Starting from the observation that the European Union now possesses many of the attributes of modern political systems, Hix and Høyland take an innovative approach to analysing, researching and teaching the EU. Using the general theories of political science to understand how the EU works, this text covers each of the main processes in the EU political system - executive, legislative and judicial politics, public opinion, interest groups and democracy, and regulatory, monetary and foreign ...

The European Union seems incapable of undertaking economic reforms and defining its place in the world. Public apathy towards the EU is also increasing, as citizens feel isolated from the institutions in Brussels and see no way to influence European level decisions.Taking a diagnosis and cure approach to the EU’s difficulties, Simon Hix tackles these problems with distinct clarity and open-mindedness. What the EU needs, Hix contends, is more open political competition. This would p...

This comparative examination of the impact of European integration on the politics and government of EU member states covers the parties, the legal system, voters and public administration.

Developing countries have undergone significant industrialization in the last three decades. Yet industrial growth reveals marked spatial inequalities in terms of both country and location. The Newly Industrialised Countries have achieved spectacular growth in sharp contrast to many other countries of the South. Industrial structure has changed, moving away from labour intensive industries to more technologically advanced manufacturing. Developing countries have had considerable success in...

This book explores the significance of the establishment of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), as well as some of the issues brought into sharper focus by the Seattle demonstrations of 1999. Located within the broader study of global governance, Multilateralism and the World Trade Organisation offers a critical examination of the legal framework of the WTO. The book uncovers a series of discriminatory practices embedded in the WTO's legal framework, which act to the disadvantage ...

Preferential trade agreements have become common ways to protect or restrict access to national markets in products and services. The United States has signed trade agreements with almost two dozen countries as close as Mexico and Canada and as distant as Morocco and Australia. The European Union has done the same. In addition to addressing economic issues, these agreements also regulate the protection of human rights. In Forced to Be Good Emilie M. Hafner-Burton tells the...

The European Union is a key player in international economic relations, but its exact role and how it goes about making decisions and negotiating is often poorly understood within and especially outside the EU. When does the EU play a proactive role and when does it follow? When is the EU a distinct actor and when is it just one level in a multi- level process of negotiation in which the member states are the main actors? Does the EU possess normative power in external economic relations? ...

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is broadening its agenda and carving out a role as a key player in global economic policy-making, and this volume provides a succinct and comprehensive guide to this important organization.By charting the history and development of the ILO and examining its key functions and structure the authors offer a clear and detailed account of its work, and provide an important discussion of the current criticisms and debates that surround the orga...

The Oxford Handbook on the World Trade Organization provides an authoritative and cutting-edge account of the World Trade Organization. Its purpose is to provide a holistic understanding of what the WTO does, how it goes about fulfilling its tasks, its achievements and problems, and how it might contend with some critical challenges. The Handbook benefits from an interdisciplinary approach. The editorial team comprises a transatlantic partnership between a political scien...

What is the EU for? In light of the current state of European integration, EU law cannot meaningfully be appreciated without understanding the political, social and cultural context within which it operates. This textbook proposes a fresh, accessible and interdisciplinary take on the subject that is suitable for one-semester and introductory courses wishing to engage the reader with the wider context of the EU project. It situates the institutions, legal order and central policy domains of...

Historically, African political institutions such as constitutions, legislatures and judiciaries have been seen as weak and vulnerable to manipulation, leading some to claim that the continent is 'institutionless'. However, recent developments including the consolidation of presidential term limits in a number of countries demonstrate that this depiction is no longer tenable. By drawing attention to how institutions can shape the practice of politics, this book demonstrates that electoral ...

In Party Politics and Economic Reform in Africa's Democracies, M. Anne Pitcher offers an engaging new theory to explain the different trajectories of private sector development across contemporary Africa. Pitcher argues that the outcomes of economic reforms depend not only on the kinds of institutional arrangements adopted by states in order to create or expand their private sectors, but also on the nature of party system competition and the quality of democracy in particular countries. To...