This book presents the experiences of eleven European countries in the field of territorial reforms. Based on case-studies that outline the basic features of the politics of territorial choice in the respective countries, the focus is on national policies, politics, and cleavages; the strategies employed and the outcomes of the reforms.

In-depth studies and comparative analysis of national policy-making and political cleavages regarding sub-national territorial reform efforts in eleven European countries

Territorial Choice: Rescaling Governance in European States; H.Baldersheim  & L.E.Rose The Danish Revolution in Local Government: How and Why?; P.E.Mouritzen Finnish Power-shift: The Defeat of the Periphery; S.Sandberg The Swedish Model Under Stress: Waning of the Egalitarian, Unitary State?; A.Lidström The staying Power of the Norwegian Periphery; H.Baldersheim  & L.Rose Larger and Larger? The Endless Search for Efficiency in the UK; P.John Step-by-step: Territorial Choice in the Netherlands; M.Boedeltje  & B.Denters Multiple Choice: The Persistence of Territorial Pluralism in the German Federation; M.Walter-Rogg France and its 36,000 Communes: An Impossible Reform?; E.Kerrouche Italian Regionalism: A Semi-federation is Taking Shape - or is it?; M. Brunazzo Efficiency Imperatives in a Fragmented Polity: Reinventing Local Government in Greece; P.Getimis  & N.Hlepas Top-down or Bottom-up? Coping with Territorial Fragmentation in the Czech Republic; M.Illner A Comparative Analysis of Territorial Choice in Europe - Conclusions; H.Baldersheim  & L.E.Rose Bibliography