Hardback
Ministers, Minders and Mandarins
An International Study of Relationships at the Executive Summit of Parliamentary Democracies
9781786431684 Edward Elgar Publishing
Ministers, Minders and Mandarins collects the leading academics in the field to rigorously assess the impact and consequences of political advisers in parliamentary democracies. The 10 contemporary and original case studies focus on issues of tension, trust and tradition, and are written in an accessible and engaging style.
More Information
Critical Acclaim
Contributors
Contents
More Information
Ministers, Minders and Mandarins brings together the leading academics in this specialty to rigorously assess the impact and consequences of political advisers in parliamentary democracies. The ten contemporary and original case studies focus on issues of tension, trust and tradition, and are written in an accessible and engaging style.
Using new empirical findings and theory from a range of public policy canons, the authors analyse advisers’ functions, their differing levels of accountability and issues of diversity between governments. Cases include research on the tensions in the UK, the possible unease in Swedish government offices and the role of trust in Greece. Established operations in Australia, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand are compared to relative latecomers to advisory roles, such as Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark. A key comparative work in the field, this book encourages further research into the varied roles of political advisers.
Offering an excellent introduction to the complex role political advisers play, this book will be of great interest to upper undergraduate and postgraduate students studying political science and policy administration, as well as researchers and scholars in public policy.
Using new empirical findings and theory from a range of public policy canons, the authors analyse advisers’ functions, their differing levels of accountability and issues of diversity between governments. Cases include research on the tensions in the UK, the possible unease in Swedish government offices and the role of trust in Greece. Established operations in Australia, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand are compared to relative latecomers to advisory roles, such as Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark. A key comparative work in the field, this book encourages further research into the varied roles of political advisers.
Offering an excellent introduction to the complex role political advisers play, this book will be of great interest to upper undergraduate and postgraduate students studying political science and policy administration, as well as researchers and scholars in public policy.
Critical Acclaim
‘Ministerial advisers have grown rapidly in parliamentary democracies. Scholarship has struggled to keep up. This book breaks new ground by bringing together leading scholars from European and Westminster systems in a fascinating comparative study.’
– Robert Hazell, UCL, UK
– Robert Hazell, UCL, UK
Contributors
Contributors: A. Blick, P.M. Christiansen, B. Connaughton J. Craft, C. Eichbaum, A. Gouglas, H. Houlberg Salomonsen, T. Hustedt, M. Maley, B. Niklasson, P. Öhberg, R. Shaw, C. van den Berg
Contents
Contents:
1. Introduction: Ministers, minders and mandarins
Richard Shaw and Chris Eichbaum
2. Australia: Applying an institutional lens to political staff
Maria Maley
3. Canada: Flexing the political arm of government
Jonathan Craft
4. Denmark: Loyalty and the political adviser bargain
Peter Munk Christiansen and Heidi Houlberg Salomonsen
5. Germany: The smooth and silent emergence of advisory roles
Thurid Hustedt
6. Greece: Political advisers and circles of trust in Greek ministerial cabinets: Cardinals of the conclave, managers and the children of favouritism
Athanassios Gouglas
7. Ireland: Steps towards a political coordination role for ministerial advisers
Bernadette Connaughton
8. The Netherlands: The emergence and encapsulation of ministerial advisers
Caspar van den Berg
9. New Zealand: Bargains, compacts and covenants in the core executive
Richard Shaw and Chris Eichbaum
10. Sweden: Civil servants and political advisers as adversaries
Birgitta Niklasson and Patrik Öhberg
11. Special advisers in the United Kingdom: Tensions in Whitehall
Andrew Blick
12. Conclusion: New directions in studying ministerial advisers
Richard Shaw and Chris Eichbaum
Index
1. Introduction: Ministers, minders and mandarins
Richard Shaw and Chris Eichbaum
2. Australia: Applying an institutional lens to political staff
Maria Maley
3. Canada: Flexing the political arm of government
Jonathan Craft
4. Denmark: Loyalty and the political adviser bargain
Peter Munk Christiansen and Heidi Houlberg Salomonsen
5. Germany: The smooth and silent emergence of advisory roles
Thurid Hustedt
6. Greece: Political advisers and circles of trust in Greek ministerial cabinets: Cardinals of the conclave, managers and the children of favouritism
Athanassios Gouglas
7. Ireland: Steps towards a political coordination role for ministerial advisers
Bernadette Connaughton
8. The Netherlands: The emergence and encapsulation of ministerial advisers
Caspar van den Berg
9. New Zealand: Bargains, compacts and covenants in the core executive
Richard Shaw and Chris Eichbaum
10. Sweden: Civil servants and political advisers as adversaries
Birgitta Niklasson and Patrik Öhberg
11. Special advisers in the United Kingdom: Tensions in Whitehall
Andrew Blick
12. Conclusion: New directions in studying ministerial advisers
Richard Shaw and Chris Eichbaum
Index
