Local democracy - the challenges of institution-building, Harald Baldersheim and Michal Illner; the new institutions of local government in East-Central Europe - a comparison, H. Baldersheim et al; political culture and citizen involvement, Lawrence Rose et al; the new local elites, Audun Offerdal et al; mayors and parties, Pawel Swianiewicz and Terry N. Clark; policies - privatizing, defending the welfare state, or wishful thinking?, P. Swianiewicz et al; the function of the executive - power, leadership and management, H. Baldersheim et al; virtuous circles - local democracy in a post-communist environment, H. Baldersheim and M. Illner.