Governance: A Very Short Introduction

Description

Very Short Introductions have proven to be extremely popular with general readers, as well as undergraduates and their lecturers.

The word ‘governance‘ is ubiquitous. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund make loans conditional on ‘good governance’. Climate change and avian flu appear as issues of ‘global governance’. The European Union issues a White Paper on ‘Governance’. The U.S. Forest Service calls for ‘collaborative governance’. What accounts for the pervasive use of the term ‘governance’ and to what does it refer? It has a bewildering set of answers. The word ‘governance’ is used in a variety of contexts, but at a general level, it refers to all forms of social coordination and patterns of rule.

In this Very Short Introduction, Mark Bevir considers not only the main theories of governance, but also their impact in a variety of areas including corporate, public, and global affairs.

Key Features

• Explores the definitions of one of the most widely used and yet least understood concepts
• Considers the main contemporary theories of governance and the interaction with corporate, public, and global spheres
• Considers issues such as what makes good or bad governance
• Part of the best-selling Very Short Introductions series – over five million copies sold worldwide

Table of Contents

1. List of abbreviations
2. What is governance?
3. Organizational governance
4. Corporate governance
5. Public governance
6. Global governance
7. Good Governance
8. Further reading
9. Index

About the Series

Oxford’s Very Short Introductions series offers concise and original introductions to a wide range of subjects – from Public Health to Buddhist Ethics, Soft Matter to Classics, and Art History to Globalization. Each volume provides an authoritative and engaging assessment of a concept, field, or body of work, drawing out the central ideas, themes, and approaches. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, new insights, and enthusiasm to make often challenging topics highly readable to develop your core knowledge. With over 700 titles and many more in development, as well as regularly updated new editions, the series is constantly evolving to reflect a contemporary readership. Whatever your area of study, whatever the topic that fascinates you, the series is an indispensable and accessible guide that will enrich your understanding.

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Author Biography

Mark Bevir, Professor of Political Science at University of California, Berkeley

Mark Bevir is a Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of New Labour: A Critique (Routledge, 2005), Key Concepts in Governance (Sage, 2009), Democratic Governance (PUP, 2010), and The State as Cultural Practice (OUP, 2010). He is also the editor or co-editor of 10 books, including a two volume Encyclopaedia of Governance (Sage, 2007). He founded the undergraduate course on ‘Theories of Governance’ at Berkeley and he teaches a graduate course on ‘Strategies of Contemporary Governance’.