Kai Schulze - Böcker

The book adopts an innovative analytical approach to agenda setting by not only presenting successful cases in which energy issues were addressed by means of public policy, but by also analyzing failed attempts to make issues part of the European policy agenda. Another outstanding feature of the book is its use of the latest empirical data on a broad range of energy issues.When are energy issues likely to find their way to the agenda of European policymakers? This is the key research question guiding this collection of empirical studies, which will shed light on both successful and unsuccessful attempts to include energy issues in the European agenda. The multi-level political system of the European Union represents a particularly fruitful setting for addressing this question due to the multiple institutional access points it provides for different groups of actors. The book has three key benefits. First, it provides a theory-informed analysis of agenda setting processes in general and in the European Union in particular. Second, it presents an overview of the most important and emerging dimensions on European energy policy, and third, it helps to develop a research agenda for future research in the field.

The book adopts an innovative analytical approach to agenda setting by not only presenting successful cases in which energy issues were addressed by means of public policy, but by also analyzing failed attempts to make issues part of the European policy agenda.

International treaties and regulations have flourished over the past century. But why are some states more likely to ratify international treaties than others? And does domestic politics influence international commitments?This book seeks to answer these questions by examining the patterns and determinants of international treaty ratification in the areas of environmental and labour policy from the early twentieth century to the present. The book argues that partisan politics and interest groups play a significant role in explaining differences in international treaty ratification. It also demonstrates that the international commitments of industrialised democracies are heavily influenced by their domestic politico-economic characteristics rather than by their international linkages and interdependencies alone. These findings have important implications, as they highlight the ongoing importance of domestic constituencies in shaping international policy responses. The book will appeal to all those interested in international and comparative politics, sustainable development, and environmental and labour policy.