Handbook on Multi-level Governance

Scholarship of multi-level governance has developed into one of the most innovative themes of research in political science and public policy. This accessible Handbook presents a thorough review of the wide-ranging literature, encompassing various theoretical and conceptual approaches to multi-level governance and their application to policy-making in domestic, regional and global contexts.

The importance of multi-level governance in specific policy areas is highlighted, and the contributors - an international group of highly renowned scholars - report on the ways in which their field of specialization is or may be affected by multi-level governance and how developments could affect its conceptualization. European integration is considered from its unique standpoint as the key catalyst in the development of multi-level approaches, and the use of multi-level governance in other parts of the world, at both domestic and regional levels, is also considered in detail before focus is shifted towards global governance. The Handbook concludes with a presentation of six policy fields and instruments affected by multi-level governance, including: social policy, environmental policy, economic policy, international taxation, standard-setting and policing.

This comprehensive Handbook takes stock of the vast array of multi-level governance theory and research developed in subfields of political science and public policy, and as such will provide an invaluable reference tool for scholars, researchers and students with a special interest in public policy, regulation and governance.

Contributors: M.W. Bauer, M. Beisheim, A. Benz, T.A. Börzel, D. Braun, T. Büthe, S. Campe, S. Clarkson, H. Enderlein, B. Geys, A. Graser, T.N. Hale, M. Hallerberg, A. Hassel, E. Herschinger, S. Hix, L. Hooghe, C. Humrich, M. Jachtenfuchs, C. Jeffery, I. Kaul, K.A. Konrad, C. Kraft-Kasack, S. Kuhnle, G. Marks, W. Mattli, F.W. Mayer, A. Obydenkova, B. Rittberger, T. Rixen, A. Sbragia, M. Schäferhoff, F.W. Scharpf, J.A. Scholte, M.A. Schreurs, A.-M. Slaughter, M.B. Stein, W. Swenden, L. Turkewitsch, S. Wälti, B. Zangl, M. Zürn

Edited by the late Henrik Enderlein, formerly Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, Germany, Sonja Wälti, American University, Washington, DC, US and Michael Zürn, Social Science Research Center Berlin and Freie Universität Berlin, Germany