Politics and Society in Western Europe
Politics and Society in Western Europe

Author: Jan-Erik Lane

Publisher: SAGE

Published: 1998-12-23

Total Pages: 397

ISBN-13: 0857022083

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Politics and Society in Western Europe is a comprehensive introduction for students of West European politics and of comparative politics. This new edition has been extensively revised and updated to meet with the new needs of undergraduate students as they come to terms with a changing social and political landscape in Europe. This textbook provides a full analysis of the political systems of 18 Western European countries, their political parties, elections, and party systems, as well as the structures of government at local, regional, national and European Union levels. Throughout the book, key theoretical ideas are accessibly introduced and examined against the very latest empirical data on civil society and the state.

The Politics of Referendum Use in European Democracies
The Politics of Referendum Use in European Democracies

Author: Saskia Hollander

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2019-04-02

Total Pages: 345

ISBN-13: 3030041972

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This book demonstrates that the generally assumed dichotomy between referendums and representative democracy does not do justice to the great diversity of referendum types and of how referendums are used in European democracies. Although in all referendums citizens vote directly on issues rather than letting their political representatives do this for them, some referendums are more direct than others. Rather than reflecting the direct power of the People, most referendums in EU countries are held by, and serve the interests of, the political elites, most notably the executive. The book shows that these interests rarely match the justifications given in the public debate. Instead of being driven by the need to compensate for the deficiency of political parties, decision-makers use referendums primarily to protect the position of their party. In unravelling the strategic role played by national referendums in decision-making, this book makes an unconventional contribution to the debate on the impact of referendums on democracy.

European Democracies
European Democracies

Author: Jürg Steiner

Publisher: Longman Publishing Group

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 340

ISBN-13: 9780321077738

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With his new co-author, Markus Crepaz, Jurg Steiner has brought this best-selling text completely up-to-date. Using a comparative approach, the text crosses national and political boundaries in its coverage of Europe. Starting with detailed coverage of the basic differences between Europe and the United States in a new introductory chapter, the revision puts Europe in a global perspective and no longer divides its coverage between Western and Eastern Europe: Europe is now treated as a single entity.

Public Service Broadcasting and Media Systems in Troubled European Democracies
Public Service Broadcasting and Media Systems in Troubled European Democracies

Author: Eva Połońska

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2019-01-14

Total Pages: 407

ISBN-13: 3030027104

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This book provides the most recent overview of media systems in Europe. It explores new political, economic and technological environments and the challenges they pose to democracies and informed citizens. It also examines the new illiberal environment that has quickly embraced certain European states and its impact on media systems, considering the sources and possible consequences of these challenges for media industries and media professionals. Part I examines the evolving role of public service media in a comparative study of Western, Southern and Central Europe, whilst Part II ventures into Europe’s periphery, where media continues to be utilised by the state in its quest for power. The book also provides an insight into the role of the European Union in preserving the independence and neutrality of public service media. It will be useful to students and researchers of political communication and international and comparative media, as well as democracy and populism.

Populists in Power
Populists in Power

Author: Daniele Albertazzi

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2015-02-11

Total Pages: 219

ISBN-13: 1317535030

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The main area of sustained populist growth in recent decades has been Western Europe, where populist parties have not only endured longer than expected, but have increasingly begun to enter government. Focusing on three high-profile cases in Italy and Switzerland – the Popolo della Libertà (PDL), Lega Nord (LN) and Schweizerische Volkspartei (SVP) – Populists in Power is the first in-depth comparative study to examine whether these parties are indeed doomed to failure in office as many commentators have claimed. Albertazzi and McDonnell’s findings run contrary to much of the received wisdom. Based on extensive original research and fieldwork, they show that populist parties can be built to last, can achieve key policy victories and can survive the experience of government, without losing the support of either the voters or those within their parties. Contributing a new perspective to studies in populist politics, Populists in Power is essential reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as scholars interested in modern government, parties and politics.

Government and Politics in Western Europe
Government and Politics in Western Europe

Author: Yves Mény

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

Published: 1993

Total Pages: 420

ISBN-13: 9780198278863

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This second edition of a major text has been updated to take account of events in Europe since 1990. It is unique in offering an analysis of four major European democratic systems--those of the UK, France, Italy, and Germany--that combines theoretical approaches with empirical material. Organized around themes rather than countries, the book includes chapters on political cleavages, political parties and pressure groups, governmental institutions, and constitutional courts, and has a wealth of examples throughout.