Regional, state and local government policies Books

Book SynopsisWhile a number of movements seek state secession, the majority never achieves internationally recognized statehood. Paradoxically, some movements that have succeeded have had weaker claims to statehood than many movements that have failed. Regional Politics and State Secession seeks to explain the variation in outcomes for secessionist movements and explores the reasons for why some movements succeed when so many fail.The author proposes a novel theory of secession based on the politics of the region, with the argument that only those secessionist movements that have the support of regional state and institutional actors will succeed in achieving internationally recognized statehood. Through an analysis of six movements across three regions, this book demonstrates why and how regional actors hold the key to understanding when a secessionist movement will find success. This work will appeal to an interdisciplinary academic audience. It lies at the intersection of international relations, international law, and comparative politics. While its core argument is based in international relations, its engagement with legal issues and its in-depth case studies, make it particularly relevant for those interested in international law and comparative politics.Trade Review‘Through a combination of perspectives from international relations, international law, and in-depth case studies, Nelson proposes an innovative argument on the role of regional actors in the success or failure of state secession. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in topics such as sovereignty, the state, and relations between regional actors and global powers.’ -- André Guzzi, Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV), Brazil‘Regional Politics and State Secession is a superb study that elucidates the decisive role of regional actors in determining the success or failure of secessionist movements. By focusing on the role of states in proximity to secessionist movements—their efforts to provide material aid, coordinate diplomatic initiatives, and influence the responses of great powers—Nelson charts a course for a far-reaching reevaluation of the factors that really matter when polities seek statehood. Nelson makes her case with brisk and engaging prose, deftly marshalling evidence from African, European, and Asian cases, in the best tradition of International Relations scholarship informed by nuanced historical analysis. While the path to statehood is Nelson’s focus, her analysis offers a wealth of insights for scholarship around regional rivalry and cooperation, relations among great powers and smaller states, and the politics of diplomacy and civil conflict. In short, this text is essential reading for all of those concerned with some of the most urgent and weighty questions of contemporary international affairs.’ -- Sobukwe Odinga, University of California, Los AngelesTable of ContentsContents: 1. Introduction to secession in Regional Politics and State Secession 2. The significance of the region 3. Secession in South Asia 4. Secession in the Horn of Africa 5. Secession in Europe 6. Conclusion to Regional Politics and State Secession References Index

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Book SynopsisDuring the 1990s the gambling industry transformed its image by referring to itself as the 'gaming industry'. While critics of the industry scoffed at this transformation as merely a meaningless name change, it has had profound effects on the business and public policies that face the newly transformed gaming industry.The book is divided into three parts. The first part focuses on the historical and cultural forces that have shaped the new gaming industry. Emphasis is placed on the two types of games (agon - games of skill, and alea - games of chance). It is shown that the types of games a society embraces have a significant impact on whether gambling is permitted to enter the mainstream of the entertainment industry.The second part of the book analyzes how each segment (pari-mutuel betting, lotteries and casinos) competes in the new industry. The political and social implications of gaming are the focus of the final part, which concludes with a series of recommendations that will enable the industry, public policy officials and anti-gambling activists to construct policies that mitigate some of the problems associated with gambling.The book will be of particular interest to students, practitioners and scholars in public policy. It will also be pertinent to readers in economics, political science and business.Table of ContentsContents: Preface Part I: From Gambling to Gaming 1. A Brief History of US Gambling 2. From Gambling to Gaming: What’s in a Name Part II: The Economics of the Gaming Industry 3. The Segments of the Casino Industry: From Gambling Den to Mega-Resort 4. The States’ Favorite Form of Gaming: Lotteries and the Various Strategies for Conducting Lotteries 5. Pari-Mutuel Betting: A Distant Third Part III: The Political and Social Environment for the Gaming Industry 6. A Social and Political Model for the Gambling Industry 7. Gambling and Warning Labels: A New Danger for the Gambling Industry 8. Gambling: Where We Are and Where We Might Go Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisInternationalization and demands for more democratic influence at the local level have undermined the traditional methods of policy analysis. This path-breaking book is an institutional analysis of the new networks in public governance. Traditional policy analysis takes as its starting point national legislation and then traces the public policy process through the hierarchical chain of agencies which implement directives. In this book, Peter Bogason takes a postmodern approach which recognizes increasing fragmentation within institutional organizations, and offers an alternative 'bottom-up' approach to the analysis of local governance. He discusses collective action at the local level and describes how it is linked to the public sector through the need for financial, expert and legal resources, and thereby creates a link where 'public action' becomes 'public policy'. The analysis disregards which agencies have formal responsibilities for action and instead focuses on who actually makes public policy, regardless of formal status - public or private, international, central or local.This book will prove interesting reading for all students and scholars of public policy and public administration, as well as political scientists.Trade Review'Public Policy and Local Governance is an interesting and generally well-written book (this is no minor accomplishment given the sophistication of the argument and the fact that English is not Bogason's mother-tongue). Bogason engages a wide range of disciplines in his examination, including policy science, public administration, political philosophy, sociology, economics, and cultural theory - to name a few - and uses his enviable knowledge to produce an erudite, well-rounded argument for his suggested approach to public policy analysis. These features combine with others (including a substantial bibliography and a helpful index) to offer a thoughtful study that makes a useful contribution to the existing literature.' -- Shaun P. Young, Canadian Public Administration'This is a well-argued book.' -- Local Government StudiesTable of ContentsContents: Preface 1. Introduction 2. Modernity, Postmodern Conditions and the Public Power 3. Collective Action in Networks 4. Institutional Theory 5. Institutional Network Analysis Bottom-up 6. Constructing Research Bottom-up 7. Conclusion References Index

