Policy making at the second tier of local government in Europe: what is happening in provinces, counties, departements and landkreise in the on-going re-scaling of statehood?

1. Introduction / Xavier Bertrana, Bjorn Egner and Hubert Heinelt -- pt. 1: 2. County councils in a multi-level position : formal powers and assumed autonomy / Anders Lidstrom and Katarina Roos ; 3. Perceptions of New Public Management reforms / Hubert Heinelt and Max-Christopher Krapp ; 4. County councillors : between revenue shortfalls and growing responsibilities / Dubravka Jurlina Alibegovic and Suncana Slijepcevic -- pt. 2: 5. The political representation focuses of second-tier councillors in Europe / Cristina Stanus ; 6. Representational styles among county and municipal councillors / Jacob Aars, Bjarte Folkestad and Lawrence E. Rose ; 7. Patterns of gender representation in councils at the second tier of local government : assessing the gender gap in a unexplored institutional setting / Carmen Navarro and Lluis Medir ; 8. Notions of democracy of councillors at the municipal and second tier of local government, and their role perception and behaviour / Hubert Heinelt -- pt. 3: 9. The importance of political parties in county government / Colin Copus, David Sweeting and Thom Oliver ; 10. Parties and ideology : how parties shape their manifestos to obtain votes / Bjorn Egner ; 11. Actors' influence and horizontal power relations at the second tier of local government / Panagiotis Getimis and Nikos Hlepas -- pt. 4: 12. The political career of county councillors in Europe : examining the internal logic of professionalization and comparative country patterns / Xavier Bertrana. [et al.] ; 13. Political professionalization of county councillors in Europe / Dan Rysavy and Daniel Cermak ; 14. Family, ambition, local rootedness and party : a study of the activation and apprenticeships of the county councillor in Europe / Eric Kerrouche and Corentin Poyet.

Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- List of illustrations -- Notes on contributors -- 1 Introduction -- PART I -- 2 County councils in a multi-level position: formal powers and assumed autonomy -- 3 Perceptions of New Public Management reforms -- 4 County councillors: between revenue shortfalls and growing responsibilities -- PART II -- 5 The political representation focuses of second-tier councillors in Europe -- 6 Representational styles among county and municipal councillors -- 7 Patterns of gender representation in councils at the second tier of local government: assessing the gender gap in an unexplored institutional setting -- 8 Notions of democracy of councillors at the municipal and second tier of local government - and their role perception and behaviour -- PART III -- 9 The importance of political parties in county government -- 10 Parties and ideology: how parties shape their manifestos to obtain votes -- 11 Actors' influence and horizontal power relations at the second tier of local government -- PART IV -- 12 The political career of county councillors in Europe: examining the internal logic of professionalization and comparative country patterns -- 13 Political professionalization of county councillors in Europe -- 14 Family, ambition, local rootedness and party: a study of the activation and apprenticeships of the county councillor in Europe -- Index.