Central / national / federal government Books

Book SynopsisI hope everyone reads this book. It has become such a crucial thing for all of us to understand. —Erin Burnett, CNN An ideal tour guide for your journey into the depths of the rabbit hole that is QAnon. It even shows you a glimmer of light at the exit. —Cullen Hoback, director of HBO's Q: Into the Storm Its messaging can seem cryptic, even nonsensical, yet for tens of thousands of people, it explains everything:  What is QAnon, where did it come from, and is the Capitol insurgency a sign of where it’s going next? On October 5th, 2017, President Trump made a cryptic remark in the State Dining Room at a gathering of military officials. He said it felt like “the calm before the storm”—then refused to elaborate as puzzled journalists asked him to explain.  But on the infamous message boards of 4chan, a mysterious poster going by “Q Clearance Patriot,” who claimed to be in “military intelligence,” began the elaboration on their own.   In the days that followed, Q’s wild yarn explaining Trump's remarks began to rival the sinister intricacies of a Tom Clancy novel, while satisfying the deepest desires of MAGA-America.  But did any of what Q predicted come to pass? No. Did that stop people from clinging to every word they were reading, expanding its mythology, and promoting it wider and wider? No.   Why not? Who were these rapt listeners? How do they reconcile their worldview with the America they see around them? Why do their numbers keep growing? Mike Rothschild, a journalist specializing in conspiracy theories, has been collecting their stories for years, and through interviews with QAnon converts, apostates, and victims, as well as psychologists, sociologists, and academics, he is uniquely equipped to explain the movement and its followers.   In The Storm Is Upon Us, he takes readers from the background conspiracies and cults that fed the Q phenomenon, to its embrace by right-wing media and Donald Trump, through the rending of families as loved ones became addicted to Q’s increasingly violent rhetoric, to the storming of the Capitol, and on.   And as the phenomenon shows no sign of calming despite Trump’s loss of the presidency—with everyone from Baby Boomers to Millennial moms proving susceptible to its messaging—and politicians starting to openly espouse its ideology, Rothschild makes a compelling case that mocking the seeming madness of QAnon will get us nowhere. Rather, his impassioned reportage makes clear it's time to figure out what QAnon really is — because QAnon and its relentlessly dark theory of everything isn’t done yet.

