CADERNOS METRóPOLE, cilt.27, sa.63, ss.1-24, 2025 (Hakemli Dergi)
This article compares democratic innovations (DIs) in
rural areas of Europe and Latin America, highlighting
differences in approaches and motivations. In Europe,
DIs focus on rural development, environmental
policies, and local economic improvements,
emphasizing institutional strengthening and
sustainability without challenging the existing
political model. In contrast, in Latin America, the
rural context is a space for emancipatory struggles,
such as the defense of indigenous rights and food
sovereignty, serving as a battleground for autonomy
and social justice. The article argues that, while in
Europe DIs improve public policies, in Latin America
they challenge established notions of development
and rights, varying significantly between different
sociopolitical contexts