Comparative politics Books

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Book SynopsisMany new development initiatives have been introduced in Africa over the past few decades. Each of these has been heralded as marking a new era in the continent's development. However, many of these initiatives have failed to produce sustained results due to numerous challenges, including, most importantly, the lack of good governance. The Africa Progress Panel stated in 2011 that good governance is the key enabling factor for sustainable development. This book discusses the role good governance plays in achieving sustainable development and eradicating extreme poverty in Africa.The contributed chapters in this book seek to broaden the policy debate and provide conversations about the sustainable development challenges facing African countries from multiple viewpoints and interdisciplinary perspectivesfrom academics, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners in the field. The book focuses on the governance perspectives of practitioners who deal with day-to-day realities onTable of ContentsOverview. Achieving Sustainable Development in Africa: A Governance Perspective. Foreign Aid Goals and Practices. Human Development and the Millennium Development Goals: Donors, Aid, and Sustainability. Aid, Institutions, and Human Development. Millennium Development Goals and Poverty Reduction Strategies. How U.S. Africa Command Conducts Assessments. Why Population Dynamics Matter for Climate Change and Sustainable Development in Africa. Building Local Capacity and Creating Awareness in Conserving the Mau Forest and Water Resources. Toward Environmental Sustainability: The Case of the Torgorme Irrigation Project in Ghana. Identity and Governance. Sub-Nationalist Movements in Africa: Implications for Governance and Sustainable Development. Identity Politics, Governance, and Development in Africa. Religious Movements, Governance, and Development in Africa. Governance and Development. Determinants of Subjective Well-Being in Ghana: An Exploratory Micro-Level Study. Developing Hearts and Land: A Case Study of Reconciliation, Governance, and Development in Rwanda. Violence, Development, and Democracy in South Africa. Evaluating Governance Programs: Donors and Political Parties in Morocco. Fiscal Responsibility, Sustainability, and Governance: Local Government Financing in South Africa. Conclusion. Governance and Development in Africa.

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Book SynopsisThe updated ninth edition of Challenges of the Developing World examines political, social, and economic development in the diverse countries of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. In doing so, it explores the political economy of policymaking, investigates the uncertain dynamics of democratization, highlights the impact of ethnic and religious tensions on developing countries, and looks at revolution and military intervention in politics. Key issues such as the environment, sustainable development, globalization, corruption, rural and urban poverty, and gender receive particular attention. Throughout, the book also highlights the contribution of different analytical perspectives within political science and development studies. Clearly written and frequently illustrated with examples, Challenges of the Developing World is designed to provide the reader with knowledge of the essential concepts, relationships, and approaches in a way that will be of lasting value.Trade ReviewChallenges of the Developing World is a highly remarkable text. It is what students of development have been waiting for – a thoughtful, comprehensive, critical, and engaging study of issues and challenges in the developing world. In the end, this well-documented, elegantly written, and thought-provoking text is a wonderful introduction to the field. -- Michael Cairo, Transyvlania UniversityAn excellent and comprehensive introduction to the politics of developing nations. -- Angela Wolfe, University of DelawareA sophisticated, thorough introduction to the politics of the developing world that makes good use of current research and is suitable for upper level undergraduate students. -- Brian Kessel, Columbia CollegeTable of Contents1. Understanding Underdevelopment 2. The Political Economy of the Developing World 3. The Surge and Partial Retreat of Democracy 4. Corruption as an Obstacle to Development 5. Religion and Politics 6. Politics of Cultural Pluralism and Ethnic Conflict 7. Gender and Development 8. The Politics of the Rural and Urban Poor 9. Revolutionary Change 10. Soldiers and Politics

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Book SynopsisIn June 1975 Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed a state of emergency, resulting in a 21-month suspension of democracy. Jaffrelot and Anil explore this black page in India's history, a constitutional dictatorship of unequal impact, with South India largely spared thanks to the resilience of Indian federalism. India's First Dictatorship focuses on Mrs Gandhi and her son, Sanjay, who was largely responsible for the mass sterilisation programmes and deportation of urban slum-dwellers. However, it equally exposes the facilitation of authoritarian rule by Congressmen, Communists, trade unions, businessmen and the urban middle class, as well as the complacency of the judiciary and media. While opposition leaders eventually closed ranks in jail, many of them—especially in the RSS—tried to collaborate with the new regime. Those who resisted the Emergency, in the media or on the streets, were few in number. This episode was an acid test for India's political culture. While a tiny minority of citizens fought for democracy during the Emergency, in large numbers the people bowed to the strong woman in power, even worshipped her. Equally importantly, Hindu nationalists were endowed with a new legitimacy. Yet, the Emergency was neither a parenthesis, nor so much a turning point but a concentrate of a style of rule that is very much alive today.Trade Review'A timely reminder that India’s hard-won democratic ethos cannot be taken for granted. … [India’s First Dictatorship] is a compelling account, which displays an extraordinary grasp of the political milieu that led to the state of emergency and provides a level of detail about its consequences never before attempted.' -- Foreign Policy‘[Christophe Jaffrelot and Pratinav Anil] must be complimented for pointing out among other things that democracy had not then, and still has not, become as deep-rooted in India as is necessary for it to strengthen the institutions of the state and benefit all sections of the people… [India’s First Dictatorship] is a welcome … addition to the existing material, most of which either tends to glorify the emergency and play down its excesses, or to vilify the principal participants in that sorry episode of Indian history.’ -- The Commonwealth Lawyer

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Book SynopsisThis book analyses the French political crisis, which has entered its most acute phase in more than thirty years with the break-up of traditional left and right social blocs. Governing parties have distanced themselves from the working classes, leaving behind on the one hand craftsmen, shop owners and small entrepreneurs disappointed by the timidity of the reforms of the neoliberal right and, on the other hand, workers and employees hostile to the neoliberal and pro-European integration orientation of the Socialist Party. The presidency of François Hollande was less an anomaly than the definitive failure of attempts to reconcile the social base of the left with the so-called modernisation of the French model. The project, based on the pursuit of neoliberal reforms, did not die with Hollande's failure; it was taken up and radicalised by his successor, Emmanuel Macron. This project needs a social base, the bourgeois bloc, designed to overcome the right-left divide by a new alliance between the middle and upper classes. But this, as we have seen recently on the streets of Paris and elsewhere, is a precarious process.Trade ReviewPraise for Structural Crisis and Institutional Change in Modern Capitalism:"This book is historical-institutionalist political economy at its best." -- Wolfgang Streeck * ILR Review *In the authors' view, all the major parties in France have given up on the traditional postwar "social-liberal" compromise that combined moves toward fluid labor markets, external openness, and EU cooperation with continued redistribution, social solidarity, and upward mobility. -- Andrew Moravcsik * Foreign Affairs *

