Kevin Featherstone - Böcker

Economic and monetary union in the European Union represents a massive change for Europe and for the world. The Road to Maastricht identifies why the agreement was possible and how the agreement was made. The book examines the motives that inspired European political leaders, the strategies that they pursued, and the institutions that were used to achieve monetary union. Drawing on a wide range of sources and unprecedented research and interviews, the book combines careful political analysis with new information about the way in which European Monetary Union was negotiated. It delves into the complex forces at work in Europe, including the cross-national political interactions, to produce an authoritative account of the boldest and riskiest venture in the history of European integration.

This book is concerned with a large question in one small, but highly problematic case: how can a prime minister establish control and coordination across his or her government?The Greek system of government sustains a 'paradox of power' at its very core. The Constitution provides the prime minister with extensive and often unchecked powers. Yet, the operational structures, processes and resources around the prime minister undermine their power to manage the government. Through a study of all main premierships between 1974 and 2009, Prime Ministers in Greece argues that the Greek prime minister has been 'an emperor without clothes'. The costs of this paradox included the inability to achieve key policy objectives under successive governments and a fragmented system of governance that provided the backdrop to Greece's economic meltdown in 2010. Building on an unprecedented range of interviews and archival material, Featherstone and Papadimitriou set out to explore how this paradox has been sustained. They conclude with the Greek system meeting its 'nemesis': the arrival of the close supervision of its government by the 'Troika' - the representatives of Greece's creditors. The debt crisis challenged taboos and forced a self-reflection. It remains unclear, however, whether either the external strategy or the domestic response is likely to be sufficient to make the Greek system of governance 'fit for purpose'.

The Oxford Handbook of Modern Greek Politics is a major new contribution to the study of contemporary European and Greek politics. This edited volume contains 43 chapters written by Greek and foreign academics foremost in their field. After an introductory section, offering a frame of analysis, the volume includes sections on political institutions, traditions and party families, political and social interest groups, policy-making and policy sectors, external relations, and Greece's most important political leaders of the period between the 1974 transition to democracy and today. It will be an invaluable reference for scholars, new and established, as well as for the informed reader around the world. This work offers the most comprehensive approach to the subject to this day. Drawing on data and analysis previously available only in national sources (Greek books, articles, and other primary and secondary sources), in combination with international data, it allows international scholars of politics, international relations, society, and economy to integrate the case of Greece in their own projects; and facilitates the search of any informed reader who seeks a reliable, updated source on Modern Greece.

When, and how, might crises force institutions to change? Crisis management prompts expectations of exceptional behaviour, leaders raising their 'game', and of being empowered. The Greek crisis of 2009-18 was severe: threatening bankruptcy and Greece's exit from the euro. Yet, in a previous study of 2015, Featherstone and Papadimitriou identified key institutional weaknesses embedded within Greek governments: of poor central control and coordination, the very qualities needed in a crisis. So, how far did the crisis in Greece enable actors to overcome these critical weaknesses? What lessons were drawn, and when?Exploring change in a crisis requires careful case study. Drawing on interviews with an extensive range of personnel, including each crisis Greek prime minister, the authors meticulously explore how the four prime ministers of the period handled the challenges of crisis management. In doing so, they apply an original analytical frame.They then place the Greek case in a wider, comparative perspective, contributing to studies of crisis leadership, crisis management, core executives, and the utility of external loan conditionality. There are implications for the capacity to reform in particular domestic settings and the ability of external actors like the European Union to leverage such reform. In a heterogeneous Europe, these are issues of likely continuing importance.

'The Politics of Europeanization' looks at the political aspects of European integration from the point of view of domestic politics. In doing so, it goes beyond the classic analysis of 'how policies are made in Brussels' and raises instead the question 'what is the power of Europe in national contexts?'. The questions at the heart of this volume are crucial both for our understanding of European integration and for their policy implications.What does Europeanization really mean? How can it be measured? How is the European Union affecting domestic politics and policies in member states and candidate countries? Is Europeanization an irreversible process? Does it mean convergence across Europe? How and why do differences remain? The contributors explain and question the 'power of Europe' by providing theoretical and empirical perspectives on domestic politics and institutions, government and administration, public policies, political actors and business groups. The volume contains a new research agenda for the nascent literature on Europeanization.