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Book SynopsisIn recent decades, local government has become increasingly complex. The Political Economy of Local Government draws upon recent developments in economics, including new institutional economics, and contemporary advances in the theories of social capital and leadership, in order to explain local government policy formulation.The authors go beyond the study of local public goods to explore the sources of market failure and examine whether local authorities are more susceptible to certain types of government failure. In addition, a transaction cost analysis of markets, hierarchies and networks is applied to ascertain the comparative institutional advantage local authorities might have in the supply of local governance. The book also considers the extent of the influence that these recent advances in the theories of social capital and leadership have on the process and implementation of local government policy. This book offers a fresh and readily accessible perspective on the political economy of local government policy making, and will be of particular interest to students and practitioners of economics, political science, public administration, policy studies and local government.Trade Review'The authors raise a wide range of thoughts for further analysis, and their book should be seen as a valuable - and indeed invaluable - catalyst for further study.' -- David N. King, The Economic JournalTable of ContentsContents: Preface 1. Introduction 2. Market Failure and Local Government 3. Government Failure and Local Government 4. The Empirical Measurement of Local Government Efficiency 5. New Institutional Economics and Alternative Mechanisms of Local Governance 6. The Political Economy of Local Government Reform 7. A Case Study of Local Government Reform in New Zealand 8. Conclusion References Index

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Book SynopsisThis book provides a long-term perspective on policies regarding intergovernmental grants in the US since the 1970s. This period spans six presidential administrations and encompasses a diverse set of political and economic conditions. Containing original research, this book contributes to critical assessments of intergovernmental grant issues such as: whether state and local government spending responds symmetrically to increases or decreases in federal aid the effects of converting categorical grants to block grants on program spending; and the political economy of federal aid distribution. >The author's empirical analyses are based on a unique data set of US federal intergovernmental grants and cover a range of programs, including transportation, substance abuse prevention and treatment, and community development and welfare. The book is a rich source of material on intergovernmental grants and fiscal relations for scholars and practitioners in public policy, political science, economics and public finance.Table of ContentsContents: 1. Introduction Appendix 1. US Intergovernmental Grant Data and Sources 2. Asymmetric Responses to Increases and Decreases in Grants Appendix 2A. Response of State and Local Highway Spending to Increases and Decreases in Federal Highway Grants Appendix 2B. Asymmetric Responses in Economic Models 3. Federal Block Grants Implications for Spending Effort by States and Localities Appendix 3. The Effect of Federal Alcohol and Drug Abuse Block Grants on State and Local Government Spending: The Role of Federal Oversight 4. Political Economy of Grant Allocations: The Case of Federal Aid for Highways Appendix 4: Political Economy of Federal Aid for Highways Additional Empirical Results Index

