New Modes of Governance in Europe: Governing in the Shadow of Hierarchy

The contributors to this volume define governance as a specific mode of production of norms and public goods created via co-production; where the co-producers transcend different levels in Europe's multi-level polity. These `new' forms of governance reflect the growing importance of public-private decision networks involving different levels and types of public authority. Such forms incorporate a new style of decision making that is heavily dependent on non-hierarchical and mutually interdependent relationships along with a novel problem-solving style of aimed at building consensus. Based on the research of the 6th EU funded framework research consortium on `New Modes of Governance in the European Union', this volume explores the roots, execution and applications of the new forms of governance and evaluates their success. It also examines the possible structural consequences of the application of these modes at European and national levels, and their implications for democratic accountability.

Adrienne Heritier is joint Chair of Political Science in the Department of Political and Social Science and the Robert-Schuman-Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy. From 1999-2003 she was co-director of the Max Planck Project Group for the Research on Common Goods (now Max Planck Institute for the Research on Common Goods) in Bonn, Germany. From January 2006 until August 2008 she was Scientific Director of the EU funded 6th Framework Project on `New Modes of Governance in Europe'.
Martin Rhodes is Professor of Political Economy at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver, USA. Until 2006 he was a Professor at the European University Institute, Florence, Italy and in 2004-2006, Scientific Director of the EU 6th Framework Project on `New Modes of Governance in Europe'.