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Book SynopsisBritain's political and military elite has for decades nurtured the idea that enduring ties bind the interests of London and Washington, in good times and bad. Irrespective of the end of the Cold War, the 9/11 attacks and the economic rise of the East, these links are allegedly impregnable. But how accurate a picture is this? Are the British engaged in a monumental act of self-delusion? Guy Arnold investigates the 'American disease' at the heart of Whitehall, which, he argues, has tied British policies too closely to those of Washington. The 'special relationship' became a Foreign Office priority and gave Britain the illusion of power it no longer enjoyed. As Churchill put it acidly, 'the British and the Americans were stuck with each other - a junior partner and a senior partner respectively'. For the Americans it provided a way of keeping Britain 'on side' but in return Washington accelerated Britain's imperial decline. The Americans always saw Britain in Europe as a Trojan Horse to safeguard their interests and as a military outpost for their global ambitions. They derided or ignored the 'special relationship', even in their dealings with Thatcher and Blair, and latterly the Foreign Office has failed to convince President Obama of its unique importance.Trade ReviewIn this provocative little polemic [...] the case Arnold makes is one that every British government in modern times has recoiled from answering with the seriousness it deserves. ... A robust study. -- Max Hastings, Sunday TimesWhile the perceived loss of British sovereignty in the European Union creates violent debate, an unacknowledged transfer of power across the Atlantic is overlooked in silence. Guy Arnold meticulously unpicks an unequal 'special relationship' for which the political establishment offers no referendum. -- Richard Bourne, Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Commonwealth Studies and Secretary, Ramphal Institute, LondonThe message of Guy Arnold's new book is that the world stands on the brink of a totally new political order. Nothing less. After lingering decades beyond its time the Anglo-American partnership, he says, must be forgotten. Arnold skilfully weaves his way through the complex relationships between today's big powers to the point where China is coming centre stage and India is not far behind. -- Derek Ingram, journalist and Commonwealth expertGuy Arnold amazes me, as a fellow author, by the range of books he undertakes. From cheery critiques of boys' historical adventure novels, he wades into modern day controversy - immigration, for instance - and brings fresh light into the complexities of post-colonial Africa. Now he examines a building-block of this last century usually ignored or dismissed: the special relationship that Churchill and Roosevelt forged between Britain and the United States. Not a club like Europe, nor an association based mostly on history or language, like the Commonwealth, what's its magic? Will the strains over Syria and Iraq damage it (as Suez did), the new magnetism of China or Brazil tug it apart? As usual, this prolific author and lecturer produces his own lively views. -- Clyde Sanger, long-time journalist and international affairs[T]his history of efforts by postwar British leaders to offset their country's decline by cozying up to the United States is quite readable, policy relevant, and ... provocative. -- Foreign Affairs

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Book SynopsisThis book offers a much-needed corrective to dominant approaches to understanding political causality during episodes of intense social mobilisation, specifically with a North African context. Drawing on analyses of routine governance and of 'revolutionary' mobilisation in four countries of the Maghreb -- Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya -- before, during and after the 2011 uprisings, Volpi explains the different trajectories of these uprisings by showing how specific acts of protest created new arenas of contention that provided actors with new rationales, practices and, ultimately, identities. The book illustrates how the dynamics of revolutionary episodes are characterised by the social and political de-institutionalisation of routine mechanisms of (authoritarian) governance. It also details how post-uprising re-institutionalisation and/or conflict are shaped by reconstructed understandings of the uprisings by actors, who are themselves partially the products of these episodes of phenomena.Trade ReviewRevolution and Authoritarianism looks beyond the deterministic approaches that have characterised studies of the Arab Spring and offers a much more nuanced set of explanations for the way in which events in North Africa have occurred and developed. Theoretically sophisticated and empirically well grounded, this is a genuine must-read for all those interested in the politics of the Arab Spring.' * Francesco Cavatorta, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Université Laval in Quebec, Canada; and editor of Salafism After the Arab Awakening: Contending with People's Power *'Precisely-argued and intelligent, this is the most important study to date of the comparative politics of the Arab uprisings in North Africa; it demonstrates in detail how eventful interactions between political actors in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya were not simply structurally determined, but shaped trajectories of change. Volpi shows how people do make history, even in circumstances not chosen by themselves.' -- * John Chalcraft, Associate Professor in the History and Politics of Empire/Imperialism and author of Popular Politics in the Making of the Modern Middle East *'This powerful account highlights the fluidity of revolutions, and of all politics, by looking at how institutions are made and unmade, especially through processes of meaning making. Volpi finds the right analytical balance between action and its contexts.' * James M. Jasper, Professor, Graduate Centre of the City University of New York *'Very good for advanced undergraduate seminars and graduate students.'