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Book SynopsisWhy do some policies succeed so well while others, in the same sector or country, fail dramatically? The aim of this book is to answer this question and provide systematic research on the nature, sources and consequences of policy failure. The expert contributors analyse and evaluate the success and failure of four policy areas (Steel, Health Care, Finance, HIV and the Blood Supply) in six European countries, namely France, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, Spain and Sweden. The book is therefore able to compare success and failure across countries as well as policy areas, enabling a test of a variety of theoretical assumptions about policy making and government. The book also sheds more light on the legitimacy of governance in Western Europe and goes beyond understanding the concepts of success and failure to explaining their genesis empirically.Success and Failure in Public Governance will be of interest to academics and researchers of political science, public policy and public administration as well as to practitioners of public policy.Trade Review'Success and Failure in Public Governance fills a void . . . This valuable book should . . . prompt research that moves away from the present, somewhat static, institutional analysis toward studies that focus on political actors and their crafting of strategies that more or less successfully meet policy challenges that always contain a poisonous mixture of programmatic and political problems, given the prevailing political and institutional constraints.' -- Jorgen Gronnegaard Christensen, Journal of Public Administration Research and TheoryTable of ContentsContents: Foreword Part I: Evaluating and Explaining Public Governance: General Introduction Part II: Managing Decline: Public Policy and the Steel Sector Part III: Managing Reform: Public Policy and the Health Sector Part IV: Managing Innovation: Public Policy and the Financial Sector Part V: Managing Crisis: HIV and Blood Supply Part VI: Comparisons, Conclusions, Reflections Index

