How can we strengthen the capacity of governments and parties to manage arrivals and departures at the top? Democracy requires reliable processes for the transfer of power from one generation of leaders to the next. This book introduces new analytical frameworks and presents the latest empirical evidence from comparative political research.

"The transfer of power is fundamental to the proper functioning of our political and administrative institutions. Yet, students of government and practitioners have little in the way of literature to guide their understanding of how power changes hands. This book fills a void in a comprehensive and insightful fashion. It brings a theoretical, empirical and comparative perspective to planning government transitions."

• Donald J. Savoie, Canada Research Chair in Public Administration and Governance, Université de Moncton, Canada

Autorentext
PAUL 'T HART, Professor of Political Science at the Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University, and Professor of Public Administration, Utrecht School of Governance, Utrecht University, the Netherlands JOHN UHR, Director of the Policy and Governance Program, Crawford School of Economics and Government, Australian National University. PAUL ATKINS, Associate Professor at the Crawford School of Economics and Government, Australian National University. STANLEY BACH, formerly of the Congressional Research Service, Washington, USA, is on the panel of advisors at the Parliamentary Studies Centre, Australian National University. ANDRÉ BLAIS, Professor in the Department of Political Science at the Université de Montréal, Canada WILLIAM CROSS, Hon. Dick and Ruth Bell Chair for the Study of Canadian Parliamentary Democracy in the Department of Political Science at Carleton University, Canada KEITH DOWDING, Professor of Political Science at the Research School of Social Science and Director of Research at the College of Arts and Social Science, Australian National University. WAYNE ERRINGTON, Lecturer in Politics at the School of Politics and International Relations in the Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University. JOHN HIGLEY, Professor of Government and Sociology at the Departments of Government and Sociology, University of Texas at Austin, USA MATTHEW LAING, doctoral candidate at the School of Politics and InternationalRelations in the Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University. LOUIS MASSICOTTE, Professor in the Department of Political Science at University Laval, Canada. ELIZABETH MCLEAY, Professor in Comparative Politics at the School of History, Philosophy, Political Science and International Relations, Victoria University of Wellington, Canada JAN PAKULSKI, Professor of Sociology at the School of Sociology and Social Work, University of Tasmania, Australia KATE REYNOLDS, Australian Research Fellow at the Department of Psychology, Australian National University. MARIAN SIMMS, Head of School at the School of History Heritage and Society, Faculty of Arts and Education, Deakin University, Australia PAUL STRANGIO, Senior Lecturer in Australian politics in the School of Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University, Victoria EMINA SUBA I?, ARC Australian Post Doctoral Fellow at the Department of Psychology, Australian National University. JAMES WALTER, Professor of Political Science in the School of Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University.

Inhalt
Power Transitions and Leadership Successions in Government; P.'t Hart & J.Uhr PART I: UNDERSTANDING TRANSITIONS Ruling Elite Transitions in Australia and the United States; J.Higley & J.Pakulski Managers or Messiahs? Prime Ministerial Leadership and the Transition to Government; J.Walter Establishing Prime Ministerial Leadership Style in Opposition; W.Errington Bicameralism and the Dynamics of Contested Transitions; J.Uhr , S.Bach & L.Massicotte Westminster Norms and Caretaker Conventions: Australian and New Zealand Transition Debates; M.Simms PART II: UNDERSTANDING SUCCESSIONS Seeking and Keeping the Hot Seat: a Comparative Analysis of Party Leader Successions; M.Laing & P.'t Hart Holding Party Leaders to Account: the Westminster Cases; W.Cross & A.Blais The Firing Line: When and Why do Prime Ministers Fire Ministerial Colleagues?; K.Dowding & E.McLeay Power Consolidation in Leadership Change Contexts: a Social Identity Perspective; E.Subai? & K.J.Reynolds Building Trust at the Beginning of a New Leadership Role: the Role of Learning and Collaboration; P.Atkins 'The Tideless Pond that Seemed Waiting for Me': the Afterlife of Australian Prime Ministers; P.Strangio How Power Changes Hands: Concluding Reflections; P.'t Hart & J.Uhr