This collection of 12 case studies illustrates the range of problems facing mid-sized cities in the USA and the variety of approaches that mayors have used to cope with them. Topics covered include education, crime, economic development and the political incorporation of minorities.

This book investigates how the internet is being used as a tool for comprehensively modernizing local government

This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue The Challenges of Water Management and Governance in Cities that was published in Water

Unlike most competing texts that are densely written and heavily theoretical, with little flavor of political life, this book is a readable, jargon-free introduction to real-life local politics for today's students. While it encompasses local government and politics in cities and towns across America, "Local Politics: A Practical Guide to Governing at the Grassroots" gives special attention to the politics of suburbia, where many students live, and encourages them to become engaged in their own communities. The book is also distinguished by its strong emphasis on nuts-and-bolts practical politics. It provides focused discussion of institutions, roles, and personalities as well as the dynamic environment of local politics (demographics, immigration, globalization, etc.) and major policy issues (budgets, land use, transportation, education, etc.). Other texts treat communities as abstractions and readers as passive observers. "Local Politics: A Practical Guide to Governing at the Grassroots" is designed to inspire civic engagement as well as understanding. It features "In Your Community" research projects for students in every chapter along with informative tables, clear charts, essential terms, and guides to useful websites.

This book explores the political economy of subnational development in Mexico. Like much of Latin America, Mexico underwent market reforms and democratization in the late 20th century. In addition to transforming national institutions, these changes led to sharp political and economic divergence among Mexican states. The author offers a novel explanation for these uneven results, showing how relations between local governments and organized business gave rise to distinct subnational institutions for managing the economy. The argument is developed through a paired comparison of two states in central Mexico, Puebla and Querétaro. This work will be of interest to students of Latin American and Mexican politics, regional development, and government-business relations.

"This book provides examinations of the adoption and impact of e-government"--Provided by publisher.

From the late 1970s until the present day, the New Public Management movement flourished in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia and a number of other countries over the globe. Nowadays, governments across the world are more service-oriented than previously, and administrative system innovations are encouraging new ways of improving public services. Increasingly, more and more countries are witnessing administrative innovations to provide better, quicker, and more efficient and effective service to the public. To this end, this collection of essays highlights public service theory and practices. While some chapters concentrate on innovation in administrative systems, others pay attention to more theoretic and practical issues. A few examine municipal-level public service and innovation, whereas others focus on environment, community policing, public infrastructure, partnership governance, and e-service and e-participation, as well as citizen participation. The book represents an excellent, updated resource for scholars, students and practitioners in the broad field of public administration, public policy, public affairs and public management.

Recent years have seen an increase in the number of African Americans elected to political office in cities where the majority of their constituents are not black. In the past, the leadership of black politicians was characterized as either "deracialized" or "racialized"--that is, as either focusing on politics that transcend race or as making black issues central to their agenda. Today many African American politicians elected to offices in non-majority-black cities are adopting a strategy that universalizes black interests as intrinsically relevant to the needs of their entire constituency. In Black Mayors, White Majorities Ravi K. Perry explores the conditions in which black mayors of majority-white cities are able to represent black interests and whether blacks' historically high expectations for black mayors are being realized. Perry uses Toledo and Dayton, Ohio, as case studies, and his analysis draws on interviews with mayors and other city officials, business leaders, and heads of civic organizations, in addition to official city and campaign documents and newspapers. Perry also analyzes mayoral speeches, the 2001 ward-level election results, and city demographics. Black Mayors, White Majorities encourages readers to think beyond the black-white dyad and instead to envision policies that can serve constituencies with the greatest needs as well as the general public.

Nearly all Western and Central European local government systems have been reformed since the 1990's. Taking into account variations in historical and national context, the book looks for different ways of local government reform, their emphases and their divergent trajectories.