Harald Baldersheim Knihy

This book considers local autonomy, measured as a multidimensional concept, from a cross-country comparative perspective, and examines how variations can be explained and what their consequences are. It fills a gap in the literature by providing a comprehensive study of the different components of local autonomy across a large number of countries, over time. It offers a theoretically saturated concept to measure local autonomy and applies it to 39 countries, including all 28 EU member states together with Albania, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Moldova, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland Turkey and Ukraine, over a period of 25 years (1990-2014). Inhaltsverzeichnis Chapter 1: What is local autonomy?.- Chapter 2: Measuring local autonomy.- Chapter 3: Legal foundations.- Chapter 4: Functional responsibilities.- Chapter 5: Financial control.- Chapter 6: Organisational choice.- Chapter 7: Administrative supervision.- Chapter 8: Vertical access.- Chapter 9: The Local Autonomy Index (LAI).- Chapter 10: A new typology of local government? Beyond North-South and East-West.- Chapter 11: Who governs? Patterns of responsiveness and accountability.- Chapter 12: Roadmap to local autonomy? Drivers of variation.- Chapter 13: Blessings of local autonomy? Does it matter? For what? How?.- Chapter 14: Conclusions: Local Autonomy patterns, dynamics and ambiguities.

First published in 1999, this volume is a study of regional and local co-operation across national borders in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and also of regional co-operation out of the area - across the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and in the Barents region.

This book is the first volume of aseries that aims at taking stock of the status of local democracy at the beginning of a new century. Modern local govern th me nt is largely a 19 century invention in response to processes of urbanisa tion and industrialisation. It became charged with the mundane tasks of pav ing and lighting streets, collecting refuse and providing clean water and sanitary sewerage, sometimes also acquiring a role in education and health. Anyone who has experienced a breakdown in such services knows how es sential they are to civilised life in urban society. Urban civilisation could simply not exist without working municipalities. The importance of munici pal functions ensures that the control over the municipality becomes a vital political issue. In most countries, democratisation of local government pre ceded and was an important step towards a fuH national democracy. Munici palities offered potential for the realisation of democratic citizenship at a comprehensible level of government and also became training grounds for participation in democracy on a larger scale. As institutions of the industrial era, local governments may not necessarily be able to respond adequately to the needs and aspirations of citizens of a post-industrial and global age. There are signs that citizens in a number of countries are loosing patience with local government. However, many municipalities also seek to open up new chan nels of participation for and communication with citizens.

What is special about small states? How do they adapt their policies and governance in turbulent times, such as during a new security environment and the international financial crisis? Experts provide insights into the constraints and opportunities for governance in an interdependent and increasingly unstable global setting. They explore how small states respond to radical changes in the international landscape and the role of political institutions in shaping policy responses. Additionally, the impact of political leadership on stability during periods of change is examined. This comparative study focuses on the governance processes of Norway and Slovakia, two small European nations with open economies that have faced similar global challenges, including post-Cold War security shifts and financial crises. Both countries also grapple with internal pressures from rising expectations and demographic changes affecting their welfare systems. Their governance structures are influenced by distinct political-administrative cultures, historical contexts, and the stability of their democratic institutions, as well as their varying relationships with the European Union and regional integration frameworks. This comparative approach not only highlights the specific adaptations in governance within these two states but also offers broader insights into the role of integration structures in facilitating or constraining change.

The book provides a the state-of-the-art of local government studies, with an emphasis on contributions by political science. Particular attention is paid to the development of the research agenda in the field, of which a potential future development is outlined.