Questions of Accountability

Questions of Accountability explores accountability from a range of perspectives, crossing traditional disciplinary, thematic, and professional boundaries. It asks fresh questions about accountability and its place and importance in democratic societies.

Accountability matters. It matters because it connects the governors with the governed, and for this reason, it is a hallmark of democratic governance. Amidst concerns about democratic backsliding, the rise of populism, algorithmic governance, moral barbarism, and post-truth politics, a number of potentially far-reaching questions of accountability have been asked. This is why the book explores the concept of accountability from diverse perspectives, pushing beyond traditional boundaries.

The book considers the questions raised by the shifting architecture of accountability. While some scholars suggest that accountability processes have never been more effective, highlighting the rise of monitory democracy with its dense array of watchdogs, sleaze-busters, auditors, legislative committees, statutory supports, and investigative mechanisms, others express concern about the risk of ‘overloads’, ‘gaps’, and ‘traps’. This has led to a focus on fuzzy accountability and diagonal accountability, pointing to increasing conceptual confusion.

Bringing together world-leading scholars and former politicians and public servants, the book cuts through this confusion and provides the reader with answers to the most debated issues, including rarely discussed ‘pathologies of accountability’, post-human governance, and a novel focus on balance and proportionality.