Decentralization, Local Governance, and Inequality in the Middle East and North Africa

While many scholars, policymakers, and development practitioners view decentralization as a way to increase participation, strengthen political representation, and improve social welfare, little is known about the experiences of communities in the context of decentralization – particularly in the Middle East and North Africa. This volume directs our attention toward the ways in which decentralization is “lived locally” by citizens of the MENA region, underscoring the simultaneous influences of individual-level factors (e.g., gender, education) and local context (e.g., development levels, electoral institutions) on governance processes and outcomes.

A group of international scholars brings together methodologically diverse, original research in Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, and Tunisia to expand the literature on decentralization. Following a preface by Hicham Alaoui, the empirical chapters are arranged into three thematic sections. These focus on subnational variations in the relationships between central and local actors, citizen engagement with state and non-state institutions, and the extent to which representatives reflect their local communities. Together, these chapters provide important insights into governance, participation, and representation in the MENA and open new questions for furthering the study of governance and local development. Only by unpacking perspectives and governance experiences at the micro-level can we understand how decentralization policies affect citizens’ everyday lives.

Kristen Kao is a Docent (Associate Professor) at the Department of Political Science, University of Gothenburg.
Ellen Lust is Founder and Director of the Governance and Local Development Institute at the University of Gothenburg and Cornell University; Professor of Political Science at the University of Gothenburg; and Director of the Einaudi Center for International Relations, and Professor in the Department of Government and in the Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy at Cornell University.