This book provides a comparative analysis of the processes and impacts of austerity measures introduced in the field of Local Public Services (LPS) across Mediterranean Europe. The book describes and compares the trajectories of austerity, and the types of effects. It investigates how many (and what kind of) different responses were given to similar inputs and under the influence of what factors in order to understand if there are regularities in the way that the Mediterranean countries adopted and implemented the austerity measures and how these latter impacted on local government and LPS management and delivery. The book is a product of a sub network from the COST Action LocRef IS1207 and analyses seven countries (Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, Croatia, Cyprus and Albania).

Compares regularities across seven Mediterranean states (Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, Croatia, Cyprus and Albania) involved in the same austerity stream of reforms and sharing similar recessive economies and financial debt Displays the Local Public Service as a crucial unit of analysis of the public sector Provides policy proposals and recommendations for practitioners in order to deal with critical issues and side effects of the austerity programs

Autorentext
Andrea Lippi is Associate Professor of Political Science, Università di Firenze, Italy. Theodore N. Tsekos is Associate Professor of Public Administration, The Institute for Technological Education of Peloponnese, Kalamata, Greece.

Inhalt

1. Introduction-Local Public Services in Times of Austerity. Andrea Lippi, Theodore N. Tsekos.- 2. Importing or Constructing Austerity? Global Reforms and Local Implementation as a Case of Policy Transfer. Andrea Lippi, Theodore N. Tsekos.- 3. Greek Municipalities Before and During the Austerity Era: Imposed policies, Local Resistances and Unsuccessful Reforms.Theodore N. Tsekos, Nikos K. Hlepas.- 4. The Biggest Loser? Local Public Services under Austerity Measures in Portugal. Patricia Silva, Filipe Teles.- 5. Spanish Local Government and the Austerity Plan: in the Eye of the Perfect Storm. Carmen Navarro, Esther Pano Puey.- 6. In the Shadow of Austerity. Italian Local Public Services and the Politics of Budget Cuts. Giulio Citroni, Andrea Lippi, Stefania Profeti.- 7. Austerity Measures and Local Public Services in Cyprus: Coping with Old and New Challenges and Reinforcing Historical Continuities. Andreas Kirlappos,Kalliope Agapiou Josephides, Philippos Philipou.- 8. Local Public Services and Austerity Measures in Croatia: Adaptations of the Resilient Social Model through the Central-Local Power and Blame Games. Ivan Kopric, Mihovil karica, Romea Manojlovi.- 9. The Bumpy Road of the Externally Transferred Austerity Agenda in Albania and its Fragmentary Effects on Local Public Services. Arjeta Troshani, Visar Dizdari, Elvisa Drishti.- 10. Conclusions. The Direction and Entity of Austerity in Mediterranean Local Public Service. Andrea Lippi, Theodore N. Tsekos.