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Book SynopsisThis book provides an extensive evaluation of the numerous policy instruments used by regional governments in Europe to promote innovation activity in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The instruments are compared and benchmarked in order to identify 'good practice', in an effort to bridge the gap between the theory of regional innovation and real-world policy implementation.The authors argue for a new policy paradigm and highlight the value of an interactive style of policy intervention. Since the majority of SMEs have a limited resource base with regard to innovation, they need external orientation to understand and adapt to their environment. Thus, the main role for policy should be to increase the innovative capacity of a region and its SMEs by fostering interactive learning both within firms, and within the region as a whole. The authors also collect extensive data on the efficiency of innovation-driven policy measures and introduce three key concepts for successful regional innovation policy: coherence, interactivity and cumulative character.This volume will provide practical lessons and useful comparative results for a variety of professionals working on SME-oriented innovation at the EU, national and regional level. In particular, the mix of theoretical and empirical material will be of considerable interest to academics and researchers studying regional innovation systems and their role in knowledge-based economies. The book will also appeal to professional consultants, practitioners and policymakers who will find the frameworks for the evaluation and design of innovation policies to be of immense value.Trade Review'The book will be of great interest to academics, entrepreneurs and policymakers. The exhaustive study of various instruments, practices and gateways and barrier to successful innovation policies has provided invaluable insights.' -- M.M. Anand, Global Business Review'A must read for academics and regional planners alike who wish to understand the workings of a regional innovation system. The authors have given a fresh, comprehensive and sound analysis which offers an excellent framework for regional innovation policy design.' -- Mikel Landabaso, European Commission, Brussels, BelgiumTable of ContentsContents: Foreword Part I: SMEs, Innovation and Regions: Conceptual Background 1. The Role and Characteristics of SMEs in Innovation 2. SMEs and the Regional Dimension of Innovation Part II: Innovation Processes and Policy Context 3. National and Regional Contexts for Innovation 4. Innovation Patterns of SMEs Part III: Evaluation of Innovation Policy Instruments 5. Innovation Policies for SMEs: An Overview of Policy Instruments 6. Results and Impacts of Policy Instruments 7. Coherence of Innovation Policy Instruments Part VI: SMEs, Innovation and Regions: Designing Policies 8. Towards a New Paradigm for Innovation Policy? Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisHow large should local governments be? Scholars and public sector reformers alike have asked this question for many years. Size and Local Democracy investigates this subject in four countries where local governments play an important role but are different in size and structure - Switzerland, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands. Based on unique comparative data, the authors explore whether the size of municipalities has consequences for its citizens’ democratic perceptions, attitudes and behaviours. Chapters build cumulatively on findings of the previous chapters, to conclude that increased size may not necessarily benefit the quality of local democracy.Scholars and students with an interest in democracy or local government will find this analytical book of interest. It will also be a useful resource to practitioners with a focus on public sector reforms.Trade Review‘This is a clearly structured, well written and highly innovative contribution to the old question of whether size matters for the quality of democracy. By analysing survey and aggregate data from 234 municipalities in Switzerland, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway, the authors present broad empirical evidence on the varying impact of size on democracy. Size relates differently to various attributes of good citizenship and plays a different role in the four countries. The theoretically and methodologically ambitious study conveys important and interesting results and deserves broad attention in the community.’ -- Oscar W. Gabriel, University of Stuttgart/German Research Institute of Public Administration, Speyer, Germany‘How big is good? Leaders committed to one answer have spent billions, destroyed entire cities and towns, and created new bureaucracies - from Scandinavia to Japan. This study should transform discussion of how a “simple” question is asked, and answered. It shows that most of the clear and simple answers are wrong; size impacts are often minimal, or embedded in complexities. The logic and rigor of the answers sets this book apart from everything earlier. It is a model that should inspire imitation on related topics.’ -- Terry Nichols Clark, University of Chicago, US‘This book synthesizes a burgeoning literature addressing the impact of size on the quality of local democracy, understood across several dimensions. It is a stimulating read, based on prodigious research, and with practical import for those who work in and study local politics. Strongly recommended.’ -- John Gerring, Boston University, US‘The authors of this important book have addressed a neglected question in the study of public policy and local politics: how large should local units be? Denters and Co should be congratulated for effectively and succinctly interrogating the evidence in an accessible and robust manner. Contrary to the reformers, they find that small may be more beautiful after all. Democracy may be enhanced by smaller units: it is important to say this and this book does so with complete authority.’ -- Peter John, University College London, UKTable of ContentsContents: Part I. Introduction 1. Size and Local Democracy 2. Confronting the Research Challenge 3. The Research Context Part II. The Social and Political Environment of Local Government 4. Social Embeddedness 5. Perceived Government Challenges Part III. Cognitive and Evaluative Aspects of Democracy 6. Political Interest and Knowledge 7. Political Competence 8. Political Confidence 9. Satisfaction with Municipal Performance Part IV. Participatory Aspects of Democracy 10. Elections and Electoral Participation 11. Non-electoral Participation 12. Direct Democratic Participation in Switzerland Part V. Conclusion 13. Through the Funnel of Causality 14. Size and Local Democracy – A Summary Aassessment Index

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Book SynopsisShows that a fraught historical process was at work in which Basotho drew on local and global sources of knowledge and how this small nation surrounded by South Africa can serve as a valuable case-study for wider conversations about 'progress' and 'modernization' in the Global South.

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Book SynopsisThis is the only book that provides a comparative analysis of local government reforms in six developed Anglo-American countries: Australia, New Zealand, Britain, Ireland, the United States and Canada. The authors provide important insights on the factors that have driven local government reforms and the effects of those reforms. The emphasis on these English-speaking common law democracies facilitates an analysis of the essential features of local government reform programs and the common factors driving them.The book is unique in that it provides a systematic comparative analysis of municipal reform by using an analytical framework that focuses on structural, functional, financial, jurisdictional and organizational/managerial reform in each of the six countries. It can be used as a valuable reading in advanced level undergraduate and graduate courses in local government and public administration politics, as well as in local government administration and policy making. Academics and students of local government and policy makers will be pleased with this thorough treatment of the subject.Trade Review'Written by an impressive array of experts, this book surveys local government reforms in six advanced democracies, federal and unitary, which share a municipal legacy: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and the US. . . The book has an excellent bibliography and will help open up a field heretofore noted for its insularity. Recommended.' -- A.J. Ward, ChoiceTable of ContentsContents: 1. Introduction Brian E. Dollery, Joseph Garcea and Edward C. LeSage Jr. 2. Local Government Reforms in Australia Neil Marshall 3. Local Government Reforms in New Zealand Mike Reid 4. Local Government Reforms in Britain Michael Cole 5. Local Government Reforms in Ireland Mark Callanan and Muiris MacCarthaigh 6. Local Government Reforms in the United States James Svara and Christopher Hoene 7. Local Government Reforms in Canada Joseph Garcea and Edward C. LeSage Jr. 8. Comparative Overview and Assessment of Reforms Brian E. Dollery, Joseph Garcea and Edward C. LeSage Jr. References Index

