The political history of Italy has been an undeniably turbulent one. The country's political system has been repeatedly threatened by the historical existence of extremist parties on the left and right, an economy which struggles to adapt, the cleavage between a developed north and an underdeveloped south, the challenge posed by terrorist groups and organized crime, high public debt, and governments that last on average only ten months. Paradoxically, however, Italy continues to muddle through from one political crisis to another with one of the world's highest standards of living and quality of life. What is the secret of Italian politics?

This innovative text offers a completely fresh approach to Italian politics by placing it in its historical, institutional, social and international contexts. Students will get to grips with the theories and concepts of comparative politics and how they apply specifically to Italy, while gaining real insight into more controversial topics such as the Mafia, corruption and the striking success of Berlusconi. The textbook uses clear and simple language to critically analyze Italy's institutions, its political culture, parties and interest groups, public policy, and its place in the international system. Often regarded as an anomaly, Italy is frequently described in terms of 'crisis', 'instability' and 'alienation'. Sceptical of these conventional accounts, Newell argues that, if understood in its own terms, the Italian political system is just as effective as other established democracies. With features including text boxes and further reading suggestions, this is an unbeatable introduction to the politics of Italy.

The end of Italy's Communist Party and the decline of the Christian Democrats reflect profound changes taking place within Italy and in Europe as a whole. In this volume American and Italian scholars challenge the prevailing wisdom that Italy's politics will never change.

In early 2020 Italy was a country whose political parties stood as significant obstacles in the way of resolution of its social and economic problems. The purpose of this book is to help the reader to understand how Italian politics had reached this point. It does this by tracing the most significant processes of political, economic and social change to have marked Italian history in recent years back to their roots in the Italian political system as it emerged at the end of the Second World War. Starting with the restoration of democracy, the volume discusses the post-war party system and how it came under increasing pressure from the mid-1970s. From there it discusses the political upheavals of the early 1990s and the transformations they led to, the rise and fall of Silvio Berlusconi, and the watershed election of 2018. In short, the book provides a narrative. Narratives tell us who we are, where we have come from, where we are now and where we are going. Without them, we cannot make sense of the world. At the end of this narrative, if it has done its job properly, Italian politics and current affairs should ‘make sense’ if before they seemed confusing.

This is a brand-new edition of the critically acclaimed Encyclopedia of Government and Politics which has been fully revised and updated to provide a systematic account of politics and political studies at the beginning of the new millennium. Providing a penetrating analysis of government and politics at a global, regional and nation-state level, the Encyclopedia assesses both traditional and contemporary approaches, and projects the paths of future research. The articles provide a degree of critical analysis far beyond a simple descriptive outline of the subject. Internationally respected contributors have been carefully selected to present contending approaches to related topics, both to clarify the political implications of the various methodologies and to enrich the portrayal of political life. With its expanded, revised and updated coverage, Encyclopedia of Government and Politics is more than ever an indispensable tool for students, teachers, professional analysts and policy-makers.

This international Encyclopaedia provides a balanced, comprehensive account of contemporary trends in world, regional and nation-state government and politics. In 84 in-depth essays, in two scholarly volumes, it captures the global changes, both theoretical and factual, of the past three decades - to give an unprecedented overview of political science and political affairs on the eve of the new century. An essential resource, the Encyclopaedia of Government and Politics provides accessible, authoritative coverage of the disciplines, examining for example, political theory, processes and behaviour, policy-making, pressure groups, contemporary ideologies, international relations, and major issues in world affairs, such as nationalism, arms control and disarmament, human rights and democratisation. Written by experts in each field, the entries analyse traditional approaches (including access to non-Western sources), assess recent developments and chart the directions for future research; each topic includes extensive bibliographies and suggestions for further reading. The volumes are introduced and placed in context in an essay by Mary Hawkesworth, which advances the conceptual treatment of political science to a new level. The articles which follow are thematically arranged under nine main headings: Political Theory: Central Concepts, Contemporary Ideologies, Contemporary Political Systems, Political Institutions, Political Forces and Political Processes, Centripetal and Centrifugal Forces in the Nation-State, Policy-Making and Policies, International Relations, and Major Issues in Contemporary Politics. Key Features * 84 in-depth essays provide a current, balanced guide to international government and politics * Prestigious editors lead a worldwide team of specialists in each field * Clearly and incisively written to meet the needs of students, lecturers and practitioners at all levels * Helpful bibliographies - of new and classic material and suggestions for further reading * Extensive index of Topics and People

This book explores the discourses, attitudes and behaviours of professional politicians and ordinary citizens alike characterized by hostility towards the political sphere, political parties and, above all, professional politicians. It furnishes a clear, consistent depiction of the anti-politics phenomenon in general using Italy as a “laboratory” where anti-politics is widespread. After an original reconstruction of the concept of anti-politics, the author charts the rise of Silvio Berlusconi, the success of Umberto Bossi's Northern League, the resounding electoral victories of the Five Star Movement and the League (La Lega), all rooted in the anti-political rhetoric of Italy's leaders and the anti-political sentiment of its population. The author also traces the socio-political profile of the anti-political citizens of the main European democracies. This broad, consistent view of anti-politics will attract academics, journalists and policy makers interested in anti-politics in Italy and elsewhere. Students and scholars of party politics, party leaders, democracy and political participation will also find the volume of great interest.

This essential book fills a serious gap in the field by synthesizing modern Italian history and placing it in a fully European context. Emphasizing globalization, Italy traces the country's transformation from a land of emigration to one of immigration and its growing cultural importance. Including coverage of the April 2008 elections, this updated edition offers expanded examinations of contemporary Italy's economic, social, and cultural development, a deepened discussion on immigration, and four new biographical sketches. Author Spencer M. Di Scala discusses the role of women, gives ample attention to the Italian South, and provides a picture of how ordinary Italians live. Cast in a clear and lively style that will appeal to readers, this comprehensive account is an indispensable addition to the field.

How do the places where people live help structure and restructure their sociopolitical identities and interests? In this book, renowned political geographer John A. Agnew presents a theoretical model that addresses the relation of place to politics and applies it to a series of historicogeographical case studies set in modern Italy. For Agnew, place is not just a static backdrop against which events occur, but a dynamic component of social, economic, and political processes. He shows, for instance, how the lack of a common "landscape ideal" or physical image of Italy delayed the development of a sense of nationhood among Italians after unification. And Agnew uses the post-1992 victory of the Northern League over the Christian Democrats in many parts of northern Italy to explore how parties are replaced geographically during periods of intense political change. Providing a fresh new approach to studying the role of space and place in social change, Place and Politics in Modern Italy will interest geographers, political scientists, and social theorists.

An examination of the nature of popular government and oligarchy in towns and cities throughout Renaissance Italy, and of the reasons why broadly-based civic governments were losing ground.