This article traverses the range of issues evoked by research relating public accountability and democracy. It conceptualizes these issues as being a mosaic that is ever-changing and has been growing significantly in size since the 1970s. That mosaic presents itself in this Special Issue as being accountability appearances on a stage that is viewed within a theatre of democracy. The articles published in this Special Issue are also introduced.

中文翻译：

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公共问责与民主：民主舞台上的问责阶段

本文遍历了与公共问责制和民主相关的研究引发的一系列问题。它将这些问题概念化为不断变化的马赛克，并且自 1970 年代以来规模一直在显着增长。这幅马赛克在本期特刊中以问责制的形式出现在民主剧院内的舞台上。还介绍了本期特刊发表的文章。