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Book SynopsisAneurin - Nye - Bevan was one of the pivotal Labour figures of the post-war era. As Minister for Health in Attlee's government, his role in the foundation of the NHS, the world's largest publically-funded health service and the centre-piece of the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics, changed the face of British society forever. The son of a coal miner from South Wales, Bevan was a life-long champion of social justice and the rights of working people and became one of the leading proponents of Socialist thought in Britain. He was also vehement in his dislike of the Conservative Party - going so far as to oppose the wartime coalition between Attlee and Churchill. Whilst he admired the Marxist critique of capitalism - and felt that the drive for private consumer affluence in the 1950s flew in the face of social good - he was certainly no communist. He was a passionate believer in public ownership but had a complex relationship with the unions, which may have prevented him from becoming party leader. In this book, acclaimed author Nicklaus Thomas-Symonds provides the first full-life biography of Bevan in over two decades, from his birth in Tredegar in the South Wales Valleys in 1897 to his death from stomach cancer at the age of 62 in 1960. Thomas-Symonds considers not just Bevan's political career but also his upbringing, his career in local government in Wales and his relationship with his wife, and fellow Labour MP, Jennie Lee. Drawing on first-hand interviews as well as recently released sources, he provides a unique portrait of one of the great British statesmen of the twentieth century.Trade Review'Nye Bevan was a political colossus, a passionate voice of socialist protest who was also a great creative statesman, an artist in the uses of power whose career fundamentally transformed our society. All these aspects of his career are admirably dealt with by Nicklaus Thomas-Symonds in a balanced lucid work based on a wide range of sources. It is equally strong on Bevan's background in the Welsh mining valleys, his triumph in launching the National Health Service, his role in the internecine wars that beset Labour in the fifties, and his abiding legacy for radicals and socialists at the present time. This is a gripping new analysis of one of the most controversial, but also one of the most charismatic, figures in recent British history.' Kenneth O. Morgan 'Nye is a timely biography. It is over half a century since Michael Foot published the first of his two volumes on Aneurin Bevan which set such a high standard in biographical writing. Not until Nicklaus Thomas-Symonds' new volume has anyone approached Foot's masterpiece in political analysis and historical scholarship. It is timely for two other reasons. Firstly, the biography uses new sources to explore Bevan's working class origins in the valleys of South Wales, giving new importance to his local government experience alongside the more generally accepted and recognised formative influences of his union, the Fed, of independent working class education and of the community enterprise of the Tredegar Medical Aid Society. And secondly, this is a reminder to our new generation of activists and leaders that the collectivist inspiration for Nye's National Health Service and all the radical and reforming spirit of 1945, from legal aid to the culture of the South Bank, should be an enduring inheritance and Nicklaus Thomas-Symonds captures this beautifully. This is essential reading for everyone who wishes to understand the quintessentially benign but audacious rooted character of Nye's generation of organic working class intellectuals who helped civilise our post-war world, and who should continue to inspire us today.' - Hywel Francis MP 'Nick Thomas-Symonds has set out to explain the whole trajectory of Aneurin Bevan's political life, from its crucial nurturing in the South Wales coalfield to his purposeful use of power through the Labour Party in government. With balanced judgement, based on wide research, he succeeds triumphantly in giving us the real Nye: principled and pragmatic, frustrated and fulfilled, a unique fusion of strategy and tactics deployed to empower the British working class he represented brilliantly and served unremittingly. If you only read one book on Nye Bevan then, for its objectivity and illumination, make it this one.' Dai Smith, author of Aneurin Bevan and the World of South Wales 'A very readable and well researched study of one of the true political giants of the twentieth century. This book will be a useful addition to the canon of labour history and British political history more generally.' Matthew Worley, Professor of Modern History, University of Reading 'A lively account of Bevan's political career that is well written and carefully researched' Paul Corthorn, Senior Lecturer in Modern British History, Queen's University BelfastTable of ContentsIntroduction PART ONE: BOY TO MAN, 1897-1919 Chapter 1: The Welsh Valleys Childhood, 1897 – 1911 Chapter 2: The South Wales Coalfield 1911 – 1919 PART TWO: THE MAKING OF ANEURIN BEVAN, 1919-34 Chapter 3: Local Politics, 1919-28 Chapter 4: Monmouthshire County Council and Parliament, 1928-34 PART THREE: ESTABLISHING HIMSELF ON THE NATIONAL STAGE, 1934-45 Chapter 5: London and Jennie Lee Chapter 6: Working Class Unity, 1935-1939 Chapter 7: The Second World War, Part I: 1939 to 1942 Chapter 8: The Second World War, Part I: 1942 to 1945 PART FOUR: CABINET MINISTER, 1945-51 Chapter 9: The Labour Government, 1945-1951 Chapter 10: The Creation of the National Health Service Chapter 11: Bevan’s Record on Housing, 1945-51 Chapter 12: Resignation PART FIVE: IN OPPOSITION, 1951-60 Chapter 13: The Bevanites, 1951-55 Chapter 14: The Pragmatic Bevan, 1955-57 Chapter 15: The Final Years, 1958-60 Conclusion Further Reading

