Edward Elgar Publishing Local and Regional Governance in Europe: Evidence from Nordic Regions

The European political landscape is one of constant flux and it is this alternating integration and disintegration which influences the basic conditions in which political power is exercised. This book argues that the interests of the cities and regions of Europe are increasingly influenced by European supranational institutions rather than the nation state and that governance in Europe is shifting to a regional and local level. This shift of influence implies potential for economic development and new political strategies, but also poses a serious threat to national identity and the traditional sovereignty of the state. Focusing on processes of internationalisation and regionalisation, the book discerns fascinating peculiarities in the Nordic response to a radically changing environment. The authors take a comparative approach to four Nordic countries and examine the efforts involved at local and regional level to safeguard interests. Their analysis and conclusions make fascinating reading for students and scholars of government and public policy and for civil servants and policymakers across Europe. Review '. . . this book fills a gap in the existing literature. . . The book can be recommended to anybody interested in understanding local and regional development in the Nordic area and how it relates to international processes, most notably European integration. It focuses on the first half of the 1990s, which might be considered a formative stage in the international orientation of Nordic regions. As such, it gives a valuable background to the emergence of sub-national government bodies in the international arena, which is bound to be an increasingly important issue in the future, not least bearing in mind the coming eastward enlargement of the EU.' About the Author Edited by Janerik Gidlund, Professor of Political Science and Vice Chancellor, Örebro University, Sweden and Magnus Jerneck, Associate Professor of Political Science and Director, Centre for European Studies, Lund University, Sweden