Local Governments and Rural Development

Local Governments and Rural Development PDF Author: Krister Andersson
Publisher: University of Arizona Press
ISBN: 9780816527014
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 264

Get Book Here

Book Description
Despite the recent economic upswing in many Latin American countries, rural poverty rates in the region have actually increased during the past two decades. Experts blame excessively centralized public administrations for the lackluster performance of public policy initiatives. In response, decentralization reformshave become a common government strategy for improving public sector performance in rural areas. The effect of these reforms is a topic of considerable debate among government officials, policy scholars, and citizensÕ groups. This book offers a systematic analysis of how local governments and farmer groups in Latin America are actually faring today. Based on interviews with more than 1,200 mayors, local officials, and farmers in 390 municipal territories in four Latin American nations, the authors analyze the ways in which different forms of decentralization affect the governance arrangements for rural development Òon the ground.Ó Their comparative analysis suggests that rural development outcomes are systemically linked to locally negotiated institutional arrangementsÑformal and informalÑbetween government officials, NGOs, and farmer groups that operate in the local sphere. They find that local-government actors contribute to public services that better assist the rural poor when local actors cooperate to develop their own institutional arrangements for participatory planning, horizontal learning, and the joint production of services. This study brings substantive data and empirical analysis to a discussion that has, until now, more often depended on qualitative research in isolated cases. With more than 60 percent of Latin AmericaÕs rural population living in poverty, the results are both timely and crucial.

Local Governments and Rural Development

Local Governments and Rural Development PDF Author: Krister Andersson
Publisher: University of Arizona Press
ISBN: 9780816527014
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 264

Get Book Here

Book Description
Despite the recent economic upswing in many Latin American countries, rural poverty rates in the region have actually increased during the past two decades. Experts blame excessively centralized public administrations for the lackluster performance of public policy initiatives. In response, decentralization reformshave become a common government strategy for improving public sector performance in rural areas. The effect of these reforms is a topic of considerable debate among government officials, policy scholars, and citizensÕ groups. This book offers a systematic analysis of how local governments and farmer groups in Latin America are actually faring today. Based on interviews with more than 1,200 mayors, local officials, and farmers in 390 municipal territories in four Latin American nations, the authors analyze the ways in which different forms of decentralization affect the governance arrangements for rural development Òon the ground.Ó Their comparative analysis suggests that rural development outcomes are systemically linked to locally negotiated institutional arrangementsÑformal and informalÑbetween government officials, NGOs, and farmer groups that operate in the local sphere. They find that local-government actors contribute to public services that better assist the rural poor when local actors cooperate to develop their own institutional arrangements for participatory planning, horizontal learning, and the joint production of services. This study brings substantive data and empirical analysis to a discussion that has, until now, more often depended on qualitative research in isolated cases. With more than 60 percent of Latin AmericaÕs rural population living in poverty, the results are both timely and crucial.

Improving Local Government

Improving Local Government PDF Author: Michiel S. de Vries
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 023028731X
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 242

Get Book Here

Book Description
Local governments encounter many problems, and although there is not one panacea that works internationally, this book argues that there are mechanisms to improve local situations. By drawing on case studies from the developing world, the authors review best practices in good governance.

Women and Representation in Local Government

Women and Representation in Local Government PDF Author: Barbara Pini
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1136815236
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 233

Get Book Here

Book Description
This volume brings together international experts to examine and compare women in local government and features case studies on the US, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Finland, Australia and New Zealand.

Inside Countries

Inside Countries PDF Author: Agustina Giraudy
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 110849658X
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 389

Get Book Here

Book Description
Offers a groundbreaking analysis of the distinctive substantive, theoretical and methodological contributions of subnational research in the field of comparative politics.

Local Government in Australia

Local Government in Australia PDF Author: Bligh Grant
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 9811038678
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 456

Get Book Here

Book Description
This book offers a general introduction to and analysis of the history, theory and public policy of Australian local government systems. Conceived in an international comparative context and primarily from within the discipline of political studies, it also incorporates elements of economics and public administration. Existing research tends to conceptualise Australian local government as an element of public policy grounded in an 'administrative science' approach. A feature of this approach is that generally normative considerations form only a latent element of the discussions, which is invariably anchored in debates about institutional design rather than the normative defensibility of local government. The book addresses this point by providing an account of the terrain of theoretical debate alongside salient themes in public policy.

