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ACCOUNTABILITY IN GOVERNMENT
Contents 

FROM THE EDITORS

GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY AND ITS LIMITS
Robert S. Barker, professor of law at Duquesne University School of Law, looks at the key components of accountability in the U.S. system of government.

TRANSPARENCY -- THE MECHANISMS:
OPEN GOVERNMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Robert G. Vaughn, professor of law at Washington College of Law, American University, discusses how the concept of transparency in government incorporates the values underlying democratic accountability.

GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY AND EXTERNAL WATCHDOGS
Robert Schmuhl, professor of American studies and director, John W. Gallivan Program in Journalism, Ethics and Democracy, University of Notre Dame, examines past events and looks at recent developments that enable citizens as never before to monitor their government.

THE WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION ACT
Contributing editor David Pitts talks with Thomas Devine, legal director for the Government Accountability Project (GAP), a nonprofit, nonpartisan public interest group that defends the rights of employees who "blow the whistle" on illegal or potentially harmful activities of government agencies.

U.S. GOVERNMENT INTEGRITY SYSTEMS AND ETHICS
Jane S. Ley, deputy director for government relations and special projects, U.S. Office of Government Ethics, discusses how the federal government regulates itself and explores the system and how it has evolved over time.

LEE COUNTY, FLORIDA: A CASE STUDY IN ACCOUNTABILITY
Contributing editor David Pitts examines a case study in how ballot measures work, when citizens can hold government directly accountable for its actions.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Articles and books on government accountability.

INTERNET SITES
Internet sites that feature government accountability themes.

The opinions expressed on other Internet sites listed here do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. government.

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The Office of International Information Programs of the U.S. Department of State provides products and services that explain U.S. policies to foreign audiences. The Office publishes five electronic journals that examine major issues facing the United States and the international community. The journals -- Economic Perspectives, Global Issues, Issues of Democracy, U.S. Foreign Policy Agenda and U.S. Society and Values -- provide analysis, commentary and background information in their thematic areas. All journal editions appear in English, French and Portuguese language versions, and selected issues also appear in Arabic, Russian and Spanish.

A new English-language issue is published every three to six weeks. Translated versions normally follow the English original by two to four weeks. The order in which the thematic editions appear is irregular, as some editions publish more issues than others.

The opinions expressed in the journals do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. government. The U.S. Department of State assumes no responsibility for the content and continued accessibility of Internet sites linked to herein; such responsibility resides solely with the publishers of those sites. Articles may be reproduced and translated outside the United States unless the articles carry copyright restrictions.

Current or back issues of the journals can be found on the Office of International Information Programs' International Home Page on the World Wide Web at http://usinfo.state.gov/journals/journals.htm. They are available in several electronic formats to facilitate viewing on-line, transferring, downloading, and printing.

Comments are welcome at your local U.S. Embassy (attention Public Diplomacy Section) or at the editorial offices:

Editor, Issues of Democracy
Democracy and Human Rights -- IIP/T/DHR
U.S. Department of State
301 4th Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20547
United States of America

[email protected].



Publisher Judith Siegel
Editor Anthony W. Sariti
Managing Editor Andrea McGlinchey
Consulting Editor Wayne Hall
Internet/Text Editor Deborah M.S. Brown
Contributing Editors Estelle Baird
Mona Esquetini
Charla Hatton
David Pitts
Reference Specialist Andrea McGlinchey
Art Director Diane Woolverton
Graphics Assistant Sylvia Scott
Editorial Board Howard Cincotta
Judith Siegel
Leonardo Williams
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