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Book SynopsisModern constitutionalism has put a lot of hopes in parliaments but there is some consensus that these hopes have not been entirely fulfilled. At the same time, the role of parliaments in contemporary democracies continues to evolve as parliaments are faced with new challenges. How should they react to the new forms of executive and administrative action? Should they play a role in upholding judicial independence, although the latter is frequently seen as independence from parliament as well as the executive? How should they contribute to the protection of fundamental rights? The book aims at providing some answers to these questions by first setting the historic scene, giving a comparative overview of the modern history of a selection of major European deliberative institutions (UK, France, Germany and the European Parliament). The book then looks at themes around the doctrine of separation of powers, especially aspects of the relationship between parliament and the executive power and parliaments' role and attitude regarding the judiciary with a special focus on the independence of the judiciary in a comparative perspective.Trade ReviewAnyone interested in constitutionalism and related matters will find the volume quite absorbing. The Commonwealth Lawyer Vol 16, No 3, December 2007 Both the book's comparative ambition and its substantive focus on the constitutional role of parliaments make it distinctive and are to be welcomed...Comparative constitutional scholarship is in vogue and, in offering a comparative analysis of the roles of parliaments, this book offers a valuable corrective to any tendency in comparative constitutional studies to focusing only on the case law of supreme and constitutional courts. Adam Tomkins Public Law 2008Table of ContentsPart One National Traditions of Parliamentary Law: Towards a European Model? 1. Constitutionalism and the Role of Parliaments AW Bradley, Katja S Ziegler and Denis Baranger 2. Parliamentary Law and Parliamentary Government in Britain: Some Historical Remarks Denis Baranger 3. The Formation of Parliamentary Law in France Pierre Avril 4. Parliamentary Law: The German Experience Fabian Wittreck 5. The Law and Custom of a New Parliament: The European Parliament Sionaidh Douglas-Scott Part Two Parliaments and the Executive 6. Cabinet as the Leading Part of Parliament: The Westminster Model in Europe Armel Le Divellec 7. Parliaments and the Executive: Old Control Rights and New Control Contexts in Germany Christoph Gusy 8. Executive Powers in Foreign Policy: The Decision to Dispatch the Military Katja S Ziegler 9. Separation of Powers, Public Law Theory and Comparative Analysis Nicholas Bamforth Part Three Parliaments, the Courts and Human Rights 10. Judicial Independence and Parliaments The Rt Hon Lady Justice Arden DBE 11. Why Should Judges Be Independent? Luc Heuschling 12. Independence of the Judiciary in Germany Gernot Sydow 13. Making Parliamentary Rights Effective: The Role of Constitutional Courts in Germany Pascale Cancik 14. The Parliamentary Protection of Human Rights Keith Ewing

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Book SynopsisIn the years between the Indian Mutiny and Independence in 1947 the Indian Civil Service was the most powerful body of officials in the English-speaking world. About 300,000,000 Indians, a sixth of the human race, were ruled by 1000 Civilians. With Whitehall 8000 miles away and the peasantry content with their decisions, they had the freedom to translate ideas into action. This work explores the use they made of their power by examining the beliefs of two middle-ranking Civilians. It shows, in detail, how they put into practice values which they acquired from their parents, their teachers and contemporary currents of opinion. F.L. Brayne and Sir Malcolm Darling reflected the two faces of British imperialism: the urge to assimilate and the desire for rapprochement. Brayne, a born-again Evangelical, despised Indian culture, thought individual Indians were sunk in sin and dedicated his career to making his peasant subjects industrious and thrifty. Darling, a cultivated humanist, despised his compatriots and thought that Indians were sensitive and imaginative. Brayne and Darling personified two ideologies that pervaded the ICS and shaped British rule in India. This work aims to make a contribution to the history of British India and a telling commmentary on contemporary values at home.