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Book SynopsisIn recent years, the Middle East's information and communications landscape has changed dramatically. Increasingly, states, businesses, and citizens are capitalising on the opportunities offered by new information technologies, the fast pace of digitisation, and enhanced connectivity. These changes are far from turning Middle Eastern nations into network societies, but their impact is significant. The growing adoption of a wide variety of information technologies and new media platforms in everyday life has given rise to complex dynamics that beg for a better understanding. 'Digital Middle East' sheds a critical light on continuing changes that are closely intertwined with the adoption of information and communication technologies in the region. Drawing on case studies from throughout the Middle East, the contributors explore how these digital transformations are playing out in the social, cultural, political, and economic spheres, exposing the various disjunctions and discordances that have marked the advent of the digital Middle East.Trade Review‘Edited by one of the leading scholars of digitally mediated transformations of Middle Eastern society and politics, this volume offers a multifaceted assessment of the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) across the region.’ -- China International Strategy Review'This is an important contribution not only to Middle East studies, but also to media studies and political science. Blending original research with expert commentary and informed analysis, this groundbreaking collection helps move the discussion on the digital era from abstract puffery toward concrete assessments.' -- Joe F. Khalil'A timely and important book that offers a rich, interpretive and comparative account of how different countries and actors across the Middle East adapted and adopted new media technologies.' -- Dina Matar, Senior Lecturer in Arab Media and Political Communication'An important contribution to our understanding of how digital communication is impacting the Middle East. It goes far beyond the classic focus on cyber activism and political change, bringing much needed discussion of digital platforms' influence on daily practices.' -- Fatima el-Issawi, Senior Lecturer in Journalism'An impressive array of perspectives on the impact of information and communication technologies in Middle Eastern societies. This book will be of great value to anyone interested in the evolution of civic culture in the Middle East.' -- Philip Seib, Professor of Journalism, Public Diplomacy, and International Relations

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Book SynopsisThis book offers a systematic and far-reaching account of party system institutionalization in Western Europe. Drawing upon a wide array of data and through a comparison of 20 countries from the end of WWII to 2019 across three arenas of party competition (electoral, parliamentary, and governmental ones), the empirical analysis shows that, over the past decade, the level of institutionalization in the Western European party systems has dramatically declined compared with previous decades. Electoral, parliamentary, and – in some cases – governmental instability and unpredictability have reached record-high levels. Although the impact of the 2008 Great Recession has certainly worked as a catalyst, this process of de-institutionalization has been mainly driven by long-term factors, such as cleavage decline and length of democratic experience. Moreover, its consequences are relevant not only for the relationship between parties and voters, but also for the very quality of democracy, as party system deinstitutionalization causes a decline in the citizens’ satisfaction of the way democracy works and even an erosion of the ‘objective’ democratic standards. In a nutshell, Western Europe, once seen as the land of stability and the cradle of democracy, may have become the land of party system deinstitutionalization and incipient democratic backsliding. Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION: FROM THE GREAT CALM TO THE STORMCHAPTER 1 – THEORETICAL BACKGROUNDCHAPTER 2 – PARTY SYSTEM INSTABILITY BETWEEN VOTES AND SEATSCHAPTER 3 – THE RISE OF NEW PARTIESCHAPTER 4 – INTERPARTY COMPETITION IN THE GOVERNMENTAL ARENACHAPTER 6 – EXPLAINING PARTY SYSTEM DEINSTITUTIONALIZATIONCHAPTER 7 – THE CONSEQUENCES OF PARTY SYSTEM DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION ON DEMOCRACYCHAPTER 8 – CONCLUSION: WESTERN EUROPEAN PARTY SYSTEMS SAILING INTO THE STORM

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisChapter 1. Introduction.- Chapter 2. Legitimacy in Practice: Measuring What Makes Deliberative Public Participation ‘Good’.- Chapter 3. Deliberative Democracy: Concepts and Implications.- Chapter 4. Citizens’ Juries: A Time-Tested Approach to Deliberative Policymaking.- Chapter 5. Citizens’ Juries: A Critical Perspective.- Chapter 6. Decision theaters and democracy.- Chapter 7. Effective Navigation: Technology and Participation in Decision-Visualization Environments.- Chapter 8. Online Participation Tools and Their Benefits for Participatory Democracy.- Chapter 9. Online Participation Tools and Their Benefits for Participatory Democracy – Reflections and Complementary Perspectives.- Chapter 10. The consensus conference.- Chapter 11. The Danish Consensus Conference: A Critical Evaluation.- Chapter 12. Deliberative Polling® on Environmental Issues.- Chapter 13. Deliberative Polling – A Critical Assessment.- Chapter 14. Multi-stakeholder Mediation: Improving the Practice of Deliberative Public Engagement.- Chapter 15. Can Mediation be Scaled Up to Facilitate Public Participation in Environmental Decision Making?.- Chapter 16. Citizens Assemblies & Mini-publics.- Chapter 17. Citizens Assemblies in democratic decision-making: Fundamental challenges and ways forward.- Chapter 18. More than words: The innovative potential of multi-stakeholder platforms.- Chapter 19. Multi-stakeholder platforms for social learning: Potentials, limitations, and challenges.- Chapter 20. A Semi-Revisionist Perspective on Citizen Forums.- Chapter 21. Conclusions and outlook.

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Book SynopsisThis book probes key issues pertaining to Africa’s relations with global actors. It provides a comprehensive trajectory of Africa’s relations with key bilateral and major multilateral actors, assessing how the Cold War affected the African state systems’ political policies, its economies, and its security. Taken together, the essays in this volume provide a collective understanding of Africa’s drive to improve the capacity of its state of global affairs, and assess whether it is in fact able to do so. Trade Review“An edited compilation of thoughts and perspectives on Africa’s multifaceted interactions with the rest of the world. … Africa and the World: Bilateral and Multilateral International Diplomacy offers credible insights into Africa’s external engagements in a unique and novel way.” (Oluwole Olutola, African Studies Review, Vol. 63 (1), 2020)“Africa and the World is informative and easy to read. It offers scholars and students significant insights into the policy and strategy frameworks that inform Africa’s engagements with the world, and the push and pull factors that underpin Africa’s bilateral and multilateral relations.” (Sanusha Naidu, South African Journal of International Affairs, February, 2019)Table of Contents1. Introduction: Inspirations and Hesitations in Africa’s Relations with External Actors Charles MutasaPart I: Bilateral Relations: Traditional Powers 2. Africa and the United Stater: A History of Malign Neglect Adekeye Adebajo3. Africa and Russia: The Pursuit of Strengthened Relations in the Post-Cold War EraRosaline Daniel and Vladimir Shubin4. Africa and China: Winding Into A Community Of Common DestinyLiu Haifang5. France and AfricaDouglas A. Yates6. To Brexit and Beyond: Africa and the United Kingdom Alex Vines 7. Africa and PortugalClara Carvalho Part II: Bilateral Relations: Non-Traditional Powers 8. Africa and Italy’s Relations After the Cold War Bernardo Venturi9. Brazil-Africa Relations: From Boom to Bust?Adriana Erthal Abdenur10. A Renewed Partnership? Contemporary Latin America-Africa EngagementDanilo Marcondes11. Africa and India: Riding the Tail of the Tiger?Kudrat Virk12. Africa-Japan Relations in the Post-Cold War EraScarlett Cornelissen and Yoichi Mine13. Africa and the Nordics Anne Hammerstad14. Africa, the Islamic World, and EuropeRoel van der Veen Part III: Multilateral Relations 15. Africa and the Middle East: Shifting Alliances and Strategic PartnershipsHamdy A. Hassan and Hala Thabet16. Africa at the United Nations: From Dominance to Weakness James O.C. Jonah17. Africa and the International Criminal CourtDan Kuwali18. Can the BRICS Re-Open the “Gateway to Africa”? South Africa’s Contradictory Facilitation of Divergent Brazilian, Russian, Indian and Chinese Interests Patrick Bond19. Europe-Africa Relations in the Era of UncertaintyGilbert M. Khadiagala20. Africa and the World Trade OrganisationMariama Williams21. Sub-Saharan Africa: the World Bank and the International Monetary FundL. Adele Jinadu22. ConclusionDawn Nagar

