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Handbook on Decentralization, Devolution and the State
Taking a multidisciplinary approach to the dynamics of political and economic decentralization in contemporary regimes, this comprehensive Handbook offers a critical examination of how the decentralization of governance affects citizen well-being.
More Information
Critical Acclaim
Contributors
Contents
More Information
Taking a multidisciplinary approach to the dynamics of political and economic decentralization in contemporary regimes, this comprehensive Handbook offers a critical examination of how the decentralization of governance affects citizen well-being.
Expert contributors provide an analysis of theoretical developments and empirical approaches in the study of decentralization, exploring how decentralization is conceptualized and measured. Chapters examine central topics including how the degree and type of decentralization varies over time and across countries, how political decentralization affects the behaviour of parties and voters, and the social and economic consequences of decentralizing power. Offering a comparative perspective, the Handbook utilizes insightful international case studies from Latin America, North America, Western Europe and Asia. Attention is also paid to the impact of the Great Recession of 2008 and the Covid-19 pandemic on intergovernmental relations.
This Handbook will be a valuable resource for scholars and students of political geography and geopolitics, regulation and governance, and international politics. It will also be useful for practitioners in these fields who are interested in decentralization.
Expert contributors provide an analysis of theoretical developments and empirical approaches in the study of decentralization, exploring how decentralization is conceptualized and measured. Chapters examine central topics including how the degree and type of decentralization varies over time and across countries, how political decentralization affects the behaviour of parties and voters, and the social and economic consequences of decentralizing power. Offering a comparative perspective, the Handbook utilizes insightful international case studies from Latin America, North America, Western Europe and Asia. Attention is also paid to the impact of the Great Recession of 2008 and the Covid-19 pandemic on intergovernmental relations.
This Handbook will be a valuable resource for scholars and students of political geography and geopolitics, regulation and governance, and international politics. It will also be useful for practitioners in these fields who are interested in decentralization.
Critical Acclaim
‘This Handbook offers a superb collection of essays edited by a leading scholar in the field, Ignacio Lago. The volume represents a rich tapestry of critical research on decentralization from a variety of perspectives including political science, economics, sociology, and geography. The chapters lay out the state of the art in decentralization research and the current gaps that will re-invigorate further scholarly work. Researchers, practitioners and policymakers will very much profit from the lessons and insights in this excellent volume.’
– Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, Georgia State University, US
‘The Handbook on Decentralization, Devolution and the State provides an excellent overview and compelling future research agenda on the causes and consequences of decentralization. Written by leading scholars in the field in an accessible format, this is a must-read.’
– Liesbet Hooghe, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, US and the European University Institute, Florence, Italy
– Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, Georgia State University, US
‘The Handbook on Decentralization, Devolution and the State provides an excellent overview and compelling future research agenda on the causes and consequences of decentralization. Written by leading scholars in the field in an accessible format, this is a must-read.’
