This book focuses on local state-society relations, understood as institutionalised relations between local municipalities across Europe and individual, collective or corporate societal actors. It presents a typology of local state-society relations, and applies this to characterise the most relevant institutionalised relations between local government and societal actors at the municipal level in 22 European countries. The comparative volume will clarify whether or not patterns can be detected in the makeup of different types of networks; whether or not these patterns are country-specific or policy-specific; and why cases exist which are so distinct that they are not subsumable under a certain pattern. Taken together, this book will go beyond national typologies to emphasise the role of agency and innovation in particular policy sectors, providing a major contribution in the study of the local governance of Europe. It will appeal to scholars and students of local governance, public administration, urban planning and European studies.
Author(s): Björn Egner, Hubert Heinelt, Jakub Lysek, Patricia Silva, Filipe Teles
Series: Palgrave Studies in Sub-National Governance
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Year: 2022
Language: English
Pages: 387
City: Cham
Contents
Notes on Contributors
List of Figures
List of Tables
Chapter 1: Introduction: The Book’s Scope and Content
What Is the Main Focus of This Book?
The Survey of Local State-Society Relations: How It Was Prepared and Carried Out and How to Interpret the Results
Main Findings of the Survey and the Content of the Book
References
Part I: General Insights on Local State-Society Relations
Chapter 2: Devil in Details: Beyond Deceptive Comparisons of European Local Governments
Introduction
The Struggle of Comparison
The Problem of Context in Local Government Comparison
Local Government Systems in Europe
Exploring Autonomy, Coherence and Relevance
Country Patterns
Patterns of Types of Networks
Patterns Within Policy Areas
Conclusions
References
Chapter 3: The Notion of Democracy Among Actors Involved in Local State-Society Relations
Introduction
Conceptual Reflections
Operationalisation
Empirically Detected Notions of Democracy Among Actors Involved in Local State-Society Relations: How to Explain Their Differences?
Do Institutional Roles and the Institutional Backgrounds of the Different Actors Matter Regarding Their Perception of Representative vs. Participatory Democracy?
Does the Function of the Individual Forms of Local State-Society Relations Matter?
Do General Political Attitudes of the Respondents and Their Socio-Structural Characteristics Correlating with Them Matter?
Conclusion
References
Chapter 4: Determining the Democratic Quality of Non-Electoral Representation in Local State–Society Networks
Introduction
Conceptualizing the Democratic Quality of Non-Electoral Representation
Explaining the Democratic Quality of Non-Electoral Representation
Potential Factors at the Macro Level
Potential Factors at the Meso Level
Potential Factors at the Micro Level
Data and Methods
Results
Discussion and Conclusion
References
Chapter 5: Legitimacy Claims of Societal Actors Involved in Local State-Society Relations
Introduction
Conceptual Reflections
Operationalization
Empirically Detected Legitimacy Claims to Representation
How to Explain Differences in the Detected Legitimacy Claims to Representation?
Does the Function of the Individual Forms of Local State-Society Relations Matter?
Does the Type of Societal Actor Matter?
Does the Respondents’ Notion of Democracy Matter?
Conclusion
References
Chapter 6: Ideology, Trust and Autonomy: Differences Between Elected Politicians and All Other Participants of Local State-Society Networks
Introduction
Theory and State of Research
Ideological Position
Trust
Autonomy
Age
Gender
Education
Data and Method
Results
Conclusion and Discussion
References
Chapter 7: Does Metagovernance Matter? The Patterns and Effects of Local Politicians’ Participation in Local State-Society Relations
Introduction
Methodological and Conceptual Reflections
The Use of Surveys in Metagovernance Research
Operationalizing Metagovernance
Accounting for Metagovernance: Actors, Networks and Systems
Operationalizing Network Performance
The Metagovernance of Local Politicians in European Local State-Society Relations
Explaining Metagovernance: Do Actors, Networks and Systems Matter?
Does Metagovernance Matter? The Effects on Network Performance
Conclusion
References
Chapter 8: The Unbearable Lightness of Coherence Within Local Governance Arrangements
Introduction
On the Importance of Coherence
Coherence as an Outcome Variable
The Unbearable Lightness of Coherence
Conclusion
References
Chapter 9: Throughput Legitimacy in European Local State-Society Networks
Introduction
Disentangling the Notion of Throughput Legitimacy in Local Governance Networks
Measuring Throughput Legitimacy in European Local Governance Networks
Assessing Throughput Legitimacy in European Local Governance Networks
Conclusions
References
Chapter 10: Collaborative Governance and the Rescaling of Local-State Society Networks
Introduction
The Scalar Configuration of Local Governance
Collaborative Scaling and Territorial Reforms
Upscaling and Boundary Spanning Awareness
Local State-Society Relations in the Context of Globalization
Conclusion: Territory, Place, Scale, Networks
References
Part II: Network-Specific Insights on Local State-Society Relations
Chapter 11: The Prevalence of Low-Relevance Networks in Central and Eastern Europe and the Post-Communist Legacy
Introduction
Policy Relevance Challenges: Regional Differences and the CEE Context
Sample and Methodological Notes
Empirical Data: The Specificity of Network Relevance Within CEE Countries
How Can the Specificities of Local State-society Networks in the CEE Countries Be Explained?