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Book SynopsisThis book is open access under a CC BY license.In this book, Nika Gilauri reveals his formulas for government reform and economic recovery, including how to fight against corruption, reform fiscal policy and tax systems, privatize state-owned enterprises, build a welfare system for those most in need, create a competitive education and healthcare system, and streamline procurement. All formulas are corroborated by practical experience and empirical evidence gathered during Mr Gilauri's term as a cabinet member (2004-2009) and prime minister (2009-2012) of Georgia, and provide an in-depth view of what worked in the case of Georgia since 2003, and how lessons learned could be applied in other parts of the world.Table of Contents1. Carpe diem2. Fighting corruption3. Reforming the national economy4. Creating a business-friendly climate5. Reforming taxes and customs6. Privatization of state-owned enterprises7. Reforming the energy sector 8. Welfare − Focusing on the neediest with a simple scoring model9. Healthcare – Unleashing the power of public-private partnership10. Education – School financing and university reform11. Thoughts on leadership

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Book SynopsisDer Band präsentiert die erste systematische Analyse von PEGIDA auf der Basis der vorliegenden empirischen Studien. Ausgehend von eigenen Untersuchungen und Beobachtungen wird die Entwicklung der Bewegung rekonstruiert, die im Herbst 2014 in Dresden entstand und nationales und internationales Aufsehen erregte. Dabei werden Organisatoren, Positionen, Vernetzungen, Kundgebungen, Demonstranten sowie die Reaktionen von Politik, Medien und Gesellschaft analysiert und die Befunde in einer umfassend angelegten Untersuchung mit Erkenntnissen der politischen Kulturforschung zusammengeführt. PEGIDA erweist sich als eine Protestbewegung neuen Stils, eine rechtspopulistische Empörungsbewegung, die fremdenfeindliche und islamkritische Ressentiments mobilisiert und dabei grundsätzliche Vorbehalte gegenüber den politischen und medialen Eliten zum Ausdruck bringt.Table of ContentsEinleitung.- Entwicklung.- Reaktionen von Politik, Medien und Gesellschaft.- Inhalte und Positionen.- Die Demonstrationen.- Die Demonstranten.- Einordnung und Deutung der empirischen Befunde.- Zusammenfassung.

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Book SynopsisHandlungs- und Entscheidungstheorien gelten als erfolgversprechende Ansätze zur Erklärung sozialen und politischen Handelns. Handeln wird dabei als das Ergebnis eines Prozesses gesehen, bei dem Akteure aus verschiedenen verfügbaren Handlungsalternativen diejenige auswählen, die bei gegebenen Rahmenbedingungen und erwarteten Handlungen anderer Akteure ihre Ziele am besten zu verwirklichen verspricht. Band 12 des Jahrbuchs vereint innovative Beiträge zur Handlungs- und Entscheidungstheorie, die sich mit der gesamten Breite des Feldes befassen.Table of ContentsAktuelle theoretische Entwicklungen in der Sozial- und Politikwissenschaft.- Innovative methodische Ansätze der Erklärung politischer Entscheidungsprozesse.- Aktuelle Befunde aus dem Bereich „Computational Social Science“.

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Book SynopsisEinleitung.- Die lange Entwicklungsgeschichte des ukrainischen Nationalstaates.- Institutionelles Design in der unabhängigen Ukraine: Präsidentialismus vs. Parlamentarismus, Gewaltenteilung.- Institutionelles Design in der unabhängigen Ukraine: das Wahlsystem.- Demokratische Qualität in der Ukraine – 1991 bis 2023.- Zivilgesellschaft, soziale Bewegungen und organisierte Interessen in der Ukraine.- Korruption und Oligarchismus in der Ukraine.- Das ukrainische Justiz- und Gerichtssystem.- Die politische Ökonomie der Ukraine.- Die europäische Integration der Ukraine.- Territoriale Reformen in der Ukraine.- Sozialpolitik in der postsozialistischen Ukraine.- Energie- und Umweltpolitik in der postsozialistischen Ukraine.- Bildungspolitik in der Ukraine.- Leitlinien der ukrainischen Außenpolitik 1991-2023.- Schlussfolgerungen und künftige Forschungsperspektiven.

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Book SynopsisEinleitung.- Abfallvermeidung in 22 kreisfreien Städten NRWs.- Bedingungen ambitionierter Abfallvermeidungspolitik.- Resümee.- Fallstudien.

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Book SynopsisIntroductory.- Society.- Constitution, Elections, and Politics.- Selected Policy Fields.

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Book SynopsisâœUnited in Diversityâ?

