Paul M. Heywood

Martin J. Bull

This book analyses the impact of the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union on the Communist Parties of Western Europe. Seven case-studies, covering the Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Belgian, British and German parties, provide a tightly-argued comparative perspective. The conclusion assesses the range of responses to the dramatic events of 1989-91 and likely future direction of the west European communist movement. It is argued that, whilst it is no longer possible to talk of a coherent 'family' of communist parties, various individual parties - some of them in revised form - may continue to prosper.

West European Communist Parties after the Revolutions of 1989

Erik Jones

Martin Rhodes

Ulrich Sedelmeier

Rarely has European politics been so tumultuous or difficult to predict. The global economic crisis and subsequent recession have had a profound effect on Europe's political, economic and social landscape, as governments have been forced to cope with almost unprecedented levels of public debt. A pan-European analysis is essential for those seeking to understand contemporary trends and developments. Developments in European Politics brings together specially commissioned chapters by leading authorities to give an up-to-date and systematic analysis of European political developments – in institutions, processes and policy – at both national and regional levels. It provides wide-ranging and clear analysis of the factors influencing European politics, from the Europeanization of national politics to the broader forces of globalization, immigration, climate change and international terrorism.

Developments in European Politics 2

Since the early 1990s, a series of major scandals in both the financial and most especially the political world has resulted in close attention being paid to the issue of corruption and its links to political legitimacy and stability. Indeed, in many countries – in both the developed as well as the developing world – corruption seems to have become almost an obsession. Concern about corruption has become a powerful policy narrative: the explanation of last resort for a whole range of failures and disappointments in the fields of politics, economics and culture. In the more established democracies, worries about corruption have become enmeshed in a wider debate about trust in the political class. Corruption remains as widespread today, possibly even more so, as it was when concerted international attention started being devoted to the issue following the end of the Cold War. This Handbook provides a showcase of the most innovative and exciting research being conducted in Europe and North America in the field of political corruption, as well as providing a new point of reference for all who are interested in the topic. The Handbook is structured around four core themes in the study of corruption in the contemporary world: understanding and defining the nature of corruption; identifying its causes; measuring its extent; and analysing its consequences. Each of these themes is addressed from various perspectives in the first four sections of the Handbook, whilst the fifth section explores new directions that are emerging in corruption research. The contributors are experts in their field, working across a range of different social-science perspectives.

Paul M. Heywood

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