ABSTRACT

How is Britain governed? Have we entered a new era of governance? Can traditional approaches to governance help us to interpret 21st century Britain?

This book develops the argument that we can understand political practices only by grasping the beliefs on which people act. It offers a governance narrative as a challenge to the Westminster model of British government and searches for a more accurate and open way of speaking about British government.

chapter 1|14 pages

Introduction

On governance

part I|64 pages

The approach

chapter 2|28 pages

An interpretive agenda

chapter 3|17 pages

Governance in Britain

chapter 4|17 pages

Decentring governance

part II|63 pages

The public sector

chapter 5|26 pages

Comparing Britain and Denmark

chapter 6|17 pages

Narratives of Thatcherism

chapter 7|18 pages

New Labour's civil service

part III|59 pages

The civil service

chapter 8|25 pages

The roots of governance

chapter 9|25 pages

The meaning of governance

chapter 10|7 pages

Conclusions

On governance again