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Book SynopsisThe theory and concept of multi-level governance (MLG) is a fairly recent one, emerging from the deepening integration of the European Union in the early 1990s and the development of free trade agreements around the world. MLG enlarges the traditional approaches, namely those of neo-institutionalism and multinational federalism, by offering a better understanding of the role of the state, regions and provinces. The book analyses the changes that have taken place as well as those that might take place in the future.Table of ContentsPreface: Wyn Grant, University of WarwickIntroduction: Guy Lachapelle, Concordia University and Pablo Onate, Universidad de Valencia1. Multi-Level Governance and the Reconfiguration of Politics - New Regionalism, Federalism and the Devolution of Power in Comparative PerspectiveMichael Stein and Lisa Turkewitsch, University of TorontoAn Assessment of Multi-level Governance as an Analytical Concept Applied to Federations and Decentralised Unitary Systems:Germany versus the United KingdomYannis Papadopoulos, University of LausanneProblems of Democratic Accountability in Network and Multi-level GovernanceAlain G.-Gagnon, Universite du Quebec a Montreal (UQAM)Multi-level Governance and the Reconfiguration of Political Space2. Trust in Government in Multi-level Governance SystemsFrancisco Llera Ramo, Universidad del Pais VascoThe Rise and Fall of Institutional Trust in Spain Guy Laforest and Camille Brunelle-Hamman, Universite LavalTrust and Mistrust between Harper and Quebec3. The International Role and Responsibilities of Sub-state EntitiesDavid Criekmans, University of AntwerpThe Diplomatic Activities of Regional Sub-State Entities : Towards a Multi-Level Diplomacy?Stephane Paquin, Ecole nationale d'administration publique (ENAP) Multi-level Governance and International Trade Negotiations: the Case of Canada's Trade Agreements Joaquim Molins and Ivan Medina, Autonomous University of BarcelonaBusiness Associations and Multi-level Dynamics in Spain and the UK4. The Collective Actors and their Relations in Multi-lever Layered-out Systems: the Role of Political PartiesLori Thorlakson, University of AlbertaPolitical Parties and Party Systems in Multi-level Layered-out Systems: CanadaGuy Lachapelle, Concordia UniversityPolitical Parties as a Tool of Identity Paradiplomacy: the Case of the Parti Quebecois and the UNESCO Convention on Cultural Diversity Juan Rodriguez and Astrid Barrio, Universidad de ValenciaPolitical Parties in Multi-level Spain: Organization, Influence and StrategiesKris Deschouwer, Free University of BrusselsThe Organization and Functioning of Parties in Multi-level Belgium5. The Parliamentary Representatives and the Decision-making ProcessPablo Onate, Universidad de ValenciaPolitical Careers in Spain: Movements between Political Arenas in a Multi-level SystemKlaus Stolz, Chemnitz University of TechnologyBringing Politicians back in: Political Careers and Political Class in Multi-level SystemsPeverill Squire, University of MissouriState Legislatures and the Policy Making Process in the United States

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Book SynopsisThis book explores the transformation of India’s relations with Central and Eastern Europe from being a subset of Indo-Soviet relations during the Cold War to the rediscovery and rebuilding of relations with the region almost from scratch in the post-Cold War era. It examines how the combination of Brexit, the rise of China and India’s expanding geo-economic interests in Europe has led the Narendra Modi government to contemplate relations with Central Europe through a more strategic lens and treat the region as an autonomous element within India’s foreign policy rather than a footnote of its relations with other great powers. Fulfilling a long-felt gap in existing literature, this volume examines India’s political, economic, investment, defence and cultural relations with the Visegrad Four (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia). It analyzes Indian perceptions of Central Europe and explores prospects of New Delhi’s political and economic engagement with the region. The painstakingly compiled appendices on the exchange of bilateral visits and agreements between India and the Visegrad Four would be of immense use as a handy reference to scholars, policy-makers, and other interested persons and institutions.Trade Review“The book India and Central Europe: Perceptions, Perspectives and Prospects edited by Rajendra Jain is a welcome addition to the literature on India’s engagement with Central European countries. It is a timely Contribution … . the book provides a comprehensive analysis of India’s engagement with these countries, which is important for Indian foreign policy makers as they attempt to carve a roadmap for their relations in the future.” (Priya Vijaykumar Poojary, CEU Review of Books, ceureviewofbooks.com, September, 2023)Table of ContentsChapter 1. India and Central Europe: Perceptions and Prospects (Pramit Pal Chaudhuri).- 2. Indian Perceptions of Central Europe (Rajendra K. Jain).- Chapter 3. India and the Czech Republic (Rajendra K. Jain).- Chapter 4. India and Hungary ( Rajendra K. Jain).- Chapter 5. India and Poland (Rajendra K. Jain).- Chapter 6. India and Slovakia ( Rajendra K. Jain).- Chapter 7. India’s Economic and Trade Relations with Central Europe (Anna Wróbel).- Chapter 8. Indian Foreign Direct Investment in Central Europe (Karina Jędrzejowska and Anna Wróbel).- Chapter 9. Indian Diaspora in Central Europe (Patryk Kugiel and Konrad Pędziwiatr).- Chapter 10. The Visegrad Four and India: A Road More Travelled? (Patryk Kugiel)

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Book SynopsisJudiciary institutions in Central and Eastern Europe have become patterned on a template that maximises judicial empowerment to the detriment of national parliaments. Transnational Networks and Elite Self-Empowerment explores this new social class of elite legal professionals who make public policy in place of formal democratic institutions.Table of ContentsAbbreviations Introduction: Argument and Methods Part I: The Transnational Network Community 1: The Ambit of the Network Community 2: Identity and Solidarity 3: The Network Community in Action Part II: The Judicializing Paradigm and its Template 4: Thesis and Antithesis: To Check or Not to Check the Judiciary 5: The Assumption of Intellectual-Moral Superiority 6: The Template Conclusions Annexe: Interviewees Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisKollman and Jackson take a deep dive into the ebbs and flows of partisanship and political identification in the US, the UK, Australia, and CanadaTable of ContentsContents Preface Chapter 1. Introduction: Why Study Dynamic Partisanship? Chapter 2. Partisanship: Meaning and Measurement Chapter 3. Consistent Partisanship Models Chapter 4. The United States Chapter 5. Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom: The Setup Chapter 6. Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom: Results Chapter 7. Explaining Partisanship Dynamics Chapter 8. Parties and Partisanship References Index

