Ludger Helms - Böcker

Political executives have been at the centre of public and scholarly attention long before the inception of modern political science. In the contemporary world, political executives have come to dominate the political stage in many democratic and autocratic regimes. The Oxford Handbook of Political Executives marks the definitive reference work in this field. Edited and written by a team of word-class scholars, it combines substantive stocktaking with setting new agendas for the next generation of political executive research.

This volume has been designed as a key resource in the field of international political leadership research. Written by a team of distinguished leadership scholars from three continents and nine countries, the original chapters gathered in this volume cover all the major fields of political leadership, from executive, legislative and party leadership to leadership in social movements and international organizations. The special value and appeal of this book relates to its genuinely comparative focus that characterizes all chapters.

Previously published as a special issue of the Journal of Legislative Studies, this volume offers a broad comparative assessment of the many faces of parliamentary opposition in different political, legal and cultural settings.Issues of political opposition, and of parliamentary opposition in particular, are at the very heart of the study of democratic processes in different parts of the world. Written by leading scholars in the field, this book looks both at the core features of the parliamentary opposition itself and its role in the legislative and wider political process. This includes an inquiry into the manifold challenges that the parliamentary opposition in many countries has come to face in the more recent past, in particular the rise of different non-parliamentary opposition actors. The countries covered in this volume include the old democracies of the Anglo-Saxon world, continental Europe and Japan, and the new democracies and democratizing regimes in Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America and South Africa. Another chapter looks at the manifestations of parliamentary opposition within the multi-level system of the European Union

In leadership research there is a long tradition of focusing attention on the great and successful leaders and, more recently, on issues of good governance. This study breaks new ground by looking systematically into the manifestations and causes of poor leadership and bad governance in some of the world's most powerful democracies. Focusing on the presidents and prime ministers of the G8 - the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Russia and Japan - it explores the complex relationship between weak and ineffective leadership, undemocratic leadership techniques, and bad policies from a broad comparative perspective. What makes leaders weak or bad in different contexts? What are the consequences of their actions and behavior? And has there been any learning from negative experience? These questions are at the center of this fascinating joint inquiry that involves a team of truly distinguished leadership scholars. This book will prove invaluable for scholars and students of leadership, political science, contemporary history, and related academic disciplines. Readers with a general interest in public affairs and political history will also find plenty to interest them. Contributors: J. Gaffney, L. Helms, E.S. Krauss, J. Malloy, G. Pasquino, G. Peele, R. Pekkanen, B.A. Rockman, R. Sakwa

Previously published as a special issue of the Journal of Legislative Studies, this volume offers a broad comparative assessment of the many faces of parliamentary opposition in different political, legal and cultural settings.Issues of political opposition, and of parliamentary opposition in particular, are at the very heart of the study of democratic processes in different parts of the world. Written by leading scholars in the field, this book looks both at the core features of the parliamentary opposition itself and its role in the legislative and wider political process. This includes an inquiry into the manifold challenges that the parliamentary opposition in many countries has come to face in the more recent past, in particular the rise of different non-parliamentary opposition actors. The countries covered in this volume include the old democracies of the Anglo-Saxon world, continental Europe and Japan, and the new democracies and democratizing regimes in Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America and South Africa. Another chapter looks at the manifestations of parliamentary opposition within the multi-level system of the European Union

Written by a team of distinguished leadership scholars from three continents and nine countries, the original chapters gathered in this volume cover all the major fields of political leadership, from executive, legislative and party leadership to leadership in social movements and international organizations.

In leadership research there is a long tradition of focusing attention on the great and successful leaders and, more recently, on issues of good governance. This study breaks new ground by looking systematically into the manifestations and causes of poor leadership and bad governance in some of the world's most powerful democracies. Focusing on the presidents and prime ministers of the G8 - the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Russia and Japan - it explores the complex relationship between weak and ineffective leadership, undemocratic leadership techniques, and bad policies from a broad comparative perspective. What makes leaders weak or bad in different contexts? What are the consequences of their actions and behavior? And has there been any learning from negative experience? These questions are at the center of this fascinating joint inquiry that involves a team of truly distinguished leadership scholars. This book will prove invaluable for scholars and students of leadership, political science, contemporary history, and related academic disciplines. Readers with a general interest in public affairs and political history will also find plenty to interest them. Contributors: J. Gaffney, L. Helms, E.S. Krauss, J. Malloy, G. Pasquino, G. Peele, R. Pekkanen, B.A. Rockman, R. Sakwa

Der Band bietet eine politikwissenschaftliche Gesamtdarstellung der Bedingungen und Charakteristika der Regierungsorganisation und politischen Fuhrung durch Kanzler und Bundesregierung in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Im Zentrum der Studie steht eine vergleichende Analyse der politischen Ressourcen und Fuhrungsstile deutscher Kanzler seit Konrad Adenauer. Diese werden auf zwei Ebenen - innerhalb des engeren Bereichs der Regierung und auf der Ebene des politischen Systems - betrachtet. Die Analyse ist eingebettet in eine ausgreifende Darstellung und Diskussion der unterschiedlichen theoretisch-konzeptionellen Ansatze der internationalen "leadership"-Forschung. Historische Ruckblicke und ein internationaler Vergleich runden die Studie ab.

Bei der vorliegenden Arbeit handelt es sich um eine leicht gekürzte Fassung meiner Dissertation, die im Wintersemester 1996/97 von der Philosophisch­ Historischen Fakultät der Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg angenommen wurde. In wissenschaftlicher Hinsicht schulde ich großen Dank vor allem mei­ nem verehrten Lehrer Prof. Klaus von Beyme, der mir - ab September 1995 im Rahmen einer Beschäftigung als Wissenschaftlicher Assistent - vorzügliche Bedingungen für die Abfassung dieser Schrift gewährt hat. Ihm verdanke ich die beharrliche Förderung meines Interesses an der vergleichenden Politikfor­ schung weit über diese Arbeit hinaus. Aufrichtiger Dank gebührt auch Prof. Manfred G. Schmidt, der sich freundlicherweise als Zweitgutachter meiner Dissertation zur Verfügung gestellt hat. Auch von ihm habe ich während mei­ ner Heidelberger Jahre mehr gelernt als in dieser Studie unterzubringen war. In einem sehr frühen Stadium der Arbeit habe ich darüber hinaus wertvolle Hinweise und Kritik vor allem von Prof. Herbert Döring (Potsdam), Prof. Eberhard Schütt-Wetschky (Hamburg) und Prof. Anton Pelinka (Innsbruck) erhalten. Prof. Eckhard Jesse (Chemnitz-Zwickau) danke ich für zahlreiche an­ regende Gespräche nicht nur über das Thema dieser Untersuchung. Von mei­ nen Kollegen aus dem Heidelberger "Mittelbau" schulde ich herzlichen Dank allen voran Dr. Uwe Wagschal, der mit ungezählten freundschaftlichen Auf­ munterungen und manch fachlichem Rat viel zum Gelingen dieser Arbeit bei­ getragen hat.