The New Roles of Parliamentary Committees

The New Roles of Parliamentary Committees
Author: Roger H. Davidson
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 266
Release: 2012-11-12
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1136320865

Parliaments had been expected to decline in significance at the end of the 20th century, but instead they have developed new and vital political roles and have innovated their institutional structure in parliamentary committees, not only in a few parliaments, but as a global phenomenon.

From Legislation to Legitimation

From Legislation to Legitimation
Author: Cristina Leston-Bandeira
Publisher: Psychology Press
Total Pages: 216
Release: 2004
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9780714657288

This book is unique as the only book on the Portuguese parliament in English. The Portuguese parliament is a valuable case study to understand the different stages of development of a newly democratic parliament. From Legislation to Legitimation shows that, as democracy developed, the role of the Portuguese parliament changed considerably. Whereas in the first years of democracy the Assembleia da Republica was centred on its legislative role, during the second decade its legitimation role expanded, making scrutiny parliament's main function.

Legislative Oversight and Budgeting

Legislative Oversight and Budgeting
Author: Rick Stapenhurst
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 362
Release: 2008
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0821376128

In most countries, parliament has the constitutional mandate to both oversee and hold government to account. In light of the increased focus on good governance, academics and legislative strengthening practitioners are re-examining parliament's oversight function with a view to increasing public financial accountability, curbing corruption, and contributing to poverty reduction. This volume brings together research from many different perspectives and many different legislative settings worldwide. As the country case studies in section III demonstrate, the accountability mechanisms or oversight tools available to the legislature vary based on constitutionally defined powers of the legislature, institutional arrangements between the branches of government, divisions of authority between national, regional, and local governments, the degree of legitimacy conferred on the legislature, and the resources available to it. The budget process provides critical opportunities. Section II of this volume is devoted to examining budget oversight from the formulation and approval of the budget, to implementation and the ex post examination of the public accounts. Special attention is also paid to mechanisms to assist parliaments such as Public Accounts Committees and independent parliamentary budget offices. This title will be of interest to parliamentarians and parliamentary staff, legislative strengthening practitioners, and students of legislative development.

Governing the New Europe

Governing the New Europe
Author: Jack Ernest Shalom Hayward
Publisher: Duke University Press
Total Pages: 438
Release: 1995
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780822317241

Governing the New Europe provides a comprehensive and scholarly account of the changing political map of Europe as it emerges from the Cold War. Exploring the variations of liberal democracy and market economy among the European states, as well as current trends in these directions, the contributors to this volume, all leading authorities in European politics, consider whether a common political model has begun to emerge out of historic European diversity. Beginning with a discussion of the political, economic, and cultural development of Europe from a historical perspective, the focus of the book shifts to an examination of the changing forms of European democracy and the move from public ownership and planning to privatization and deregulated competition. Further essays analyze the challenge to national party systems and electoral performance from emerging social movements and organized interest groups. Political and bureaucratic structures are also examined as is the new European constitutionalism reflected in the increasingly significant role of the judiciary. Lastly, attention is turned to several major themes in European politics: the changing foundations of foreign and security policy, the function of industrial champion firms, and the retreat from the welfare state. Primarily comparative in its scope, Governing the New Europe does devote particular attention to specific major states as well as to the importance of the European Union to the political life of member and non-member countries. Neither exaggerating the common features of the patterns that have emerged in contemporary Europe nor capitulating to the complexity of enduring differences and instabilities between states, Governing the New Europe will become one of the standard texts in its field. Contributors. Jack Hayward, Jolyon Howorth, Herbert Kitschelt, Marie Lavigne, Tom Mackie, Michael Mezey, Edward C. Page, Richard Parry, Richard Rose, Anthony Smith, Alec Stone

The State of European Integration

The State of European Integration
Author: Yannis A. Stivachtis
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 385
Release: 2016-03-03
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1317014774

The State of European Integration provides scholars, practitioners, experts and students with a comprehensive account of the state of the European Union today. With contributions from leading scholars including Richard G. Whitman, Meltem Müftüler-Baç, Gülnur Aybet, Leila Simona Talani and Gareth Dale, the book examines the EU in a theoretically informed and empirically grounded manner. Opening with an exploration into the nature of the European Union as an international actor, it then assesses the impact of enlargement on institutions, policies and identity. The contributors investigate issues related to the degree of convergence and cohesion among members, and analyze the economic and monetary state of integration. The volume comes at a timely interval when there is a need to understand the present and future of the European Union.

Resolving Regional Conflicts

Resolving Regional Conflicts
Author: Roger E. Kanet
Publisher: University of Illinois Press
Total Pages: 274
Release: 1998
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780252066719

The end of the cold war has not meant an end to conflict around the world. Disagreements still exist, and discord continues to erupt into battles. In Resolving Regional Conflicts, twelve scholars present a broad introduction to the issue of discord within and between nations, exploring models by which emerging security problems can be analyzed and looking at specific conflicts and the ways they are being handled.

The Uneasy Relationships Between Parliamentary Members and Leaders

The Uneasy Relationships Between Parliamentary Members and Leaders
Author: Reuven Y. Hazan
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 360
Release: 2014-04-04
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1135268452

The bases of uneasy member-leadership relations, their manifestation and sometimes resolution, and the consequences of member-leadership tension to effective parliamentary performace and policy-making are considered in studies ranging from Germany to the US and New Zealand and globally.

The Politics of Central Europe

The Politics of Central Europe
Author: Attila Ágh
Publisher: SAGE
Total Pages: 257
Release: 1998-06-10
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1849206848

This book provides a thorough introduction to East Central Europe and its renewed emergence since the momentous changes in the former Soviet bloc. By carefully differentiating between Central Europe, East Central Europe and the Balkans, Attila [ac]Agh shows how the term `Eastern Europe′ was a political misnomer of the Cold War. Drawing on theories of democratization to develop a common conceptual and theoretical framework, this textbook is the first to place the political and social changes of this complex region in a genuinely comparative perspective. Through broad thematic sections the student is shown how to distinguish between processes of democratization and redemocratization, transition and transformation and is introduced to the important issues of Europeanization, nation-building, institutionalization, parties and political culture. Illustrated throughout with chronological charts and the latest data analysis, this is an invaluable guide to the emerging political systems and their future prospects at the core of the new Europe.

The Routledge Handbook of Parliamentary Administrations

The Routledge Handbook of Parliamentary Administrations
Author: Thomas Christiansen
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 1072
Release: 2023-05-31
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1000843920

The Routledge Handbook of Parliamentary Administrations brings together an international, multidisciplinary group of contributors providing a systematic and comprehensive analysis of parliamentary administrations. Including chapters on the administrations of national parliaments in every member state of the European Union, in most of the EU candidate countries and in key liberal democracies around the world, this book represents a uniquely broad-ranging resource. Each national system is treated in a consistent manner, with authors providing relevant facts, figures and critical analysis according to a common framework. Additionally, it provides coverage of transnational parliamentary administrations in different regions around the globe and includes a number of cross-cutting chapters, addressing key issues of relevance for a better understanding of parliamentary administrations such as the potential for politicisation, professionalisation, digitalisation or Europeanisation with the comparative analysis of different national experiences. This handbook will enable readers to better comprehend the role and influence of parliamentary administrations and in doing so will enhance our understanding of their importance for the effective functioning of representative democracy more generally. The Routledge Handbook of Parliamentary Administrations constitutes a unique tool and prime reference for any researcher, scholar or practitioner working in the area of parliamentary and legislative studies, governance, democracy, public policy and administration, as well as more widely to European studies, general political science and comparative politics.