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Book SynopsisKollman and Jackson take a deep dive into the ebbs and flows of partisanship and political identification in the US, the UK, Australia, and CanadaTable of ContentsContents Preface Chapter 1. Introduction: Why Study Dynamic Partisanship? Chapter 2. Partisanship: Meaning and Measurement Chapter 3. Consistent Partisanship Models Chapter 4. The United States Chapter 5. Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom: The Setup Chapter 6. Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom: Results Chapter 7. Explaining Partisanship Dynamics Chapter 8. Parties and Partisanship References Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"More than any, this book from the 76-year-old author, an accomplished scholar of governance, is a much-needed critique of what he calls the 'detached cynicism' of the death-of-democracy literature. His delightful prose is a feather in the cap of this unsentimental exploration of a hot topic." * Open Magazine *"In recent years, there has been an explosion of studies seeking to explain why, some 30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the apparent triumph of liberal democracy, democracy is under challenge by the assertive forces of autocracy in both international politics and the homelands of democracy itself. Ringen offers an important addition to this literature. How Democracies Live is accessible, lucid, and thought provoking. Highly recommended." * Choice *“In our era of democratic decline, Ringen returns to the great thinkers for a series of clear-eyed explorations about how to restore our systems of governance. A truly important book for dangerous times.” -- Tom Ginsburg, University of Chicago“A sober and passionate defense of representative democracy as humanity’s best hope for self-government. Chock full of recommendations for repair of the public culture on which effective government depends. The hard case for democracy for unsentimental realists.” -- Joel Rogers, University of Wisconsin–Madison“Ringen opens an erudite and accessible conversation about governance. The power of his bracing analysis of democracy—its value and what imperils it—sneaks up on you, and by the end, you’ll have thought seriously about the things that matter most for the state of contemporary democracy. -- Mark Tushnet, Harvard Law School“Starting with the essential role of government in providing for security and protection, Ringen shows how only representative democracy can deal with the realities of power. If you despaired of finding a work that showed how progressive policy can be rooted in a hard-headed assessment of democracy, this is the book for you.” -- Albert Weale, University College London“With artful and flowing prose, Ringen engages readers in a compelling conversation about the nature of democracy, its current malaise, and future prospects.  He argues, convincingly, that the key to salvaging democracy today is reconstructing its cultural foundations. This daunting task falls primarily on the shoulders of far-sighted leaders.” -- Maurizio Ferrera, Università degli Studi di Milano StataleTable of ContentsPreface We Need Democracy Book One The Problem of Power Book Two The Problem of Statecraft Book Three The Problem of Freedom Book Four The Problem of Poverty Book Five The Problem of Democracy Postscript We Need to Talk about Democracy Acknowledgments Notes References Index About the Author

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Book SynopsisAn illuminating investigation into why some parties evolve with their times while others fall behind. Around the world, established political parties face mounting pressures: insurgents on the Left and Right, altered media environments, new policy challenges, and the erosion of traditional strongholds, to name just a few. Yet parties have differed enormously in their ability to move with the times and update their offers to voters. This variation matters. While adaptation does not guarantee a party's electoral success, the failure to modernize can spell its decline, even collapse, and create openings for radical and populist parties that may threaten the future of liberal democracy. Parties under Pressure examines why some parties adapt meaningfully to social, economic, and political transformations while others flounder, focusing especially on the fate of Western Europe's Christian democratic parties. Matthias Dilling reveals the under-appreciated importance of party factions. Whil

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Book SynopsisThe nation-state is a double sleight of hand, naturalizing both the nation and the state encompassing it. No such naturalization is possible in multinational states. To explain why these countries experience political crises that bring their very existence into question, standard accounts point to conflicts over resources, security, and power. This book turns the spotlight on institutional symbolism.When minority nations in multinational states press for more self-government, they are not only looking to protect their interests. They are asking to be recognized as political communities in their own right. Yet satisfying their demands for recognition threatens to provoke a reaction from members of majority nations who see such changes as a symbolic repudiation of their own vision of politics. Secessionist crises flare up when majority backlash reverses symbolic concessions to minority nations. Through a synoptic historical sweep of Canada, Spain, Yugoslavia, and Czechoslovakia,Trade Review"The Symbolic State is a theoretically and empirically ambitious book that challenges scholars of decentralization and secessionism to consider the distinctive dynamics that occur within multinational states. In particular it challenges broad-brush theories of federalism and 'indirect rule' that assume a universal relationship between territorial concessions and self-determination demands. The phenomenon is far more complex and contingent than much of the existing research acknowledges." Jason Sorens, Saint Anselm College and author of Secessionism: Identity, Interest, and Strategy“An innovative perspective on secessionist claims in multinational states. … Basta’s contribution opens up new ways to address secessionist claims in multinational states, the symbolic sway of institutional recognition, and the importance of unambiguous signalling by majority groups in the run-up to secession. In particular, by analysing processes and the symbolic meaning of institutions, he provides a useful contribution to the scholarship on multinational states and comparative politics.” Europe/Asia Studies“Basta’s study represents a much welcomed, needed, and highly recommendable book for multiple strands of scholarship, not just for the comparative study of multinational states, but even on the state as well as comparative politics in general." *Zeitschrift für Vergleichende Politikwissenschaft *

