Governance, Politics and the State

Jon Pierre is Professor of Political Science at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. His main research interests include theories of governance, public administration, public management and urban politics. B. Guy Peters is Maurice Falk Professor of American Government at the University of Pittsburgh, USA. His main research interests include areas of public administration and public policy, both for the United States and comparatively.

• Contents:Introduction: What is Governance?1. Different Ways to Think About Governance2. Conceptual and Theoretical Perspectives on Governance3. The Transformation of Governance4. Governance Beyond the State5. Multi-level Governance6. Metagovernance7. Populism and Participatory Modes of Governance8. State Strength and Governing Capacity9. Governance Past, Present and FuturePostscript: How do We Study Governance?

This revised and extended version of a classic is as incisive as ever in orienting readers to the major issues associated with the concept of governance. Adopting a state-centric perspective, the book brings to light why and how state-society interaction transforms the character of contemporary governing.