Key Concepts in Governance
- Mark Bevir - University of California, Berkeley, USA
SAGE Key Concepts series
Introduction to Political Theory
—Carolyn J. Heinrich, University of Wisconsin-Madison
The language of governance has risen to prominence in the last twenty years as a way of describing and explaining changes in the nature and role of the state but the concepts involved can be confusing, as they are often new and come from diverse disciplinary and theoretical settings.
Key Concepts in Governance provides a clear introduction to the technical concepts and policies of contemporary governance through short definitional essays.
Each entry features:
- a snapshot definition of the concept
- a contextualization of the concept
- an overview of relevant debates
- a guide to further reading
The book also includes a substantial introductory chapter which gives an overview of governance studies as a whole, orientating and guiding the reader around the issues that the concepts address.
Intended Audience
Highly readable, with clear indexing and cross referencing, this is an ideal book for students on introductory courses and an indispensable resource for anyone interested in governance.
Mark Bevir is a Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley
'A comprehensive, multidisciplinary examination of the concepts embodied in governance and their wide-ranging applications and implications. An important read and reference for students and academics in the social sciences, particularly those engaged in public policy studies' - Professor Carolyn J. Heinrich, University of Wisconsin-Madison
'An authoritative short survey for which students and teachers alike will be profoundly grateful' - Professor Rod Rhodes, University of Tasmania and Australian National University
'Students of governance will welcome this book given the explosion of literature in the field. It provides a quick guide to key concepts and ideas but does so with considerable originality. We are offered not just a review of well -established positrions but a distinctive take on the governance debate' - Gerry Stoker, Professor of Governance, University of Southampton
Good book, but not focused enough on public management for my course
Great to ahve all the key concepts associated with governance in one place. The text is accessible and provides signals for further reading around key topics.
Bevir's book is a helpful source to gain a circumspect view over the various issues and problems involved in processes of governance at state and international levels. Transcending disciplinary modes of categorization, Bevir has arranged the topics in a fashion that reckons with the subtleties of governance as a real-world phenomenon.
Sage College Publishing