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Book SynopsisThe relationship between citizens and local decision makers is a long standing policy pre-occupation and has often been the subject of debate by politicians across parties. Recent governments have sought to empower, activate and give responsibility to some citizens, while other groups have been abandoned or ignored. Drawing on extensive up-to-date empirical work by leading researchers in the field, "Changing local governance, changing citizens" aims to explain what debates about local governance mean for local people. Questions addressed include: what new demands are being made on citizens and why? Which citizens are affected and how have they responded? What difference do changing forms of local governance make to people's lives? The book explores governance and citizenship in relation to multiculturalism, economic migration, community cohesion, housing markets, neighbourhoods, faith organisations, behaviour change and e-democracy in order to establish a differentiated, contemporary view of the ways that citizens are constituted at the local level today. "Changing local governance, changing citizens" provides a pertinent and robustly empirical contribution to current debates amongst policy makers, academics, practitioners and local communities about how to respond to this changing policy framework. It will be of interest to post-graduate students and academic researchers in politics, public and social policy, sociology, local government and urban studies, as well as policy makers and practitioners.Trade Review"This book offers a new contribution to the field of citizen involvement and participation in public services......useful for both academics and students and there is also something in here for policy makers." Catherine M Farrell in Public Administration"A robust and prescient empirical analysis of the changing relationship between citizens and the local state, offering a unique perspective on how a citizen centred approach can reshape local governance." Helen Sullivan, Research Director and Palmer Chair of Public Service Partnerships, University of Birmingham"It seems everyone wants to engage citizens more fully in local governance. This excellent collection will be an invaluable guide for policy makers intent on learning from the past, understanding what works and building practice on sound conceptual foundations." Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive, RSATable of ContentsContents: Introduction ~ Catherine Durose, Stephen Greasley, Liz Richardson; Citizen governance and reforming public management ~ Prof. Peter John; 'Double devolution' and the turn to neighbourhoods ~ Catherine Durose and Liz Richardson; Multiculturalism and community cohesion ~ Matthew Goodwin; Citizens' housing aspirations and ethnically mixed neighbourhoods ~ Bethan Harries and Liz Richardson; Urban housing market restructuring and the re-casting of neighbourhood governance and community ~ James Rees; Faith, citizenship and community cohesion ~ Rachael Chapman and Leila Thorp; New migrants and local government: poles apart? ~ Leila Thorp; Every Child's Voice Matters? The new governance of children's services ~ Harriet Churchill; Changing behaviour: a new agenda for the public sector? ~ Rebecca Askew, Stephen Greasley, Liz Richardson; e-Citizenship: reconstructing the public online ~ Prof. Lawrence Pratchett; Conclusion ~ Catherine Durose, Stephen Greasley, Liz Richardson.

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Book SynopsisCollaborative working is an established feature of the public, business and third sector environments, but its effectiveness can be hampered by complex structural and personal variants. This original book explores the influence of agency through the role of individual actors in collaborative working processes, known as boundary spanners. It examines the different aspects of the boundary spanner's role and discusses the skills, abilities, and experience that are necessary. It will be of interest to academics, researchers and students interested in this field of study, and provides learning for policy makers and practitioners active in the fields of collaboration.Trade Review"an important contribution toward understanding collaboration." Voluntas"We know that agency can be key to collaborative success. Now thanks to this highly original, accessible and well-researched book, we have a much better understanding of who the key agents are, what they do and how they do it. A sound investment for policy makers, practitioners and academics." Helen Sullivan, Director, Centre for Public Policy, University of Melbourne, Australia"Partnership working has long been the holy grail of public services delivery, but has been addressed by endless structural reconfigurations. In this excellent book on the role and nature of 'boundary spanners', Williams shifts the focus onto the people who really make partnerships work effectively." Professor Bob Hudson, School of Applied Social Sciences, Durham UniversityTable of ContentsIntroduction; Policy context: Intra and intersectoral collaboration; Structure and agency; The role and competencies of boundary spanners; Challenges in the boundary spanning role; Learning from the private sector; We are all boundary spanners now? Implications for policy and practice; Reflections and conclusion.