Discussion and Conclusions
References
Chapter 12: Advisory Councils at the Local Level: Do they Add Value for Participation?
Introduction
Consultation: Conceptual Framing
Consultative Networks: What Are They?
Role of a Network in Municipal Decision Making
Conclusion
References
Chapter 13: How Members of Youth Network in Europe Perceive Their Influence
Introduction
Institutions and Influence
Youth Councils and Networks on Youth Issues in Europe
Influence
Explanations
Conclusions and Discussion
References
Chapter 14: Participation Without Influence? On the Role of Councils for Elderly and Councils on Disability
Introduction
Participation and Influence: A Theoretical Debate
From the Ladder of Citizen Participation to the Democracy Cube
Presentation of the Networks: General Characteristics
The Role of the Councils
Perceptions of Influence
Conclusion
References
Chapter 15: Organized Business and Trade Unions in Local Governance
Introduction
Local Governance and Business: State of Literature
Attribution of Influence: Conceptualization and Method
Business Influence in Local Governance
Local Business and Trade Unions: Characteristics and Network Experiences
Overview of the Subset
Local Business and Local State-Society Networks
Trade Unions and Local State-Society Networks
Conclusion
References
Chapter 16: Alike in Diversity? Local Action Groups in Nine European Countries
Introduction
Diverse Arrangements and Dynamics Within an EU Common Frame
Rules of Operation Versus Reality
Perception of Autonomy, Coherence, and Relevance of the Network
Good Governance in LAGs
Conclusions
References
Chapter 17: Power to Rule: The Perception of Power and Relevance in Local Educational Networks in Europe
Introduction
Power and Influence Within Societal Networks
Methods and Selection of Cases
Network Members on Power and Influence
Do Networks Influence Local Government Authorities in their Decision-Making?
Does the Network Have a High Level of Autonomy in Relation to Local Government Authorities?
How Would You Rate the Overall Degree of Autonomy of Your Network in Determining the Way it Works?
How Relevant Are the Decisions?
Discussions
Conclusions
References
Annex I: How Was the Survey Conducted in the Individual Countries?
Austria
Members of the Local Foreigners’ Advisory Councils
Members of the Local Health Working Groups
Members of the Biosphere Park Committees
Members of the Advisory Councils of the Regional Labor Service Agencies
Croatia
Members of the Youth Councils
Members of the School Boards
Members of the Local Development Agencies
Members of the Local Action Groups
Czech Republic
Members of the Municipal Board Commissions and the Municipal Council Committees
Members of the Local Action Groups
England
Members of the Local Action Groups
Members of the Local Economic Partnerships
Belgium (Flanders)
Members of the Boards of Local Action Groups
Finland
Members of the Local Action Groups
Germany
Members of the Administrative Committees of the Local Agencies for Employment?
Members of the Advisory Boards of the Local Job Centers?
Members of the Local Youth Welfare Committees
Members of the Local Foreign Residents’ Advisory Councils
Members of Local Economic Development Agencies/Companies
Greece
Iceland
School Councils
Neighborhood Councils
Ireland
Strategic Policy Committees
Local Community Development Committees
Local Development Companies
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Members of the NGO Councils
Members of Boards of Local Action Groups
Members of the Youth Councils
Members of the Tripartite Councils
Members of the Councils of Culture and Arts
Norway
Members of the Council for the Elderly and Council for People with Disabilities
Members of the Young People’s Parliament and Youth Council
Members of the Economic Development Committees
Members of the Committees for Voluntary Organizations
Members of the Sub-municipal Bodies
Poland
Committees for the Prevention of Alcohol Problems
Local Action Groups
Portugal
Children and Youth Protection Commissions (CPCJ)
Municipal Forest Fire Defense Commissions (CMDFCI)
Municipal Education Councils (CME)
Spain
Members of Local Action Groups
Members of Consultative School Councils
Members of Consultative Councils for the Elderly
Sweden
Switzerland
Semi-Autonomous Local School Boards in Newly Merged “Unitary Municipalities”
Consultative Mixed School Committees in Selected French Speaking Cantons
Executive Boards of Local Tourism Organizations
The Netherlands
Advisory Boards Social and Health Policy
Neighborhood and Village Councils
Annex II: Data about the Survey
Index