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Book SynopsisPolitical institutions profoundly shape political life and are also gendered. This groundbreaking collection synthesises new institutionalism and gendered analysis using a new approach - feminist institutionalism - in order to answer crucial questions about power inequalities, mechanisms of continuity, and the gendered limits of change.Trade Review'This superb book is one of those rare collections that moves a field forward. Scholars of institutionalism, for all their vital contributions to the social sciences, have given short shrift to inequality. Feminist social scientists have made inequality their core concern ... Krook and Mackay ... open up a pathbreaking terrain for the study of feminist institutionalism.' Mary Fainsod Katzenstein, Government Department, Cornell University, USA 'A really innovative and important collection which shows, both theoretically and in rich empirical detail, the considerable challenge that feminism poses to contemporary institutionalism.' Colin Hay, Professor of Political Analysis, University of Sheffield, UK 'Based on original research, the book shows how institutionalism can benefit from a gendered analysis of power, agency and change. A fascinating and productive synthesis that will be of value to students, scholars and policymakers alike.' Vivien Lowndes, Professor of Local Government Studies, de Montfort University, UK 'Does institutionalism need a concept of gender? And does feminism need institutionalism? Probably the answers to these questions will turn on what we think is good social science. Good feminist social science is simply good social science, it is no more or less than good practice. It should concomitantly be impossible to imagine a good social science that ignores gender. Yet this is precisely what most political science does and the new institutionalism, despite its concern with power relations in institutions, is no exception. Arguably any good institutionalist should realise the importance of gender relations to the configuration of institutions. But they do not. They need to be reminded and feminist institutionalism, exemplified by the essays in this groundbreaking volume, is the reminder.' From the Foreword by Joni Lovenduski, Anniversary Professor of Politics, Birkbeck College, University of London, UK 'This book demonstrates how very much feminist and gender studies have to contribute to the 'neo-institutionalist' turn in political science. It offers major insights into the 'gendering' of institutions, with essays by top scholars on a wide range of issues, from government structures to electoral politics, family organization to welfare provision. Most importantly, it makes it clear that gender matters in a multitude of ways, and that one cannot fully understand institutional continuity or change without coming to grips with 'feminist institutionalism'.' Vivien A. Schmidt, Jean Monnet Professor of European Integration, Boston University, USA 'In Gender, Politics and Institutions, a group of international and internationally recognized scholars of gender and politics examines how political institutions function to create, sustain, structure, undermine and transform inequalities of political power between women and men. The book provides a careful elucidation of elements of institutional analysis and institutionalist theory. It undertakes a detailed discussion of gender: where gender can be found in institutions and institutional actors, and how gender works as an active if not always visible and explicit process. The various chapters address gendered institutionalist public policy, state structures, electoral competition, political development of new institutions (such as the International Criminal Court), and the continuities and disruptions that confirm and/or recast gendered political arrangements in the context of state transitions to democracy. The volume's scope of institutional analysis is matched by the range of country cases it employs, making it a powerful contribution to comparative politics research.The collection is also an acknowledgment of and a challenge to mainstream comparative political institutionalism, in each of its variants, and offers an opening for enriching and extending political science's appreciation of how political institutions function across time. Gender, Politics and Institutions is an excellent contribution to the study of political institutions, a volume that comparative scholars of institutional politics, state political development, and gender and the state will turn to as the foundational work on gender, institutions, and political power.' Karen Beckwith, Flora Stone Mather Professor of Political Science, Case Western Reserve University, USA 'This collection of essays travels across the world, carefully mixing theory and analysis from gender and institutional studies, with very promising results. The authors manage to maintain an engaging and clear dialogue, and offer a compelling insight into future research possibilities.' LSE Politics and Policy Blog 'Do we need another institutionalism? The answer is absolutely. We need institutionalism to evolve in order to situate formal and informal institutions within a context of wider social divisions including gender. This ground-breaking book, edited by Mona Lena Krook and Fiona Mackay, does precisely this. Feminist institutionalism has arrived!' Allan McConnell, Professor of Politics, University of Sydney, AustraliaTable of ContentsForeword; J.Lovenduski Introduction: Gender, Politics, and Institutions: Setting the Agenda; F.Mackay & M.L.Krook Gender and Institutions of Political Recruitment: Candidate Selection in Post-Devolution Scotland; M.Kenny Discursive Strategies for Institutional Reform: Gender Quotas in Sweden and France; L.Freidenvall & M.L.Krook Gendered Institutions and Women's Substantive Representation: Female Legislators in Argentina and Chile; S.Franceschet Gendering the Institutional Reform of the Welfare State: Germany, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland; M.Beyeler & C.Annesley Gender and Institutions of Multi-Level Governance: Child Care and Social Policy Debates in Canada; J.Grace The Institutional Roots of Post-Communist Family Policy: Comparing the Czech and Slovak Republics; H.Hašková & S.Saxonberg Gendering Federalism: Institutions of Decentralization and Power-Sharing; J.Vickers Gendered Institutionalist Analysis: Understanding Democratic Transitions; G.Waylen Nested Newness and Institutional Innovation: Expanding Gender Justice in the International Criminal Court; L.Chappell Conclusion: Towards a Feminist Institutionalism?; F.Mackay

