This book provides an interdisciplinary examination of the relationship between compromise and democracy. Compromises have played a significant role in our representative democracies and yet the nature of the relationship between compromise and democracy has generally raised tricky theoretical questions and generated ambiguous evaluations. This book focuses on the relationship between compromise and liberal democracies from both a cultural and institutional perspective and addresses new and lesser-explored aspects of the relationship. It explores a variety of topics including: compromise and in-commensurable values,  antagonist paradigms, compromise and majority decisions, compromise and publicity, compromise and post-conflict societies, compromise and anti-system political parties, and compromise and the understanding of political representation. Compromises in Democracy offers an original perspective on the topic by assembling contributions from the fields of philosophy,sociology, political theory, political science and history of ideas.

“This impressive volume has the great merit of examining blind spots and neglected aspects of compromises in the context of democracy or of democratisation processes. By challenging common and widespread ideas, the chapters gathered in this collection offer a fine-grained picture of the role of compromises in political decision-making” (Professor Arendt Lijphart, University of California, San Diego, US)

“This collection of essays is an excellent guide to the important and troubling topic of the relation between democracy and compromise. It is instructive and insightful” (Professor Avishai Margalit, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel)

“As efforts to bring to compromise after conflict increase around the world, understanding how societies make this transition is crucial. This important book brings together key scholars in the field to identify the strategies that work most effectively. The book is essential reading for policymakers and scholars interested in ending longstanding societal conflicts” (Professor Ian McAllister, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia)

“Compromises in Democracy is a timely contribution when conflict, protest, violence seem to legitimate the idea of an “antagonistic democracy”. By contrast, the authors and contributors of this innovative book offer a sophisticated analysis of how compromise is and remains at the very heart of the democratic project in particular at a time of unbound populism” (Professor Yves Mény (European University Institute, Italy)

Argues that compromise is culturally circumscribed and therefore subject to change across time and across cultures Examines how political compromise is facilitated or inhibited by the existing democratic institutions and practices Draws on philosophy, sociology, political theory, political science and history

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