– Liesbet Hooghe, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, US and the European University Institute, Florence, Italy
Contributors
Contributors: Francesc Amat, Cameron D. Anderson, Paul Anderson, André Blais, Philip Charbonneau, Jean-François Daoust, Paolo Dardanelli, Luiz de Mello, Amuitz Garmendia, Jorge Gordin, Caroline Gray, Ignacio Jurado, Soeren Keil, Hanna Kleider, Andreas P. Kyriacou, Ignacio Lago, Sandra León, Emmy Lindstam, Raúl A. Ponce Rodríguez, Oriol Roca-Sagalés, Arjan Schakel, Hermann Schmitt, Sarah Shair-Rosenfield, Lucas Silva Lopes, Eftichia Teperoglou, Gianpiero Torrisi, Vassilis Tselios, Ed Turner, Davide Vampa
Contents
Contents:
Preface xiv
1 Introduction to the Handbook on Decentralization, Devolution and the State 1
Ignacio Lago
PART I METHODS, DATA AND APPROACHES
2 Conceptualizing and measuring decentralization 9
Paolo Dardanelli
3 Exploring and explaining trends in decentralization 27
Arjan Schakel
4 Second-order elections and electoral democracy 52
Hermann Schmitt and Eftichia Teperoglou
5 Redistribution and equality: the role of the territorial conflict dimension 67
Francesc Amat and Emmy Lindstam
6 The political determinants of decentralization 91
Amuitz Garmendia
PART II DECENTRALIZATION IN COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE
7 Decentralization and subnational politics in Latin America 115
Jorge Gordin
8 Decentralization and subnational politics in Asia 131
Sarah Shair-Rosenfield
9 Decentralization and subnational politics in North America 147
Raúl A. Ponce Rodríguez
10 Decentralization and subnational politics in Western Europe 171
Caroline Gray, Ed Turner and Davide Vampa
PART III POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES OF DECENTRALIZATION
11 Attributions of responsibility in multilevel states 197
Sandra León and Ignacio Jurado
12 Decentralization and electoral accountability 213
Philip Charbonneau and Cameron D. Anderson
13 Territorial autonomy, ethnic conflict, and secession: between a rock and
a hard place? 236
Paul Anderson and Soeren Keil
14 Electoral behaviour in multilevel systems 255
Jean-François Daoust and André Blais
PART IV SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF
DECENTRALIZATION
15 Federalism and income inequality 270
Vassilis Tselios
16 A multidimensional analysis of the link between decentralization and
development 287
Gianpiero Torrisi
17 Social policy in decentralized countries 303
Hanna Kleider and Lucas Silva Lopes
18 Fiscal decentralization and governance quality: a review of the
literature and additional evidence 322
Andreas P. Kyriacou and Oriol Roca-Sagalés
19 The Great Recession and the Great Lockdown: how are they shaping
intergovernmental relations? 347
Luiz de Mello
Preface xiv
1 Introduction to the Handbook on Decentralization, Devolution and the State 1
Ignacio Lago
PART I METHODS, DATA AND APPROACHES
2 Conceptualizing and measuring decentralization 9
Paolo Dardanelli
3 Exploring and explaining trends in decentralization 27
Arjan Schakel
4 Second-order elections and electoral democracy 52
Hermann Schmitt and Eftichia Teperoglou
5 Redistribution and equality: the role of the territorial conflict dimension 67
Francesc Amat and Emmy Lindstam
6 The political determinants of decentralization 91
Amuitz Garmendia
PART II DECENTRALIZATION IN COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE
7 Decentralization and subnational politics in Latin America 115
Jorge Gordin
8 Decentralization and subnational politics in Asia 131
Sarah Shair-Rosenfield
9 Decentralization and subnational politics in North America 147
Raúl A. Ponce Rodríguez
10 Decentralization and subnational politics in Western Europe 171
Caroline Gray, Ed Turner and Davide Vampa
PART III POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES OF DECENTRALIZATION
11 Attributions of responsibility in multilevel states 197
Sandra León and Ignacio Jurado
12 Decentralization and electoral accountability 213
Philip Charbonneau and Cameron D. Anderson
13 Territorial autonomy, ethnic conflict, and secession: between a rock and
a hard place? 236
Paul Anderson and Soeren Keil
14 Electoral behaviour in multilevel systems 255
Jean-François Daoust and André Blais
PART IV SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF
DECENTRALIZATION
15 Federalism and income inequality 270
Vassilis Tselios
16 A multidimensional analysis of the link between decentralization and
development 287
Gianpiero Torrisi
17 Social policy in decentralized countries 303
Hanna Kleider and Lucas Silva Lopes
18 Fiscal decentralization and governance quality: a review of the
literature and additional evidence 322
Andreas P. Kyriacou and Oriol Roca-Sagalés
19 The Great Recession and the Great Lockdown: how are they shaping
intergovernmental relations? 347
Luiz de Mello
