Urban Governance And Policy Networks: On The Urban Political Boundedness of Policy Networks. A French Case Study

The paper analyses the changes within two policy domains in one French city. The aim is not so much to demonstrate the role of policy networks but to stress the importance of their articulation within a given political space. The paper does not conclude on the emergence of a new type of network governance but rather shows how urban political élites have deliberately encouraged the formation of policy net-works in Rennes. That strategy makes sense in their attempt to strengthen an urban collective actor. Policy networks therefore should not be analysed autonomously as their impact is largely shaped by the interest and collective goals of the existing regime of governance in Rennes.     

Policy Advice from Outsiders: The Challenges of Policy Co-construction

The nature of policy work in nongovernment organizations (NGOs) is important consideration when understanding policy co-construction. Based on the results from a Canadian web-based survey of policy workers across five fields across three provinces, a multi-regression structural equation model suggests how NGO policy work can contribute to a greater collaboration on key policy issues and greater policy interaction between societal organizations and government agencies. The frequency of formal and informal invitations by governments played an important role in terms of the overall levels of interaction and stakeholder input. Networking activity was found to be important when addressing consultative-related issues, but only with NGO networks or their clients. Involvement in the early stages of policy development by the NGO policy workers did not lead to greater engagement with government officials, which may be a potential problem when their advice is sought after.     

Anti-Doping Policy in Sport: The Politics of International Policy Co-ordination

The characteristics and functioning of international policy processes are examined through the analysis of a case which explores the development of policy towards doping by athletes. Changes are traced in the dominant perception of the issue of doping in sport from a series of relatively self-contained problems which could be addressed by individual sports federations or competition organizers to one that requires extensive co-operation between federations and governments, and which has brought the issue of harmonization of policy to the forefront. The interests of the policy actors are identified and the role of two key organizations, the Council of Europe and the International Olympic Committee, in facilitating closer co-ordination, is examined. It is argued that the process is best understood by using the concept of a policy network as both a metaphor and as an analytical tool. The value of the concept of an epistemic community is also considered and it is suggested that not only are doctors and scientists marginal in shaping anti-doping policy, but that there are also limited conditions under which epistemic communities can fulfil an effective role in the policy process.     

Policy analysis: The undisciplined discipline

Policy analysis is an amorphous, multi-disciplinary, adademic pursuit in search of a professional focus. This discussion surveys the parameters of this pursuit and outlines the basic ingredients of a professional perspective. Argument is made for a multi-faceted, yet integrative approach which appreciates both the rational and trans-rational elements of public policy and which is anchored in a mixture of technical expertise and public regardedness.     

法国社会党的领袖危机

法国社会党的改革和重建,其中一个重要的内容就是设计一个总统候选人的推选程序,使其最终的领袖具有合法性又具有权威性能赢得下次总统的胜利.社会党在迎接着一次严峻的考验,未来的总统选举一名社会党总统人选能否胜出正在考验着社会党的执政能力.     

Policy Network Creation: The Case of Energy Efficiency

What can broadly be described as a policy community has been established with the central purpose of co-ordinating policy implementation in the field of energy efficiency in domestic buildings. A complete understanding of the processes of policy network formation cannot be achieved in this case without a thorough analysis of the construction of cognitive structures which influence the behaviour of actors and underpin the policy network. Discourse analysis is an effective means of studying cognitive structures. An understanding of the creative and unpredictable role of agents such as ministers is also important, suggesting that the study of policy network formation can be enlightened by a historical institutionalist approach that involves a role for agency as well as structural influences. The formation of the energy efficiency policy network is studied in the context of a critique of an earlier 'economic' institutionalist case study of policy network formation.     

The Modernization of the French Civil Service: Crisis, Change and Continuity

This article examines the policy of Fifth Republic governments towards the modernization of the French civil service, with particular reference to the period since 1989. It has three main objectives. The first is to clarify the terms of the French debate about the crisis of the state, which is necessary to an understanding of the intellectual context of reform. The second is to describe and analyse the various strands of 'administrative modernization' policy. The third is to provide an interim assessment of the impact on the structure and culture of the civil service of what is an on-going programme of administrative reform. The origins and development of modernization policy are examined from a 'regulationist' perspective which emphasizes that modernization is intended to re-assert the legitimacy and effectiveness of state action, most notably by deconcentrating the manaement of public policies to the 'local' civil service.     

法国社会党的原则声明和章程

[译者按]此章程制定于法国社会党1971年埃皮奈代表大会.1974年对章程进行过一次重要修改,后来又经过几次修改.最近的一次修改是在2000年格勒诺布尔代表大会上做出的.读者可通过该章程对法国社会党的运行机制有一个具体的了解.     

The limits of local economic intervention: The case of the French and Italian chambers of commerce

Chambers of commerce in France and Italy are powerful organisations with a unique potential for local economic growth. As public‐law organisations, they are vested with extensive formal powers and resources, far surpassing those of their British counterparts. Yet despite this potential, chambers in these states do not tend to play a dynamic role within the local economy. In recent years, they have undergone progressive decline and become confined to an increasingly marginal and residual role. This article examines the performance of the French and Italian chambers and considers some of the factors which have prevented them from assuming a more prominent economic role.