Network Approaches to Multi-level Governance ― Structures, Relations and Understanding Power Between Levels

This book explores how the interplay between political institutions and actor relations allows us to understand multi-level governance, and the effect of this interplay on the nature of power.

Drawing on case studies from the UK, Canada and Europe to illustrate the effects of both governance structures and relations in shaping the nature of multi-level governance, it shows that governance arrangements can be adversely affected by poorly-defined relations between levels, and ultimately clear rules of the game are necessary to ensure that multi-level governance is perceived as effective.

Through a deeper conceptualisation of governance, the author offers a clear understanding of the relationship between governance and power, the implications of governance structures on policy processes and how multi-level governance actually operates on the ground.

Dion Curry is Lecturer in Public Policy at Swansea University. He is interested in multi-level governance and issues of accountability and legitimacy in governance processes. His next project, funded through a Marie Curie EU research grant, focuses on how EU-level governance processes are legitimated at the member state level.