PSG IV: Local Governance and Democracy

 

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Local Elites: How Leaders, Parties and Organisations make a Difference in Local Governance

Call for papers

Introduction and main goals

The Study Group on Local Governance & Democracy works to enhance academic discussions on local governance and local democracy in the EGPA network. The aim of the Study Group is to provide a forum within which researchers in Public Administration, focusing on local governance, can come together and stimulate the exchange of academic ideas and insights; generate mutual inspiration; discuss research findings and topics; and, create a network of internationally co-operating researchers. We also aim to stimulate the exchange of ideas between academics and practitioners.

SG sessions

For the 2011 meeting the chairs of the study group will accept a limited number of papers. The selection will be based on the relevance of a proposal to the central theme of the group’s meeting and the academic quality of the proposal submitted. Submissions not directly related to the main theme of the year, will be considered, but, acceptance will rely on the quality of the proposed paper and the importance of the subject matter to the Study group’s overall objectives. To be able to attend the 2011 meeting selected paper presenters MUST submit their papers in advance.

In programming the meeting there will be two types of sessions:

A.    Discussions on the theme of the year. Discussions normally take the shape of short presentations of academic papers followed by comments from assigned discussants (details will follow after the selection of successful outlines)

B.    Discussions on academic contributions that lay outside this years’ theme but are worthy proposals. The time reserved for these discussions will be limited.

Type A sessions will be plenary, type B sessions may be organized either or as plenary sessions or as parallel sessions, depending on the number of papers.

The directors of the SG will select a number of papers for possible publication in the journal Local Government Studies.

Call for papers

The role played by local elites in the governance of the localities has been the subject of considerable attention. But, given the different organisational settings within which local elites operate and the differing structure, powers, responsibilities and constitutional positions of local government internationally, we still do not have a clear view of whether and how local elites make a difference to their localities. Much emphasis has been placed, by central government inspired reforms of local government, on the need for ‘leadership’ and in this study group meeting we want to explore the dynamics and effects of how local leadership makes a difference and how we can define and understand the factors that result in ‘effective local political leadership’.

Political leadership is context specific. That context is set globally, Europe-wide, nationally, regionally and, of course, locally. Moreover, local political elites have had to come to terms with operating within and alongside complex and expanding governance networks and a range of organisations, existing at all levels, which influence and are in turn influenced by, the local political dynamic. The study group will explore the way in which context effects the style and approach local elites are able to take when it comes to their leadership role and the effectiveness of their leadership in making a difference to the governance of municipalities.

The study group will examine and consider the way in which the settings local leaders find themselves in, the organisations within which they operate and have to work alongside, the political parties of which they are members and in which (or with which) they negotiate and conduct business and the communities they govern and represent, influence the effectiveness of local leadership and the role played by local elites in local governance. Papers will need to address the question: what difference to the governance of the localities can leaders, parties and organisations make?

The directors are keen, for the 2011 meeting, to receive papers which undertake an East / West European comparative exploration of the theme of the workshop and such outlines will be welcomed. The theme of the study group meeting can be elaborated in various ways

Papers dealing with the following topics:

  • East / West European comparative papers
  • The impact of political elites on the governance of the localities
  • The role and power of political parties in local government
  • Comparative studies of political (elite) leadership across Europe
  • Contextual studies and influence
  • Single country case studies
  • Single municipality case studies

Author’s who want to present a paper on different issues, should not hesitate in sending a proposal to all the directors.

Please submit a short abstract outlining (max 2 pages A4.)

  • the title of the paper
  • the argument and contents of the paper
  • the research method of your contribution, and the empirical material to be used (if applicable)
  • name, affiliation, and contact information of the author(s)

The deadline for the submission of abstracts is 1st May  2011.

Papers will be selected by the directors no later than June 1st 2011. Authors whose abstracts have been accepted should dispatch their completed text to the relevant chairpersons and to Fabienne Maron f.maron@iias-iisa.org , by July 31st 2011 at the latest.

A provisional programme will be prepared with the local organisers.

 

Organisers of the 2011 Study Group sessions

The following Study Group directors are responsible for organising the meeting:

Study Group Website