ABSTRACT
The focus of the chapter is on long-term evaluation studies of amalgamation reforms of municipalities. Possibilities for such evaluations are discussed on the basis of two cases of large-scale local government reforms in Denmark, both having the merging of municipalities as a central element. Evaluations of the reforms in 1970 and in 2007, respectively, are reviewed and the interconnectedness of the two reforms is discussed. It is made probable that long-term evaluations of such reforms are meaningful and realistic to conduct but has to go beyond the effect evaluation and include systemic evaluations and broader historical studies. Such long-terms evaluations will face a number of methodological and political challenges that should be addressed by proper design and methods.