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Book SynopsisAn in-depth look at the partnership between Barack Obama and Joe Biden that changed the face of American politics. The ‘bromance’ between Obama and Biden has been much discussed, but this is the first time the full story of their relationship has been told: from their joint victory in 2008 to their disagreements over policy, and from the rift that formed after Obama supported Clinton’s 2015 presidential run to the present day with President Biden in the White House. The Long Alliance examines the past, present, and future of the Obama–Biden legacy — its twists and turns, ruptures and reunions, and how it has shaped and will continue to shape US politics.Trade Review‘[A] careful chronicling and insightful examination … [Debenedetti] is an excellent reporter and he provides a satisfyingly detailed account of the 2020 presidential campaign from both leaders’ perspectives.’ -- Jason Zengerle * The New York Times Book Review *‘[A] treat … readers interested in behind-the-scenes details and vividly depicted moments from the past two decades of American politics, starring some of its most pivotal players, will be riveted.’ * The Washington Post *‘Gabriel Debenedetti is simultaneously one of the smartest and most dogged reporters in Washington, and he has pieced together a master narrative of the complex relationship between two presidents whose partnership held together through a series of economic and political crises. The Obama-Biden dynasty has won three of the last four presidential elections, and Debenedetti’s story reveals the whole scope of its birth, growth, and struggle to save democracy.’ -- Jonathan Chait, New York Times bestselling author of Audacity: how Barack Obama defied his critics and created a legacy that will prevail‘Gabriel Debenedetti’s reporting on the Biden-Obama relationship is a tour-de-force, weaving together the political and personal dynamics that have bonded these two presidents and, at times, led to significant tension. It is a gripping tale of power in modern America and how it really works, told by someone who knows the players and inside stories better than anyone.’ -- Robert Costa, #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of Peril‘What progress is possible in a country defined by partisan stalemate? This is the immersive, indelible account of a twenty-year working friendship almost precisely coincident with the emergence of a new and often maddening American politics. Barack Obama and Joe Biden assumed their presidencies with different political strengths, instincts, and ideals, but though each believed he could outmanoeuvre opposition and achieve lasting generational change, each also quickly found himself contemplating legacies which, though historic, could seem painfully piecemeal — including to the presidents themselves.’ -- David Wallace-Wells, New York Times bestselling author of The Uninhabitable Earth‘Just when you thought there was nothing else to say about Biden and Obama, Washington’s most thoughtful observer, Gabriel Debenedetti, sheds new light on the friendship, alliance and differences between the two men who helped shape modern America. The Long Alliance delivers illuminating insights and intimate, riveting, sometimes unsparing details, and takes you inside the corridors of power and the struggle for America's future.’ -- Kim Ghattas, author of New York Times bestselling The Secretary and New York Times 2020 Notable Book Black Wave‘Gabriel Debenedetti has written the definitive account of one of the most important — and, until now, poorly understood — relationships in 21st Century American politics. With rich new reporting, Debenedetti details the machinations that helped Joe Biden to parlay a hopeless presidential bid into a spot on Barack Obama’s 2008 ticket and a level of national prominence he’d never before known. More importantly, he illustrates the rocky and uneven evolution of their partnership during the Obama presidency. We see a genuine personal bond develop and deepen even as the president remains skeptical, dismissive even, of his handpicked vice president’s actual political talent — arguably leading to the twist of history that makes Donald Trump president and leaves it to Biden, four years later, to prove to the world — and to his former boss — just what he is capable of.’ -- Steve Kornacki, NBC News National Political Correspondent and author of The Red and the Blue‘Gabriel Debenedetti masters the crosscurrents of the Democratic party as well as relations between two presidents.’ * The Guardian *‘[A]n engrossing study of the political and personal relationship between Joe Biden and Barack Obama … Doggedly reported and clear-eyed about its subjects’ strengths and weaknesses, this is an illuminating portrait of a consequential political partnership.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘Carefully constructed … A readable portrait of a political partnership that may be seen as one of the most productive in US history.’ * Kirkus Reviews *‘Debenedetti has written an engaging and thorough book about the Obama–Biden bond – an underexplored but fascinating subject. By delving into the relationship between two presidents, and suggesting reasons for its success, The Long Alliance also offers insights into how political power may be managed and shared. It is a thought-provoking book.’ -- Varun Ghosh * Australian Book Review *

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Book SynopsisSwiss citizens approve of their government and the way democracy is practiced; they trust the authorities and are satisfied with the range of services Swiss governments provide. This is quite unusual when compared to other countries. This open access book provides insight into the organization and the functioning of the Swiss state. It claims that, beyond politics, institutions and public administration, there are other factors which make a country successful. The authors argue that Switzerland is an interesting case, from a theoretical, scientific and a more practice-oriented perspective. While confronted with the same challenges as other countries, Switzerland offers different solutions, some of which work astonishingly well.Trade Review“The book is of interest to novice and experienced scholars as well as practitioners and has the potential to address a wide audience inside and outside Switzerland. … the book is inspiring, informative and well-structured, it is reader-friendly and up-to-date and closes a relevant gap on the book market. I am sure that this format will soon be followed by similar introductions to other countries, as the format as well as the elaboration are persuasive.” (Nathalie Behnke, Swiss Political Science Review, Vol. 25 (2), 2019)Table of ContentsIntroductionSociety, Government, and the Political System Andreas LadnerThe Organization and Provision of Public Services Andreas LadnerThe Characteristics of Public Administration in Switzerland Andreas LadnerThe concept of Law and the principe of legality Sophie WeertsThe preparliamentary phase in law-drafting : the power issues at stake Christine Guy-EcabertThe Federal Administration as an actor in the domestic integration of international law Sophie Weerts / Amalia SophiaSoft Law Instruments in Public Law Alexandre FlückigerJudicial federalism and constitutional review in the Swiss Judiciary Pascal MahonThe new model of Swiss public management Jean-Loup ChappeletPublic Private Partnerships: A Swiss Perspective Laure Athias / Moudo Macina / Pascal WichtIn-depth modernization of HRM in the public sector: the Swiss way Yves EmeryCommunication and Transparency Martial PasquierThe Road to Digital and Smart Government in Switzerland Tobias MettlerFinancial management system, legislation and stakeholders Nils SoguelThe Swiss way of presenting the governments’ financial statements Nils SoguelTax power and tax competition Nils SoguelFiscal Equalization: Financial transfers between governments Nils SoguelSocial security policy Giuliano BonoliHealth Policy Josef Philipp TreinPolicy Networks and the Role(s) of Public Administrations Frédéric Varone / Karin Miryam Ingold/ Manuel FischerFactors contributing to the strong institutionalization of policy evaluation in Switzerland Katia Horber-Papazian / Marion Baud-Lavigne