Decentralization and Local Governance in Developing Countries

Decentralization and Local Governance in Developing Countries PDF Author: Pranab K. Bardhan
Publisher: MIT Press (MA)
ISBN: 9780262267694
Category : Comparative government
Languages : en
Pages : 375

Get Book Here

Book Description
Comparative and interdisciplinary perspectives on the current trend in the developing world of devolving political and economic power to local governments.

Local Governance in Western Europe

Local Governance in Western Europe PDF Author: Peter John
Publisher: SAGE
ISBN: 1446230597
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 220

Get Book Here

Book Description
`Its strength lies in combining theoretical insights with an impressive range of empirical material. The analysis is subtle and multi-layered.... This is a timely and important book′ - Political Studies `Local governance have gained massive attention among scholars and practitioners during the past several years. Peter John′s book fills a void in the literature by tracing the historical roots of local governance and by placing his findings in a comparative perspective′ - Professor Jon Pierre, University of Gothenburg, Sweden `Peter John has produced a fascinating and stimulating book in which he assesses current developments in urban politics and local government in Europe and suggests how these changes are leading to different patterns of sub-national territorial politics in the EU today. What he has to say is of important interest to all students of local government; comparative politics and of territorial politics more generally′ - Michael Goldsmith, University of Salford `this book offers a fascinating comparative analysis... themes such as New Public Management, globalisation, regionalism and privatisation will be relevant to numerous courses in government, politics, public administration and public policy′ - West European Politics This text provides a comprehensive introduction to local government and urban politics in contemporary Western Europe. It is the first book to map and explain the change in local political systems and to place these in comparative context. The book introduces students to the traditional structures and institutions of local government and shows how these have been transformed in response to increased economic and political competition, new ideas, institutional reform and the Europeanization of public policy. At the book′s core is the perceived transition from local government to local governance. The book traces this key development thematically across a wide range of West European states including: Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom.

The Routledge Handbook of International Local Government

The Routledge Handbook of International Local Government PDF Author: Richard Kerley
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1315306255
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 526

Get Book Here

Book Description
The Routledge Handbook of International Local Government conducts a rigorous, innovative and distinctive analysis of local government within a comparative, international context. Examining the subject matter with unrivalled breadth and depth, this handbook shows how different cultures and countries develop different institutions, structures and processes over time, yet that all have some features in common – the most obvious of which is the recognition that some decisions are better made, some services better delivered, and some engagement with the state better organised if there is structured organisational expression of the importance of the local dimension of all these factors . Thematically organised, it includes contributions from international experts with reference to the wider context in terms of geographies, local government modes, recent developments and possible further lines of research. It has a wide academic appeal internationally and will steer a course between the two dimensions of mono-jurisdictional studies and ‘cataloguing’ forms of comparison. The Routledge Handbook of International Local Government will be essential reading and an authoritative reference for scholars, students, researchers and practitioners involved in, and actively concerned about, research on local government.

Public Choice Theory and Local Government

Public Choice Theory and Local Government PDF Author: George A. Boyne
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 0230373097
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 213

Get Book Here

Book Description
This book evaluates the validity of a key proposition of public choice theory: that competition is associated with superior performance by governmental organisations. Three forms of competition in local government are identified: competition between local authorities, competition between councils and private contractors, and competition between parties for political power. The extent and consequences of competition are assessed in both the UK and USA. The analysis is used to draw conclusions on the effects of competition and the validity of public choice theory.

Comparative E-Government

Comparative E-Government PDF Author: Christopher G. Reddick
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 144196536X
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 679

Get Book Here

Book Description
Comparative E-Government examines the impact of information and communication technology (ICT) on governments throughout the world. It focuses on the adoption of e-government both by comparing different countries, and by focusing on individual countries and the success and challenges that they have faced. With 32 chapters from leading e-government scholars and practitioners from around the world, there is representation of developing and developed countries and their different stages of e-government adoption. Part I compares the adoption of e-government in two or more countries. The purpose of these chapters is to discern the development of e-government by comparing different counties and their individual experiences. Part II provides a more in-depth focus on case studies of e-government adoption in select countries. Part III, the last part of the book, examines emerging innovations and technologies in the adoption of e-government in different countries. Some of the emerging technologies are the new social media movement, the development of e-participation, interoperability, and geographic information systems (GIS).