Rethinking Multilevel Governance

Reviews / Votes

'This timely book provides a much-needed study for understanding multilevel governance in an era of increasing disparities, growing political polarisation, and ubiquitous power struggles. An important book which contributes to our understanding of contemporary politics, policy and administration.' -- Edoardo Ongaro, The Open University, UK 'In Rethinking Multilevel Governance, Arthur Benz presents a sober, level-headed, and deeply considered assessment of the challenges facing multilevel governance and the ways in which it can be made adaptable, sustainable, and resilient. The result is a comprehensive and timely analysis of a widely used concept.' -- Gary Marks, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, US and European University Institute, Italy 'Highly recommended reading for all students of multilevel governance!' -- Gerda Falkner, University of Vienna, Austria 'This is the best guide to the intricacies and ambiguities of multilevel governance: it succeeds the intellectual tour de force of being up to date, concise, and comprehensive. Arthur Benz addresses all major tensions and challenges related to "multilevelness": power fragmentation combined with interdependencies and trade-offs associated with the need for coordination; shared responsibility in negotiated rule-making; problems caused both by distributive conflicts and by identity divides; policy-making in a context of multiple crises, polarization, populism, and turbulent politics; formal and informal power asymmetries; and ultimately the legitimacy of dispersed authority so that complex governance that is effective, resilient and learning-enhancing remains compatible with democracy.' -- Yannis Papadopoulos, University of Lausanne, Switzerland