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Book SynopsisMany economic issues that touch the life of millions of people are more complex than most people thought. From the U.S financial crisis to regional cooperation, from the oil price shock to climate change, policy conflicts abound. The book distills some of these conflicts and argues that understanding the nature and intensity of trade-offs is a key to resolving the conflicts. It can help improve the quality of policy debate, and remind us about what really matters. What caused the 2007/08 crisis, how could problems in a small segment of mortgage market bring down the world's largest economy, what effects an oil price surge had, and how the policy response to climate change can benefit the poor? With a better understanding about the complexity of interrelations, multiple goals that seemingly at odds in all those issues are not necessarily in conflict with each other. When conflicts are acute, reverting to the ultimate and more fundamental goals can help resolve the problem. What alternative systems to explore (e.g., with regulatory rules and incentive system that minimizes mismanagement and greed), and which segments of society to focus on (e.g., the poor in developing countries) are among key attributes in such fundamental goals. The book provides enlightening glimpse of complexity in many policy conflicts.Table of ContentsAcknowledgment. Foreword. Chapter 1 Introduction. Chapter 2 global imbalances. Chapter 3 Financial crisis. Chapter 4 Regional financial arrangement. Chapter 5 Oil price increase. Chapter 6 Mitigating climate change. Chapter 7 Lessons and conclusions. References. Index. Contributions to Conflict Management, Peace Economics and Development Volume 9. Crisis, Complexity and Conflict. Copyright page. List of Tables. List of Figures. Preface.

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Book SynopsisCurrent policy encourages 'partnerships' - between statutory organisations and professionals; public and private sectors; with voluntary organisations and local communities. But is this collaborative discourse really as distinctive as the Labour Government claims? How far do contemporary partnerships exemplify an approach to governing which is based on networks (as distinct from hierarchies and markets)? Partnerships, New Labour and the governance of welfare: provides an up-to-date critical analysis of partnerships; addresses the highly topical theme of 'partnerships' as the means of achieving joined-up government; presents empirical evidence from a wide range of welfare partnerships; examines the relationships between local welfare partnerships and the management of those partnerships by central government; reveals the imbalance of power which characterises many contemporary partnerships. · It is essential reading for academics and students of contemporary social and public policy and for those with an interest in networks and other theories of welfare governance.Trade Review"The concept of 'partnership' assumes many different forms in the complext world of British social welfare. Martin Powell and his co-authors provide a clear and comprehensive account of the origins and many practical applications of this concept." Robert Pinker, Emeritus Professor of Social Administration, London School of EconomicsTable of ContentsContents: Introduction Martin Powell and Caroline Glendinning; Partnerships, quasi-networks and social policy ~ Martin Powell and Mark Exworthy; Partnership and the remaking of welfare governance ~ John Clarke and Caroline Glendinning; What is a 'successful' partnership and how can it be measured? ~ Bob Hudson and Brian Hardy; Partnership at the front line: the WellFamily service and primary care ~ Karen Clarke and Kirstein Rummery; Building capacity for collaboration in English Health Action Zones ~ Marian Barnes and Helen Sullivan; Partnerships for local governance: citizens, communities and accountability ~ Guy Daly and Howard Davis; Partnerships with the voluntary sector: can Compacts work? ~ Pete Alcock and Duncan Scott; Dangerous liaisons: local government and the voluntary and community sectors ~ Gary Craig and Marilyn Taylor; 'Together we'll crack it': partnership and the governance of crime prevention ~ Gordon Hughes and Eugene McLaughlin; Regeneration partnerships under New Labour: a case of creeping centralisation ~ Jonathan S. Davies; Education Action Zones ~ Marny Dickson, Sharon Gewirtz, David Halpin, Sally Power and Geoff Whitty; Public-private partnerships - the case of PFI ~ Sally Ruane; Public-private partnerships in pensions policies ~ Sue Ward; Towards a theory of welfare partnerships ~ Kirstein Rummery.

