ABSTRACT
Debates about institutional reform and citizen participation have a long history in Latin America, along with concerns about the long-established problems of inequality, dominant coalitions, and traditional practices such as patriarchalism, clientelism, and authoritarianism. In addition, deficient normative orders, poorly trained and motivated bureaucracies, and a shortage of effective designs and efficient institutional practices have precluded the political and general development of the region. In that context, rulers shy away from reforms and processes that entail alternative forms of deliberation focused on open public debate, citizen participation, accountability, and effective challenges to injustice. The social sciences can contribute significantly to the debate about institutional redesign by first addressing the complexity of political situations, social forces, and economic demands implicated in these reform processes (Ackerman, 2006: 149–150).