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Book SynopsisThis book examines the political lives and contributions of Margaret Bondfield, Ellen Wilkinson, Barbara Castle, Judith Hart and Shirley Williams, the only five women to achieve Cabinet rank in a Labour Government from the party’s creation until Blair became Prime Minister. Paula Bartley brings together newly discovered archival material and published work to provide a survey of these women, all of whom managed to make a mark out of all proportion to their numbers. Charting their ideas, characters, and formative influences, Bartley provides an account of their rise to power, analysing their contribution to policy making, and assessing their significance and reputation. She shows that these women were not a homogeneous group, but came from diverse family backgrounds, entered politics in their own discrete way, and rose to power at different times. Some were more successful than others, but despite their diversity these women shared one thing in common: they all functioned in a male world.Trade Review“This new account, therefore, which considers the five Labour women cabinet ministers appointed before 1997 … is to be welcomed as an important contribution to the field. … The book is very welcome for the level of detail and new insights it provides. It will serve as an important text on the topic and its accessible style means that it will have appeal to academic readers, to students at all levels and to a wider readership.” (Helen Glew, Journal of Contemporary History, Vol. 58 (1), 2023)“This book is a welcome addition to histories of women within the labour movement. … It is hoped it will inspire readers to seek answers as to why, after a 100 years of serving as MPs, there has still never been a female leader of the Labour Party.” (June Hannam, Women's History Review, March 3, 2021)“While Labour Women in Power draws on a rich array of historical sources, there is little reference to feminist institutionalism or the more systematic accounts now available of the gendered mediation of women politicians. … Nonetheless, there is good material to draw on, making it a worthy addition to the bookshelf.” (Marian Sawer, Labour History, Vol. 119, November, 2020)“Bartley’s work makes an invaluable contribution to writing the achievements of these phenomenal women back into the history books. … Bartley’s account of these formidable women and their achievements is a treasure trove of facts and stories.” (Rachel Reeves, FABIAN REVIEW, fabian.org.uk, Vol. 131 (4), 2019)Table of ContentsChapter 1: Introduction.- Chapter 2: A Woman in a Man’s World: Margaret Bondfield’s Early Career, 1873-1929.- Chapter 3: Over the Glass Cliff: The First Female Cabinet Minister, 1929-1953.- Chapter 4: The Mighty Atom: Ellen Wilkinson, 1891-1945.- Chapter 5: The First Female Minister of Education, 1945-1947.- Chapter 6: A Political Apprenticeship: Barbara Castle, 1910-1964.- Chapter 7: In and Out of Cabinet, 1964-2002.- Chapter 8: From Burnley to Lanark: Judith Hart, 1924-1968.- Chapter 9: The First Woman Paymaster General and Beyond, 1968-1991.- Chapter 10: Climbing the Parliamentary Ladder: Shirley Williams, 1930-1974.- Chapter 11: In the Cabinet and Out of Labour, 1974-2018.- Chapter 12: Conclusion.