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Book SynopsisThis report addresses key challenges facing policy makers, practitioners and academics in their efforts to understand and impact on the changing nature of urban environments today. Combining a detailed case study of the city of Bristol with wide-ranging information and analysis from other sources, the report looks at: the dynamics of employment and population change including the challenges of household growth, urban expansion and new patterns of edge-city development; urban renaissance, urban renewal and the prospects for a turn-around in the fortunes of urban areas; patterns and processes of social exclusion and social polarisation, persisting even in the face of competitive success; the role of the new knowledge-based sectors including financial and business services and the cultural and media sectors; the changing spatial architecture of urban and regional governance and its capacity to shape the towns and cities of the future. Urban transformation and urban governance is essential reading for practitioners and policy makers with an interest in urban policy, regeneration and renewal; voluntary and community sector workers; and academics and students.Trade Review"... a useful model for councils wishing to develop a robust understanding of the environment in which they operate." Local Government First"... a coherent approach to the detailed study of urban policy, its strengths lie in empirical description rather than critical analysis and/or theoretical evaluation." AreaTable of ContentsContents: Introduction ~ Martin Boddy; The changing city ~ Martin Boddy; Reshaping the city ~ Christine Lambert and Ian Smith; City of money? ~ Shaun French and Andrew Leyshon; City of culture? ~ Keith Bassett, Ron Griffiths and Ian Smith; Social exclusion and the polarised city ~ Martin Boddy; Towards collaborative capacity ~ Murray Stewart; Conclusions: shaping the urban future ~ Martin Boddy.

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Book SynopsisRemaking governance focuses on the dynamics of change as new strategies - active citizenship, public participation, partnership working, consumerism - encounter existing institutions. It explores different sites and practices of governing, from the remaking of Europe to the increasing focus on 'community' and 'personhood' in governing social life. The authors critically engage with existing theory across political science, social policy, sociology and public administration and management to explore how 'the social' is constituted through governance practices. This includes the ways in which the spaces and territories of governing are remade and the peoples constituted; how the public domain is re-imagined and new forms of state-citizen relationships fostered and how the remaking of governance shapes our understanding of politics, changing the ways in which citizens engage with political power and the selves they bring to that engagement. Remaking governance is essential reading for academics and students across a range of social science disciplines, and of interest to those engaged in policy evaluation and reform.Trade Review"Remaking Governance is a search for the 'social' in social policy. It also underlines the role of the nation states and national governments in contrast to the 'hollowing out of the state' theses of governance literature. This edited book successfully presents an enhanced view of the term social to rethink governance." Political Studies Review"This edited book successfully presents an enhanced view of the term social to rethink governance." Political Studies ReviewTable of ContentsIntroduction ~ Janet Newman; Reconstituting Europe: governing a European people? ~ John Clarke; Governance and the constitution of a European social ~ Emma Carmel; Remaking European governance: transition, accession and integration ~ Noémi Lendvai; Regendering governance ~ Janet Newman; Welfare governance and the remaking of citizenship ~ Håkan Johansson and Bjørn Hvinden; Participative governance and the remaking of the public sphere ~ Janet Newman; Promoting democratic governance through partnerships? ~ Rebekah Sterling; Among everyday makers and expert citizens ~ Henrik Bang; Governance and the transformation of political representation ~ Michael Saward; Conclusion ~ Janet Newman.

