Mattia Casula is a Research Fellow in Political Science at the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Italy. He has held visiting positions at the European University Institute in Florence, at the University of Strathclyde and at the University of Edinburgh. His research interests and publications are in the field of public policy and administration, with a focus on subnational and local levels. A former member of the Board of the Regional Studies Association, he is currently cocoordinator of the Standing Group “Regional Studies and Local Policies” of the Italian Political Science Association.

“The book offers a valuable, theory-guided empirical study that will inform research on the governance of Cohesion Policy. … I recommend this book to scholars and students interested in Cohesion Policy and its implementation in Italy and Spain.” (Carlos Mendez, Regional Studies, Vol. 57 (6), 2023)

• 1 Conceptualising Cohesion Policy as a Case of Development Policy: A Framework for Empirical Analysis.- 2 Understanding the Rules of the Game: How Cohesion Policy Works.- 3 The Italian Case: Between Decentralisation and the Legacies of the Past.- 4. The Spanish Case: The Benefits of a National Coordination.- 5. Conclusions: Two Cases in a Comparative Perspective.

Mattia Casula is a Research Fellow in Political Science at the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Italy. He has held visiting positions at the European University Institute in Florence, at the University of Strathclyde and at the University of Edinburgh. His research interests and publications are in the field of public policy and administration, with a focus on subnational and local levels. A former member of the Board of the Regional Studies Association, he is currently cocoordinator of the Standing Group “Regional Studies and Local Policies” of the Italian Political Science Association.

“The book offers a valuable, theory-guided empirical study that will inform research on the governance of Cohesion Policy. … I recommend this book to scholars and students interested in Cohesion Policy and its implementation in Italy and Spain.” (Carlos Mendez, Regional Studies, Vol. 57 (6), 2023)

• 1 Conceptualising Cohesion Policy as a Case of Development Policy: A Framework for Empirical Analysis.- 2 Understanding the Rules of the Game: How Cohesion Policy Works.- 3 The Italian Case: Between Decentralisation and the Legacies of the Past.- 4. The Spanish Case: The Benefits of a National Coordination.- 5. Conclusions: Two Cases in a Comparative Perspective.

Mattia Casula is a Research Fellow in Political Science at the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Italy. He has held visiting positions at the European University Institute in Florence, at the University of Strathclyde and at the University of Edinburgh. His research interests and publications are in the field of public policy and administration, with a focus on subnational and local levels. A former member of the Board of the Regional Studies Association, he is currently cocoordinator of the Standing Group “Regional Studies and Local Policies” of the Italian Political Science Association.

“The book offers a valuable, theory-guided empirical study that will inform research on the governance of Cohesion Policy. … I recommend this book to scholars and students interested in Cohesion Policy and its implementation in Italy and Spain.” (Carlos Mendez, Regional Studies, Vol. 57 (6), 2023)

• 1 Conceptualising Cohesion Policy as a Case of Development Policy: A Framework for Empirical Analysis.- 2 Understanding the Rules of the Game: How Cohesion Policy Works.- 3 The Italian Case: Between Decentralisation and the Legacies of the Past.- 4. The Spanish Case: The Benefits of a National Coordination.- 5. Conclusions: Two Cases in a Comparative Perspective.