Is the Prefect an exception, surviving only in France and some countries influenced by Napoleon? No! This book tells the varied stories of the resilience, in most European States and under different names, of the prefectoral institution. It is the first comparative book in English studying these territorial administrators who have a go-between role in centre-periphery relations and a nodal role in territorial governance. Gathering a multidisciplinary team of scholars under the auspices of the European Group for Public Administration, this volume offers a fine-grained analysis of 17 national cases, examines cross-country data, and proposes a theoretical frame made of a Weberian ideal-type with three variants, to better comprehend and explain the permanence and changes of the prefectoral figure.

This edited collection presents a pan-European history of intermediary government and administration in nineteenth-century Europe. Taking a closer look at senior government officials who represented the sovereign or state far away from the capital, the book highlights the intermediary nature of their roles, which fell somewhere between the municipality and central bureaucracy. Against the backdrop of revolution and upheaval brought about by the Enlightenment and the First World War, the nineteenth century was a crucial period for reform and political change. Taking a transnational approach, the contributors examine the similarities between the challenges that faced government officials in different European states, focusing on their common role as mediators: firstly, between the ‘centre’ and the ‘peripheries’; and secondly, between the population and hierarchies of power. The status and prerogative of these officials are discussed, providing insights into the lives of French Préfets, Prussian Oberpräsidenten, Austrian Statthalter, Italian Prefetti, dutch Commissarissen des Konings and governors in Russia and Spain. The special case of the United Kingdom, where there were neither prefects nor governors, serves as a mirror. Dismantling the barriers between different national histories, this book represents a comprehensive and comparative investigation into the roles of nineteenth-century provincial administrators in Europe, an important read for anyone researching European political history or the history of the state.

This volume, first published in 1925, presents a clear background to the then-contemporary political situation in China, and in doing so sheds much light on the history of Chinese politics. In focusing on the political organization it generates an insightful study of Chinese government.

First Published in 1967. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

This 11-volume set gathers together some key older titles on China’s history. Encompassing China’s political, economic, and cultural development, the books gathered here also deal with contacts with the West both ancient and modern.

The principle of equality has always been considered as one of the fundamental values of modern societies; it compels administration to provide equal treatment to all subjects it enters in touch with, which is normally expressed as a general prohibition of discrimination. However, in recent times, the idea, according to which equality is not based only on protection against discrimination but also on promotion of diversity as a source of richness for society, is widely shared. This book gives a multidisciplinary overview of some of the possible methods and tools which are nowadays experimented by administration, in order to properly face the practical problems connected to diversity. ENDORSEMENTS: "In this volume, Professor Anna Simonati has gathered a wide range of contributions which reflect on the nature of diversity, and its value in society today. Power structures are sticky. This volume reminds us that concepts as old as equality and equity, do not always manifest in ways that create diversity in these structures. The case studies within demonstrate that diversity will lead to empowerment - in other words, shifting the inherent power structures and opening opportunities for all. It is important for democracies to rebalance power structures, and deliberate administrative policies and practices aimed at diversity - as exemplified here - can make real differences for people. Critically, the volume also addresses diversity in education. Preparing the next generation for a world where diversity is a given, rather than a struggle is a worthy goal. This volume provides pathways for policy makers and those who deliver policy with a view to achieving this goal." — Adam Masters, The Australian National University "The book makes a substantive contribution to our understanding and appreciation of how diversity can and ought to be seen not only as something to be protected by means of non-discrimination rules and mechanisms, but also and indeed primarily as a major source of development and improvement for public administration and the public services. Diversity is indeed a strategic opportunity, and this collective work developed under the leadership of Professor Anna Simonati shows us why and how to make the most of such strategic opportunities for public organizations worldwide." — Edoardo Ongaro, The Open University "This Book is really precious because in its comparative approach, takes into account the legal provisions of many national Jurisdictions and the experience of many public Administrations all over the World. The Values of Diversity and Inclusion thus are considered non-only as general principles of Law, but in their action vis a vis the duty of Administrations to provide equal treatment to all subjects they enter in touch with. The aim of the Volume, as Anna Simonati explains, is not aimed at offering final and definite answers, nor a systemic study of the subject, but to address the various possible causes of discrimination and most importantly the possible remedies against it with a Case oriented Analysis. This collective work therefore it is extremely valuable to underline how the Public Policies and the Administrative Law tools can be fundamental -in many different ways- for the never ending struggle towards Equality and Justice." — Aristide Police, LUISS University