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Book SynopsisRemaking governance focuses on the dynamics of change as new strategies - active citizenship, public participation, partnership working, consumerism - encounter existing institutions. It explores different sites and practices of governing, from the remaking of Europe to the increasing focus on 'community' and 'personhood' in governing social life. The authors critically engage with existing theory across political science, social policy, sociology and public administration and management to explore how 'the social' is constituted through governance practices. This includes the ways in which the spaces and territories of governing are remade and the peoples constituted; how the public domain is re-imagined and new forms of state-citizen relationships fostered and how the remaking of governance shapes our understanding of politics, changing the ways in which citizens engage with political power and the selves they bring to that engagement. Remaking governance is essential reading for academics and students across a range of social science disciplines, and of interest to those engaged in policy evaluation and reform.Trade Review"Remaking Governance is a search for the 'social' in social policy. It also underlines the role of the nation states and national governments in contrast to the 'hollowing out of the state' theses of governance literature. This edited book successfully presents an enhanced view of the term social to rethink governance." Political Studies Review"This edited book successfully presents an enhanced view of the term social to rethink governance." Political Studies ReviewTable of ContentsIntroduction ~ Janet Newman; Reconstituting Europe: governing a European people? ~ John Clarke; Governance and the constitution of a European social ~ Emma Carmel; Remaking European governance: transition, accession and integration ~ Noémi Lendvai; Regendering governance ~ Janet Newman; Welfare governance and the remaking of citizenship ~ Håkan Johansson and Bjørn Hvinden; Participative governance and the remaking of the public sphere ~ Janet Newman; Promoting democratic governance through partnerships? ~ Rebekah Sterling; Among everyday makers and expert citizens ~ Henrik Bang; Governance and the transformation of political representation ~ Michael Saward; Conclusion ~ Janet Newman.

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Book SynopsisThis unique collection combines historical accounts with current socio-political analyses to present an agenda for social-spacial justice for the people of the Eastern Cape.

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Book SynopsisThis is an important book about one of England's most fascinating regions - Yorkshire. Colin Speakman explores Yorkshire's origin as an independent Anglo-Viking Kingdom whose capital was York, which for many centuries was England's second city. Yorkshire was divided into not one but three ancient counties or shires, East, North and West Riding, which survived until 1974. The book celebrates the extraordinary variety of landscapes and rich cultural heritage through what is described as the nine great 'cultural landscapes' that make Yorkshire one of the most distinctive and fascinating regions of England. As an environmentalist, Speakman's interest lies primarily in the landscapes of the Dales, Moors, Wolds and South Pennines, but this is blended with an understanding of the cultural and industrial forces that shaped the landscapes we see today. But this ground-breaking book also looks ahead to a new post Brexit, post pandemic world in which the environment takes centre stage, with the emergence of new greener technologies that promise new economic prosperity for the people of the region, making a powerful case for English Devolution to allow Yorkshire to fulfil its potential within both Britain and Europe.

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Book SynopsisThe 2019 general election radically changed the political map of England. People in “left-behind towns” want politics to reflect and respond to their needs. England needs its own devolution, and this book includes case studies where local communities have tackled these problems and embraced regeneration. These include the metropolitan areas of Greater London, Liverpool, Newcastle Upon Tyne, and Plymouth and the smaller towns of Stamford, Grantham and Blyth Valley, Northumberland, one of the Red Wall constituencies that changed political allegiance at the 2019 general election. England's Future discusses how politics influence the environment in England. Covering Brexit, the pandemic, and the 2019 general election, among other themes, this book will appeal to those who enjoy books on politics, social history, education, the environment and to those working in councils and the wider public sector.

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Book SynopsisPublic services are in crisis. NHS backlogs, police forces in disarray and a housing crisis growing ever worse. Whole areas of our national infrastructure are in a mess including energy, water and rail. In this book, Sir Robin Wales and Clive Furness demonstrate how these issues are linked and what can be done to solve them. They reflect on the current frustration with public service bureaucracy and its failure to deliver as it should and demonstrate, with evidence and examples, what needs to be done to create public services which deliver on their original aspiration. They take readers on a rollercoaster journey through two successful decades in charge of one of Britain’s most deprived councils – highlighting how they changed the face of east London by overhauling political and social cultures and helping, in the process, to deliver London’s 2012 Olympic Games. Part autobiographical account of policy successes, part ode to the forgotten days of social democracy, and part critique of the Left’s current obsession with ‘woke’ culture, the authors draw on their vast experience and, with engaging humour, deliver 2023’s most important assessment of how the Labour movement can shake off its self-imposed shackles.

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Book SynopsisHow does the elite continue to affect the evolution of local communities in the developing region of former Sovietized Europe? This book is concerned with the issue of local leadership in the countries of East-Central Europe. It is an attempt to examine, with a comparative method, the profile and the role of the local political elites (members of the Municipal Councils) in six towns in six transitional democracies of the region.

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Book SynopsisFifteen articles on recent reforms and policy in the field of adult education.

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Book Synopsis

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