This book presents a wide-ranging comparative analysis of the development of sex-equality policies within Europe. The contributors, comprising both European and US-based scholars, address a very current political issue. This is an area of policy that has reached the decision-making stage in much of Europe and it is thus possible to assess the outcome of policy-making and to account for cross-national variations of sex-equality policy measures.
The contributors discuss the similarities and differences in levels of awareness, commitment to equality of opportunity and readiness to turn...

The problem of mass unemployment in western Europe has persisted since the early 1980s. Clearly the policies implemented by national governments and the EU have not been successful in adequately tackling this important social, economic and political issue.
The New Politics of Unemployment provides a thorough comparative analysis of the present situation. It looks at how the orthodox unemployment policies of contemporary governments have failed and what new policies might be introduced. A number of radical unemployment policies, from Germany, France, Italy, Britain, Spain,...

The problem of mass unemployment in western Europe has persisted since the early 1980s. Clearly the policies implemented by national governments and the EU have not been successful in adequately tackling this important social, economic and political issue.
The New Politics of Unemployment provides a thorough comparative analysis of the present situation. It looks at how the orthodox unemployment policies of contemporary governments have failed and what new policies might be introduced. A number of radical unemployment policies, from Germany, France, Italy, Britain, Spain,...

The contributors to this study address the question of how political theory is relevant to the construction of the new Europe and tie-in issues of citizenship, social justice and political legitimacy. By using techniques of contemporary political theory the book argues that the emergence of the new Europe poses fundamental questions of value and principle and challenges more established political theories in the process.

Ethnoregionalist parties are an increasingly influential political phenomenon in many Western European countries. Despite this there has been little systematic study of these important political parties. This volume fills the gap with an exploration of the successes and failures experienced by ethnoregionalist parties in post-war Europe.
Regionalist Parties in Western Europe looks in detail at the fortunes of twelve regionalist parties in: the Basque country, Corsica, French speaking Belgium, Scotland, Wales, Catalonia, Flanders, Italy, and South Tyrol.

This volume examines the recent changes which have occurred in party systems across Europe. It concludes that parties in many countries are no longer bare reflections of traditional social groups. Rather, the structure in which parties compete is increasingly open and flexible, and subject to on-going change. The combination of comparative and individual case-studies provides strong evidence that political parties remain a potent, if changing, force in politics throughout Europe.

The study of social and popular movements continues to attract great interest, but little is known of political activity which takes place outside of traditional political structures. Tnis volume looks at informal political action which arises when conventional frameworks, such as those provided by welfare states, are in crisis or decline. At such times the usual expectations about politcal action may not apply, so what actually goes on?
Greatly expanding the scope for research into collective action, this volume will be of great interest to students and researchers of politics and...

Theories of Secession presents a systematic analysis of the recent rise of secessionist movements in global politics. Bringing together some of the most respected scholars in their field, this study locates the right to secede in the context of contemporary political theory. The chapters deal with problems of nationalism and federalism, special rights to secede, conditions of ethnic and cultural pluralism and asks if constitutions should include a right to secede.