapter articulates a critical assessment and response to this project from a HF perspective and teases out the broad contours of an alternative to the prevailing discourse with its emphasis on the alleged established connections between globalization and democracy. Without the HF, political institutions cannot be functional over time.
