Advancing democracy via responsive tertiary public administration offerings

Abstract

Some foremost authors have suggested that democracy is not what we have but what we do, and that democracy and sustainability are two intangible drivers of economic growth and prosperity. Although the literature points to the importance of citizen participation in the governance of a democracy, it is evident that participation does not always prove to be effective and that members of society are not always aware of what is expected of them in order to sustain and strengthen a democracy. This article reports on a survey targeting students enrolled for modules in Public Administration at a South African university, to establish what the current generation (Generation Y) is doing to contribute to and strengthen the South African democracy. The findings show that the issues of participation, education, job creation and equality were considered important by the respondents.