Overview

While many scholars, policymakers, and development practitioners view decentralization as a way to increase participation, strengthen political representation, and improve social welfare, little is known about the experiences of communities in the context of decentralization – particularly in the Middle East and North Africa. This volume directs our attention toward the ways in which decentralization is “lived locally” by citizens of the MENA region, underscoring the simultaneous influences of individual-level factors (e.g., gender, education) and local context (e.g., development levels, electoral institutions) on governance processes and outcomes. A group of international scholars brings together methodologically diverse, original research in Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, and Tunisia to expand the literature on decentralization. Following a preface by Hicham Alaoui, the empirical chapters are arranged into three thematic sections. These focus on subnational variations in the relationships between central and local actors, citizen engagement with state and non-state institutions, and the extent to which representatives reflect their local communities. Together, these chapters provide important insights into governance, participation, and representation in the MENA and open new questions for furthering the study of governance and local development. Only by unpacking perspectives and governance experiences at the micro-level can we understand how decentralization policies affect citizens’ everyday lives.

Full Product Details

Author:   Kristen Kao ,  Ellen Lust
Publisher:   The University of Michigan Press
Imprint:   The University of Michigan Press
Weight:   0.454kg
ISBN:  

9780472057139

ISBN 10:   0472057138
Pages:   346
Publication Date:   15 January 2025
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Available To Order  
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Table of Contents

Illustrations Tables Acknowledgments Preface Introduction Decentralization and Local Governance: Lessons from the MENA by Ellen Lust and Kristen Kao Decentralization: Design and Implementation Municipal Boundaries and the Politics of Space by Intissar Kherigi Continuities and Ruptures in Local Governance in Daraa, Syria by Marika Sosnowski Participation Citizen Petitions to Moroccan Municipalities: A Case of Unequal Inclusion by Francesco Colin and Sylvia I. Bergh Local Elections and Service Provision Under Lebanon’s Postwar Party Cartel by Christiana Parreira How Gender and Local State Capacity Shape Citizens’ Use of the Mosque by Steven Brooke and Monica C. Komer Success Beyond Gender Quotas: Gender, Local Politics, and Clientelism in Morocco by Marwa Shalaby and Carolyn Barnett Local Political Priorities during Tunisia’s First Democratic Municipal Elections by Alexandra Domike Blackman, Julia Clark, and Aytug Sasmaz Beards, Mustaches, and Power: The Traits of Male Leadership in Morocco by Matt Buehler and Freddy Gergis Conclusion Decentralization in the Middle East and North Africa: Findings and Implications by Ellen Lust and Kristen Kao Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Author Bios

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Author Information

Kristen Kao is a Docent (Associate Professor) at the Department of Political Science, University of Gothenburg. Ellen Lust is Founder and Director of the Governance and Local Development Institute at the University of Gothenburg and Cornell University; Professor of Political Science at the University of Gothenburg; and Director of the Einaudi Center for International Relations, and Professor in the Department of Government and in the Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy at Cornell University.

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