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Book SynopsisIn Faithful to Secularism, David T. Buckley develops the concept of benevolent secularism to describe institutions that combine a basic division of religion and state with extensive room for participation of religious actors in public life.Trade ReviewThis is a powerfully argued book that makes an original case for a modern understanding of religion and politics and illustrates it brilliantly through the cases of Ireland, Senegal, and the Philippines. I predict that it will become a major work in a fast-growing field and set a new standard for excellence. -- Daniel Philpott, director of the Program on Religion & Reconciliation, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies Buckley's concept of "benevolent secularism" enriches the comparative politics literature on religion and society. A brilliant example of using field research in multiple countries for theory building. -- Alfred Stepan, Columbia University This is going to be an influential work shaping the emergent field of the comparative politics of secularism. The original concepts of "benevolent secularism" and "secular evolution," drawn from the rich historical analysis of Irish, Senegalese, and Filipino secularism, throughout a century and across two religious traditions and three continents, are likely to prove particularly fruitful in many other settings. -- Jose Casanova, Georgetown UniversityTable of ContentsList of Tables and Figures Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Benevolent Secularism: A Theory of the Religious Politics of Democracy 2. Secular Emergence in Ireland: Home Rule and Rome Rule? 3. Secular Evolution in Ireland: Religion and Post-Catholic Politics 4. Secular Emergence in Senegal: Laicite in Translation 5. Secular Evolution in Senegal: Sopi and Institutional Change 6. Secular Emergence in the Philippines: Beyond the Malolos Stalemate 7. Secular Evolution in the Philippines: People Power and Pluralization Conclusion: The Future of Religion and Secular Democracy Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis book convenes leading scholars to consider the implications of democratic success in Tunisia and failure in Egypt in comparative perspective. Contributors analyze similarities and differences among democratizing countries with large Muslim populations, considering universal challenges as well as each nation’s particular obstacles.Trade ReviewIn the age of ISIS and growing anti-Muslim bigotry embodied in the rise of Donald Trump, the claim that Islam and Muslim societies are essentially and enduringly antidemocratic has again become mainstream. This book forcefully and convincingly repudiates this proposition. Focusing on the fascinating case of Tunisia and drawing up his vast erudition on the study of democracy, Alfred Stepan makes an important and unique contribution in understanding the relationship between religion and democracy in Muslim societies. -- Nader Hashemi, the University of DenverAl Stepan was our leading theorist of how to get and keep democracy around the world. His work on the Middle East revealed great subtlety and depth of understanding, made all the more remarkable by the fact that his primary region of study was Latin America. This carefully curated volume demonstrates the influence that Stepan’s thinking has had (and will have) on generations of Middle East scholars. -- Tarek Masoud, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard UniversityAl Stepan was a giant in the field of comparative politics. His contributions to our understanding of the complicated processes of liberalization and democratization are unrivaled. The invaluable essays contained in this volume reflect Stepan’s broad intellectual range and his rich legacy as a teacher to a generation of scholars. -- Steven A. Cook, Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies, Council on Foreign RelationsStepan (Columbia) presents an edited volume that focuses on successful democratic transition in the Muslim word, a question so far neglected in comparative politics literature....Highly recommended. * Choice *An important and often original work. * Foreign Affairs *Table of ContentsForeword by Monica MarksAcknowledgmentsIntroduction by Alfred StepanPart I. Why Different Democratization Outcomes in Tunisia and Egypt? Cross-Ideological Accommodations, Constitutions, Militaries, and the Content of International Assistance1. Ennahda’s Democratic Commitments and Capabilities: Major Evolutionary Moments and Choices, by Rached Ghannouchi2. The Challenges of Democratization in the Arab World: Some Reflections on the Egyptian Case, by Carrie Rosefsky Wickham3. Mutual Accommodation: Islamic and Secular Parties and Tunisia’s Democratic Transition, by Alfred Stepan4. The Roots of Egypt’s Constitutional Catastrophe: The Necessity of Marrying an Analysis of Context, Process, and Text, by Nathan J. Brown5. Purists and Pluralists: Cross-Ideological Coalition Building in Tunisia’s Democratic Transition, by Monica Marks6. Patterns of Civil-Military Relations and Their Legacies for Democratization: Egypt Versus Tunisia, by Hicham Bou Nassif7. The Failure of the International Community to Support Tunisia, by Radwan MasmoudiPart II. Rethinking Other Democracies with Large Muslim Populations: What Policies Helped in Indonesia and India?8. Crafting Indonesian Democracy: Inclusion-Moderation and the Sacralizing of the Postcolonial State, by Jeremy Menchik9. Indian Democracy and the World’s Largest Muslim Minority, by Hilal Ahmed and Sudipta KavirajSelected BibliographyContributorsIndex

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Book SynopsisThis book convenes leading scholars to consider the implications of democratic success in Tunisia and failure in Egypt in comparative perspective. Contributors analyze similarities and differences among democratizing countries with large Muslim populations, considering universal challenges as well as each nation’s particular obstacles.Trade ReviewIn the age of ISIS and growing anti-Muslim bigotry embodied in the rise of Donald Trump, the claim that Islam and Muslim societies are essentially and enduringly antidemocratic has again become mainstream. This book forcefully and convincingly repudiates this proposition. Focusing on the fascinating case of Tunisia and drawing up his vast erudition on the study of democracy, Alfred Stepan makes an important and unique contribution in understanding the relationship between religion and democracy in Muslim societies. -- Nader Hashemi, the University of DenverAl Stepan was our leading theorist of how to get and keep democracy around the world. His work on the Middle East revealed great subtlety and depth of understanding, made all the more remarkable by the fact that his primary region of study was Latin America. This carefully curated volume demonstrates the influence that Stepan’s thinking has had (and will have) on generations of Middle East scholars. -- Tarek Masoud, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard UniversityAl Stepan was a giant in the field of comparative politics. His contributions to our understanding of the complicated processes of liberalization and democratization are unrivaled. The invaluable essays contained in this volume reflect Stepan’s broad intellectual range and his rich legacy as a teacher to a generation of scholars. -- Steven A. Cook, Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies, Council on Foreign RelationsStepan (Columbia) presents an edited volume that focuses on successful democratic transition in the Muslim word, a question so far neglected in comparative politics literature....Highly recommended. * Choice *An important and often original work. * Foreign Affairs *Table of ContentsForeword by Monica MarksAcknowledgmentsIntroduction by Alfred StepanPart I. Why Different Democratization Outcomes in Tunisia and Egypt? Cross-Ideological Accommodations, Constitutions, Militaries, and the Content of International Assistance1. Ennahda’s Democratic Commitments and Capabilities: Major Evolutionary Moments and Choices, by Rached Ghannouchi2. The Challenges of Democratization in the Arab World: Some Reflections on the Egyptian Case, by Carrie Rosefsky Wickham3. Mutual Accommodation: Islamic and Secular Parties and Tunisia’s Democratic Transition, by Alfred Stepan4. The Roots of Egypt’s Constitutional Catastrophe: The Necessity of Marrying an Analysis of Context, Process, and Text, by Nathan J. Brown5. Purists and Pluralists: Cross-Ideological Coalition Building in Tunisia’s Democratic Transition, by Monica Marks6. Patterns of Civil-Military Relations and Their Legacies for Democratization: Egypt Versus Tunisia, by Hicham Bou Nassif7. The Failure of the International Community to Support Tunisia, by Radwan MasmoudiPart II. Rethinking Other Democracies with Large Muslim Populations: What Policies Helped in Indonesia and India?8. Crafting Indonesian Democracy: Inclusion-Moderation and the Sacralizing of the Postcolonial State, by Jeremy Menchik9. Indian Democracy and the World’s Largest Muslim Minority, by Hilal Ahmed and Sudipta KavirajSelected BibliographyContributorsIndex

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