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Book Synopsis"Mouritzen and Opstrup's book is a most welcome addition to the subject of the management of academic performance. It is certainly well-worth reading and considering."—Bruno S. Frey, Permanent Visiting Professor at the University of Basel and Research Director CREMA - Center for Research in Economics, Management and the Arts, Switzerland"Performance Management at Universities could not possibly be more timely. With universities and university faculty throughout the world being pressed to give more evidence and more precise indicators about their productivity, this thoughtful contribution provides a much needed and unusually thoughtful analysis of the possibilities and pitfalls found in current approaches to university performance evaluation. Given policy-makers’ and politicians’ calls for evidence-based management and evaluation, let us hope that policy-makers heed their own rhetoric and act on the evidence provided here. The authors show that performance measures, while sometimes beneficial, are subject to gaming and manipulation and that more precision does not necessarily equate with better performance, but rather altered performance. This superb book should be read by anyone interested higher education evaluation as well as by those who are subjected to it."—Barry Bozeman, Regents' Professor, Arizona Centennial Professor of Technology Policy and Public Management, School of Public Affairs, Arizona State University, USA"In Performance Management at Universities, Mouritzen and Opstrup definitively answer the question: What are the effects of national university performance-based funding schemes that use bibliometric indicators? As these schemes have proliferated, the question has become urgent. The authors marshal comprehensive data on the Danish university system to sift through the many predictions commonly made by academics newly subject to these systems to identify what actually happened to Danish research as the system took hold."—Diana Hicks, Professor, School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA, and first author on the Leiden Manifesto on research metricsThis book gives an account of what can happen when performance management is introduced at universities. How do scholars – for better or worse – respond to a system which counts the number of articles and books? Many myths exist about scholar’s reactions: They cheat, slice their production to the least publishable unit, become more risk averse and will go for the low-hanging fruits; in short, they develop a “taste for publication” at the cost of a “taste of science”. Systematic knowledge about the consequences of such systems for the motivation, behavior and productivity of university scholars is in short supply. The book is a major contribution to remedy this situation.Table of ContentsPART 1 Introduction1 Performance management strikes Danish universities2 Design of the study3 Trickling down to the individualPART 2 Motivational and behavioral effects 4 Incentive systems surrounding the modern scholars 5 Gaming the system6 Strategic decisions about research and publications7 For love or money?8 From a ’taste for science’ to ‘a taste for publications’?9 Under pressure?10 Effort substitution?PART 3 Output and outcomes11 How great expectations on Bredgade were dashed at Frue Plads12 Changing publications profiles?13 The international impact of Danish ResearchPART 4 Conclusions 14 Havoc or Heaven?15 Lessons from the study

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Book SynopsisThis book presents new research results on the challenges of local politics in different European countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, the Nordic countries and Switzerland, together with theoretical considerations on the further development and strengthening of local self-government. It focuses on analyses of the most recent developments in local democracy and administration.Table of Contents1. The essence and transformation of local self-government in Western Europe. Part I. The essence of local self-government2. The future of local democracy: A somewhat dystopian view. 3. Beyond Charter and Index: Reassessing local autonomy. 4. Redefining local self-government: Finnish municipalities seeking their essence. 5. Local autonomy in the Nordic countries: Between a rock and a hard place. 6. Local self-government and the choice for local governance arrangements in nine Swiss municipal tasks7. Chasing the creative class: What works, and what doesn't? Recruitment strategies in Norwegian local government. Part II. Challenges and transformations: Digitalisation, marketisation, amalgamation. 8. The digitalisation of local public services: evidence from the German case. 9. Challenges of digital service provision for local governments from the citizens' view: comparing citizens' expectations and their experience of digital service provision10. The resistance threshold to the amalgamation of jurisdictions: MPs' attitudes about budget control and social identification in the Swiss cantons. 11. Country size and county council mandate: decreasing motivation due to longer distances?12. Where is municipal marketisation heading? Experiences from England and ScandinaviaPart III. Changing intergovernmental relations: supervisions and subnational policy-making13. Decentralisation and reconfiguration of multilevel research policy: the case of Sweden14. The impact of local autonomy on land-use planning. A qualitative comparative analysis of two Swiss municipalities. 15. City-regional governance in Flanders: the potential of mobility as a critical juncture. 16. Strategic policy planning at the local level: A Flemish performance starring regional government. 17. State supervisions of local budgets: from forbearance to no concession. 18. New ways of limiting local government debt: an empirical assessment of the German case. 19. Reforms of school supervision in the German Länder: converging school supervisions structures? Part IV. Future outlook and scenarios20. Future outlook and scenarios

