National Challenge at the Local Level

Thomas R. Cusack is a Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Working Group on Institutions, States, and Markets at the Social Science Center Berlin. His research and publications have dealt with a wide number of topics in comparative politics and international relations.

• Contents: Introduction; Local political and administrative elites: roots and roles; Ideological values of elites and citizens; Problem-ridden and conflict-riven; Social capital, institutional structures and democratic performance; Conclusion; Appendix: the German local elite and citizen surveys; Bibliography; Index.

'How and to what extent is political performance shaped by political culture and political structure? In his "A National Challenge at the Local Level" Cusack makes an important theoretical and empirical contribution to this fundamental problem. The book is a must for all those who are interested in the study of the interplay between culture, structure and political decision-making.' Professor Hans-Dieter Klingemann, Free University, Berlin, Germany '...Cusack tackles interesting and controversial issues and many of his conclusions are empirically well grounded. He produces a wealth of data...The book does not lack for empirical ballast...' German Politics '...a unique contribution...A seemingly dry subject has been made interesting through an empirical approach. An ideal reading to discover the growth of institutions and political value systems in reunified Germany, turning their difficulties into opportunities for economic vitality.' USI Journal '...Cusack tackles interesting and controversial issues and many of his conclusions are empirically well grounded. He produces a wealth of data on everything from the ages of sub-national elites to perceptions of the main problems that local communities face.' German Politics