Alberto Bitonti – författare

This book provides a clear, systematic and up-to-date picture of the vast and dynamic industry of lobbying and Public Affairs in Europe, not only at EU level, but specifically in each of the 28 EU Member States. Using contributions from political scientists and lobbyists from each country, the volume offers a comprehensive review of the European lobbying industry, tackling elements such as the institutional framework and the political culture of each country, the perception of lobbyists by public opinion and politicians, the professionalization and the numbers of the industry in each country, the regulation of the sector (through dedicated laws, self-imposed ethical codes, etc.). This is a benchmark publication for all those studying or working in the field of Lobbying, Public Affairs, Communication and Business and Politics in or with EU countries.

The growing need for a concise and comprehensive overview of the world of interest groups, lobbying, and public affairs called for a compendium of existing research, key theories, concepts, and case studies. This project is the first transnational encyclopedia to offer such an interdisciplinary and wide overview of these topics, including perspectives on public relations, crisis management, communication studies, as well as political science, political marketing, and policy studies. It is an interdisciplinary work, which involved an extraordinary pool of contributors made up of leading scholars and practitioners from all around the globe; it is a live and evolving project focused on drawing together grounded international knowledge for our diverse and developing world.The 200+ entries of the Palgrave Encyclopedia of Interest Groups, Lobbying and Public Affairs (to be found as a live reference work online here, and in two print volumes in 2022) address these research avenues, tackling a growing demand for a comprehensive international reference work regarding key global sectors and policymaking structures, looking beyond the traditional markets of Europe and North America to incorporate practice and research from Asia, Africa, Oceania, and Latin America. This encyclopedia acts as a synthesis of existing research, and aims to aid academics, students, and practitioners navigate their relevant fields around the globe.