The Politics of Self-Governance

It is widely acknowledged that we are witnessing a major transformation of public policy-making and implementation towards non-hierarchical structures through self-regulation, co-operation and negotiation between public and private actors and across different political-administrative levels. Using the term 'governance imaginary', or what a given society envisions to be the proper way of governing public affairs, this volume examines the emergence, causes and consequences of the politics of self-governance both within relevant social science theorizing and in the everyday life production of public governance in various policy areas. It questions how self-governance materialized in different areas of public governance in different liberal democracies, the driving forces and the political effects of attempts to enhance the role of self-governance. Challenging for the theory and practice of public administration, "The Politics of Self-Governance" is an indispensable read for all those interested in new forms of public governance.