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Book SynopsisThis book explores the scope of reforms and changes in the social protection systems in Latin America that have started at the beginning of the 21st century. It describes how and to what extent changes in social protection systems and social policies have occurred in the region in recent decades. Taking a comparative approach, the volume identifies the triggers for the transformations and how such pressures are received by the welfare regime, or a specific policy sector, to finally yield a given type of reform. The analysis is characterized by the presence of certain factors that explain the development of social protection systems in Latin America, such as economic growth, the consolidation of democratic political regimes, and the region’s Left Turns. The book also examines to what extent common challenges and processes induced by international institutions have led to convergence among countries or welfare regimes, or whether each maintains its own identity.Table of ContentsChapter 1: The Latin American social protection systems in action: triggers and outcomes of reforms at the start of the 21th century Part I: Durability and Change in Latin American welfare regimes Chapter 2: Stratified universalistic regimes in the 21st century: Widening and compounding inequalities in welfare and social structure in Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, and Costa Rica Chapter 3: Actors and Social Reforms in Five Dual Welfare Regimes in Latin America: Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Panama and Venezuela Chapter 4: Reviewing exclusionary welfare regimes: Andean countries (Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru) Chapter 5: How 'liberal' are Latin American welfare regimes? Part II: Explaining social policy change and its consequences in Latin America Chapter 6: Social security and pensions systems: the deep stratification of Latin American societies Chapter 7: Health care reform in Latin America: not all roads lead to Rome Chapter 8: Social Assistance: Conditional Cash Transfers – a gateway into social protection systems Chapter 9: Beyond States and Markets: families and Family Regimes in Latin America Chapter 10: Family policies in Latin American re-enforcing familialism Part III: The end of an era? Chapter 11: The paradigmatic radical reform in Brazil`s social policies: the impact of the Temer Administration

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Book SynopsisInternational Organizations (IOs) are important actors within global social governance. They provide forums for exchange, contention and cooperation about social policies. Our knowledge about the involvement of IOs varies significantly by policy fields, and we know comparatively little about the specific roles of IOs in social policies. This volume enhances and systematizes our understanding of IOs in global social governance. It provides studies on a variety of social policy fields in which different, but also the same, IOs operate. The chapters shed light on IO involvement in a particular social policy field by describing the population of participating IOs; exploring how a particular global social policy field is constituted as a whole, and which dominant IOs set the trends. The contributors also examine the discourse within, and between, these IOs on the respective social policies. As such, this first-of-its kind book contributes to research on social policy and international relations, both in terms of theoretical substantiation and empirical scope. Table of ContentsPart I Introduction 1 The Architecture of Arguments in Global Social Governance: Examining Populations and Discourses of International Organizations in Social Policies Part II Labor and Migration 2 International Organizations’ Involvement in Youth Unemployment as a Global Policy Field, and the Global Financial Crisis 3 International Organizations and Global Labor Standards 4 International Organizations, Care and Migration: The Case of Migrant Health Care Workers 5 International Organizations and the Global Social Governance of Pensions Part III Family and Education 6 Governing Children’s Rights in Global Social Policy—International Organizations and the Thin Line Between Child Protection and Empowerment 7 Global Discourses, Regional Framings and Individual Showcasing: Analyzing the World of Education IOs 8 IOs’ Role in Global Social Governance: Family Policy 9 Disability as a ‘New’ Global Social Theme: The Role of International Organizations in an Expanding Global Policy Field Part IV Health and Environment 10 Characterizing Global Health Governance by International Organizations: Is There an Ante- and Post-COVID-19 Architecture? 11 IOs and Climate Change: Toward Global Eco-Social Policy 12 Water as Global Social Policy—International Organizations, Resource Scarcity, and Environmental Security 13 International Organizations and Food: Nearing the End of the Lean Season? Part V Conclusion 14 International Organizations and the Architecture of Arguments in Global Social Governance

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Book Synopsis1.Introduction.- 2.Laying the foundations: neighborhood planning and neighborhood governance.- 3.Multi-channel objects of planning.- 4.Planning as a multi-channel process.- 5.Conclusions.- 6.. References.

