Abstract
In his controversial book If Mayors Ruled the World, US political theorist Benjamin Barber argued that mayors can and do play a major role in solving today’s grand societal challenges in domains like social inclusion and poverty, climate change and sustainability and safety and public order. It is increasingly recognised that meeting such challenges requires concerted action by a multiplicity of actors at different geographical scales and levels of government, and from different sectors (state, market and civil society). Against this backdrop, this chapter analyses the roles of mayors in building governance coalitions, bringing together relevant actors in efforts to meet major challenges facing their communities. What role, if any, do European mayors in different national local government systems play in local governance coalitions? In the chapter, the patterns of interdependence characteristic for various types of issues will be analysed, and we will investigate the role that mayors may or may not play in building coalitions between the various relevant actors. This will serve as the basis for subsequently looking into the success of these mayoral activities. Important issues here are whether the roles of mayors and their chances of being successful vary across different issue domains or across different national local government systems and are different for appointed, indirectly and directly elected mayors.
The work of Daniel Čermák on this chapter was supported by the Czech Science Foundation grant ‘Evropský starosta II’ (No. GA16-01331S).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Notes
- 1.
The measure was computed as the weighted average of the five items. In order to make sure that the three structuration items and the two process management items had an equal weight in the overall activity score we first computed the mean scores for the three structuration items (a–c; allowing for one missing score) and the two process management items (d–e) and then computed the mean score for the two subscales. The scale was rescaled to a 0–100 range.
- 2.
Using ANOVA post-hoc, Dunnett T3 pairwise comparisons of means test (unequal variances), α = 0.05.
- 3.
Using ANOVA post-hoc, Dunnett T3 pairwise comparisons of means test (unequal variances), α = 0.05.
- 4.
To a lesser extent this is also true for Italy (48).
- 5.
Using ANOVA post-hoc, Dunnett T3 pairwise comparisons of means test (unequal variances), α = 0.05.
- 6.
For the pairwise comparisons, we used the Dunnett T3 pairwise comparisons of means test (unequal variances), α = 0.0, unless reported otherwise.
References
Ansell, C., & Gash, A. (2008). Collaborative Governance in Theory and Practice. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 18(4), 543–571.
Bakker, J., Denters, B., Oude Vrielink, M., & Klok, P.-J. (2012). Citizens’ Initiatives: How Local Governments Fill their Facilitative Role. Local Government Studies, 38(4), 395–414.
Barber, B. (2013). If Mayors Ruled the World? Dysfunctional Nations, Rising Cities. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Borraz, O., & John, P. (2004). The Transformation of Urban Political Leadership in Western Europe. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 28(1), 107–120.
De Bruijn, H., & Ten Heuvelhof, E. (2000). Networks and Decision Making. Utrecht: Lemma Publishers.
Delwit, P., Pilet, J.-B., Reynaert, H., & Steyvers, K. (Eds.). (2007). Towards DIY-Politics? Participatory and Direct Democracy at the Local Level in Europe. Brugge; Baden-Baden: Vanden Broele; Nomos.
Denhardt, J., & Denhardt, R. (2011). Leadership. In M. Bevir (Ed.), The Sage Handbook of Governance (pp. 419–435). London: Sage.
Denters, B. (2011). Local Governance. In M. Bevir (Ed.), The Sage Handbook of Governance (pp. 313–330). London: Sage.
Denters, B., & Rose, L. (2005). Towards Local Governance? In B. Denters & L. Rose (Eds.), Comparing Local Governance. Trends and Developments (pp. 246–262). London: Palgrave.
Fallend, F., Ignits, G., & Swianiewicz, P. (2006). Divided Loyalties? Mayors between Party Representation and Local Community Interests. In H. Bäck, H. Heinelt, & A. Magnier (Eds.), The European Mayor. Political Leaders in the Changing Context of Local Democracy (pp. 245–270). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag.
Hambleton, R. (2014). Leading the Inclusive City: Place-Based Innovation for a Bounded Planet. Bristol. Bristol: Policy Press.
Hambleton, R., Howard, J., Denters, S., Klok, P., & Oude Vrielink, M. (2012). Public Sector Innovation and Local Leadership in the UK and the Netherlands, Report. York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Harding, A. (2009). The History of Community Power. In J. Davies & D. Imbroscio (Eds.), Theories of Urban Politics (pp. 27–39). London: Sage.
Klijn, E.-H., Steijn, B., & Edelenbos, J. (2010). The Impact of Network Management on Outcomes in Governance Networks. Public Administration, 88(4), 1063–1082.
Kotter, J., & Lawrence, O. (1974). Mayors in Action. Five Approaches to Urban Governance. New York: Wiley.
Kübler, D., & Michel, P. (2006). Mayors in Vertical Power Relations. In H. Bäck, H. Heinelt, & A. Magnier (Eds.), The European Mayor. Political Leaders in the Changing Context of Local Democracy (pp. 221–244). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag.
Leach, S., & Wilson, D. (2000). Local Political Leadership. Bristol: The Policy Press.
Lowi, T. J. (1972). Four Systems of Policy, Politics, and Choice. Public Administration Review, 32(4), 298–310.
Magnier, A. (2006). Strong Mayors? On Direct Election and Political Entrepreneurship. In H. Bäck, H. Heinelt, & A. Magnier (Eds.), The European Mayor. Political Leaders in the Changing Context of Local Democracy (pp. 353–376). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag.
Magnier, A., Navarro, C., & Russo, P. (2006). Urban Systems as Growth Machines? Mayors’ Governing Networks against Global Indeterminacy. In H. Bäck, H. Heinelt, & A. Magnier (Eds.), The European Mayor. Political Leaders in the Changing Context of Local Democracy (pp. 201–219). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag.
Mossberger, K. (2009). Urban Regime Analysis. In D. Judge et al. (Eds.), Theories of Urban Politics (pp. 40–54). London: Sage.
Navarro-Yáñez, C., & Rodríguez-García, M. (2014). Models of Local Governing Coalitions: City Politics and Policy Effects in Spanish Municipalities. Urban Geography, 36(8), 1149–1168.
Pierre, J. (2014). Can Urban Regimes Travel in Time and Space? Urban Regime Theory, Urban Governance Theory, and Comparative Urban Politics. Urban Affairs Review, 50(6), 864–889.
Ramírez-Pérez, A., Navarro-Yáñez, C., & Clark, T. (2008). Mayors and Local Governing Coalitions in Democratic Countries: A Cross-National Comparison. Local Government Studies, 34(2), 147–178.
Schattschneider, E. E. (1975). The Semisovereign People: A Realist’s View of Democracy in America. Hinsdale, IL: Dryden Press.
Steyvers, K. (2016). A Knight in White Satin Armour? New Institutionalism and Mayoral Leadership in the Era of Governance. European Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 23(2), 289–305.
Stone, C. (2005). Looking Back to Look Forward: Reflections on Urban Regime Analysis. Urban Affairs Review, 40(3), 309–341.
Stone, C. (2015). Reflections on Regime Politics. From Governing Coalition to Urban Political Order. Urban Affairs Review, 51(1), 101–137.
Svara, J. (2008). Facilitative Leadership in City Hall: Re-examining the Scope and Contributions. Boca Raton: CRC Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Denters, B., Steyvers, K., Klok, PJ., Cermak, D. (2018). Political Leadership in Issue Networks: How Mayors Rule Their World?. In: Heinelt, H., Magnier, A., Cabria, M., Reynaert, H. (eds) Political Leaders and Changing Local Democracy . Governance and Public Management. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67410-0_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67410-0_9
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-67409-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-67410-0
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)