This text looks at the political aspects of European integration from the point of view of domestic politics. In doing so, it goes beyond the classic analysis of "how policies are made in Brussels" and raises instead the question "what is the power of Europe in national contexts"? The questions at the heart of this volume are crucial both for our understanding of European integration and for their policy implications. What does Europeanization really mean? How can it be measured? How is the European Union affecting domestic politics and policies in member states and candidate countries? Is Europeanization an irreversible process? Does it mean convergence across Europe? How and why do differences remain? The contributors explain and question the "power of Europe" by providing theoretical and empirical perspectives on domestic politics and institutions, government and administration, public policies, political actors and business groups. The volume contains a research agenda for the nascent literature on Europeanization.

`This is by far the best of recent books on US-EU relations...It seeks to improve understanding to both academics and policy-makers and succeeds marvellously, combining theoretical awareness, detailed knowledge (usefully presented in numerous tables) and clarity of presentation...This book can be strongly recommended' - Nigel Ashford, Journal of Common Market Studies `Featherstone and Ginsberg's analysis is stimulating and often insightful ...there are lots of good things in this analysis, not least because of the explicitly prescriptive nature of some of the conclusions. It will make the reader think about the nature and the future of European-American relations' - Michael Smith, West European Politics This book probes US-EU relations at a critical juncture in international relations. Within their own domain, the US and the EU are profoundly interdependent. However, the relationship at large remains captive to the vicissitudes of the international order. As both partners engage in wholesale rethinking of their common interest, appropriate adjustments must be made to respond to a changing world.Should this not happen, the authors conclude that the marriage of convenience of the 1950s will become a partnership in peril of the 1990s. A new postscript to this edition covers the more recent developments in 1993-94: the agreement on the GATT deal; the backlash against the Maastricht Treaty; the development of new forms of foreign policy cooperation in Europe; the tensions between the EU and the US over intractable problems such as Bosnia. The book relates these developments to how they affect our understanding of US-EU relations and how they might shape the future agenda of both partners.

This rare focus on the politics of contemporary Greece explores in particular the country’s processes of public policy-making.It is more than thirty years since the restoration of democracy in Greece and in this period the country has undergone a number of major changes. Domestic political tensions have arisen from the pressures of ‘Europeanization’ as a consequence of Greece’s membership in the European Union. EU membership has helped define a ‘modernization’ project, latterly associated with Premier Costas Simitis, which clashes with traditional practices and paradigms. In addition, other challenges have arisen: of a multi-ethnic society, of the loss of faith in old ideologies and of the passage of old divisions. Greece now faces pressure to adapt to the external environment, as well as to the constraints of the will and capability of the domestic system.Politics and Policy in Greece addresses core issues, such as:* How far has the politics of ‘modernization’ penetrated Greek society? * How far have reforms to state-economy relations, welfare systems and constitutional rights reflected a liberal agenda and how far have they reflected traditional concerns? * How has ‘modernization’ affected Greece’s relations with the European Union? Containing expert overviews and detailed case studies of the dynamics of domestic politics, this accessible and informative volume is essential reading for both Greeks and non-Greeks alike.

Europeanization" is a term increasingly used in the social sciences to descibe the impact, convergence or response of politicians and institutions in relation to the European Union. This volume explores the concept in a variety of different settings in order to clarify its meaning.

Europeanization" is a term increasingly used in the social sciences to descibe the impact, convergence or response of politicians and institutions in relation to the European Union. This volume explores the concept in a variety of different settings in order to clarify its meaning.

Political Change in Greece (1987) surveys the state of politics in Greece as it joined the EEC, experienced a socialist government, and faced changes in its relations within NATO. It provides historical background explaining the changes in regimes since the Second World War, and looks at different elements in Greek politics – processes, parties, interest groups and key policy areas – outlining for each recent development the likely future state of affairs.

Political Change in Greece (1987) surveys the state of politics in Greece as it joined the EEC, experienced a socialist government, and faced changes in its relations within NATO. It provides historical background explaining the changes in regimes since the Second World War, and looks at different elements in Greek politics – processes, parties, interest groups and key policy areas – outlining for each recent development the likely future state of affairs.