Local Self-Governance and Varieties of Statehood: Tensions and Cooperation

The debate on governance originated in the OECD world, and this book offers an extended perspective of local self-governance by examining cases from South Asia, Africa, and Latin America, together with a study of militias in the USA. The chapters present a wide variety of local actors who pursue different notions of order legitimized by local traditions, Islamic theology, or grassroots democracy. Some local actors claim a state-like authority and challenge the territorial state, while others fight for supremacy, and the state is just one actor among others. The empirical studies presented in this book show how different kinds of local self-governance are combined with varieties of statehood, contributing to an understanding of the notion of governance in a fundamental sense that goes beyond the special case of the OECD world.

Format: Hardback
Length: 198 pages
Publication date: 14 December 2022
Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG

The debate on governance has its roots in the OECD world, but it has gained renewed significance since the postcolonial era. It is now recognized that our assumptions need to be tested under radically different conditions. This book provides an extended perspective on local self-governance by examining cases from South Asia, Africa, and Latin America, as well as a study of militias in the United States.

The chapters in this book showcase a diverse range of local actors who pursue different notions of order, legitimized by local traditions based on hierarchy, communalism, Islamic theology, or grassroots democracy. Some of these local actors assert a state-like authority and challenge the territorial state, creating opposition rather than a shadow hierarchy. In these contexts, the state becomes just one among many actors engaged in violent struggles for supremacy.

The empirical studies presented in this book shed light on how various forms of local self-governance coexist with different manifestations of statehood, contributing to a deeper understanding of governance in a broader sense that extends beyond the specific context of the OECD world. By exploring these diverse cases, the book offers valuable insights into the complex dynamics and interactions between local and national authorities, as well as the challenges and opportunities associated with different modes of governance.

Weight: 483g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783031149955
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022