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Book SynopsisIntroduction.- Historical Context of Political Ideologies in Kosovo.- Theoretical Framework of Ideological Analysis in Kosovo.- Development of Political Parties in Kosovo.- Impact of International Administration on Kosovos Political System.- Role of Political Parties in Post Independence Kosovo.- The Kosovo Serbia Dialogue and Its Implications for Ideological Consistency.- Impact of Globalisation on Kosovos Political System.- Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisPart I: Theoretical Frameworks for Implementing Blockchain in Governance.- Chapter 1. A Theoretical Perspective on Human Interaction and Societal Systems.- Chapter 2. Foundations for Societal Development.- Chapter 3. Societal Systems and Blockchain – Needs and Possibilities.- Chapter 4. Transforming Governance and Society.- Part II: Practical Frameworks for Implementing Blockchain in Governance.- Chapter 5. Model for a Blockchain Based National Digital Jurisdiction.- Chapter 6. Public Sector Blockchain Use Cases for Societal Development.- Chapter 7. EU’s and China’s Digital Jurisdictions and the Possibility of Creating a New Digital World.

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Book Synopsis.- Part I. Introduction to Artificial Intelligence..- Application of Artificial Intelligence in Latin American Public Management: A PRISMA Study..- Public Servants as Catalysts: Steering the Adoption of Artificial Intelligence..- PART. 2. Benefits and challenges of Implementation of AI in the Public Sector..- Benefits of Artificial Intelligence in the Public Sector: an Analysis from the Perspective of the State Governments of Mexico..- Exploring the potential of the integration of Artificial Intelligence in the design and implementation of social programs in Mexico..- PART 3. Governance and Regulation of AI in the Public Sector..- Artificial Intelligence in Public Administration: Mapping Institutional Ecosystems across Four Latin American Governments..- Regulation by algorithms? An analysis of Peruvian and Colombian regulators..- Transparency and Rationality in Peruvian Public Works Assisted by AI: A Literature Review..- PART 4. Tools and Techniques for Information Management with AI..- Harnessing Artificial Intelligence and Visual Analytics for Modeling Government-Citizen Interaction in Argentinean Institutions..- Integrating IoT and YOLO-Based AI for Intelligent Traffic Management in Latin American Cities.

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Book SynopsisChapter 1. Introduction: a communicative approach to global public goods.- Chapter 2. Global Public Goods: the concept and the theory.- Chapter 3. Revisiting Multilateralism in the (dis) Order of the World on the XXI Century: Global Public Goods and the International Monetary System.- Chapter 4. The communication of public organisations: Contributing to supranational and global commons goods through examples, models and issues of general interest.- Chapter 5. Transnational governance and cooperation of Global Public Goods:  Lobbying strategies.- Chapter 6. The European Union, green transition and civil society. Increasing consideration of the role of the consumer.- Chapter 7. Global Citizenship Advocacy: Empowering Children through Community Holidays and Outdoor Adventures as Global Common Goods.- Chapter 8. Policy in the Shadows: Analysis of Environmental Acts in Brazil during the Pandemic.- Chapter 9. The IPBES Thematic Assessment on invasive alien species and their control: Futurity and policy opportunities in a more than human-world.- Chapter 10. Participatory approaches to establishing a social license for re-using data as a global public good.- Chapter 11. The traces of participation: an investigation into the fate of collectively produced knowledge.- Chapter 12. Media Literacy Education as an Entry Point to Peace and Public Good.- Chapter 13. The role of critical media literacy in civic participation.- Chapter 14. Global Public Good(s) at Citizen Level: Activism and Digital Literary Journalism in the LCB-Diplomatique.- Chapter 15. Literary Journalism and Mental Health Literacy.- Chapter 16. Towards Empowerment and Active Citizenship in Cape Verde: Literary Journalist, Sara Almeida discloses the truth about Women’s Rights.

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Book Synopsis1.Introduction.- 2.Public transport in functional urban regions and rural areas.- 3.Ways of public service provision by urban and rural local governments.- 4. Financial equalization between urban and rural municipalities.- 5. Fees as alternative sources of local revenue.- 6. Conclusions.

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Book Synopsis1. Introduction.- 2.Participation in shaping local development and planning.- 3.Participation in (local) infrastructure projects.- 4. Participation in the allocation of local funds: Participatory budgeting.- 5.The participatory promises of digitalization.- 6.Comparative conclusions.

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