Overview

This volume covers a wide spectrum of governance issues relating to small states in a global context. While different definitions of governance are given in the chapters, most authors associate governance with the setting and implementation of policies aimed at managing a country or territory, and with the related institutional structures and interventions by political actors. Generally, good governance is associated with concepts such as policy effectiveness, accountability, transparency, control of corruption, encouragement of citizens’ voice and gender equality—factors which are, in turn, linked with democracy. What emerges from the book is that the societies of small states are being re-shaped by various forces outside their control, including the globalization process and climate change, rendering their governance ever more complex. These problems are not solely faced by small states, but small country size tends to lead to a higher degree of exposure to external factors. The chapters are grouped into four sections broadly covering political, environmental, social and economic governance. Governance is influenced by many, often intertwined, factors; the division of the book into four parts therefore does not detract from the fact that governance is multifaceted, and such division was based on the primary focus of each particular study and its main disciplinary background. The expert authors have, moreover, used a variety of approaches in the studies, the subject of small states being well suited to scholarly work from different disciplines using qualitative, quantitative and mixed approaches to arrive at useful conclusions.

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9781032399850

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Reviews

Handbook of Governance in Small States is a timely and relevant addition to both academia and the policy world. It successfully advances one's understanding of the political economy of development in small states, with pertinent references to their viability in the context of climate change. From a practical standpoint, it offers policy solutions that - while requiring further consultation for strategic and effective implementation - contain high-level policy recommendations that can direct small states toward improving their governance performance. The book, therefore, is not only suitable for students and academics, but is a valuable tool for policy makers alike. Exoteric and insightful, the book will also connect with casual learners interested in issues affecting development in small states. The text comprises 26 chapters written by a group of scholars, researchers, and specialist practitioners; working in the fields of sociology, politics, economics, international political economy, development studies, environmental sciences, and engineering. The contributors work in various capacities across government agencies, universities, and international finance institutions, in some cases, criss-crossing platforms. They thus bring to the book a wealth of theoretical and practical knowledge in important, cross-cutting themes under social, economic, environmental, and political governance. The Handbook is divided neatly into four parts: Political Governance, Environmental Governance, Social Governance, and Economic Governance. Each section has between six and eight chapters, outlining various topics under the respective themes. Generally, concepts are properly defined, and in cases where they are not, authors outline areas for further work to improve conceptual clarity. This extends to areas of limitations of data. Methodologically, chapters display intellectual rigour, making use of quantitative, qualitative, or mixed method data gathering approaches. The chapters make judicious use of statistical tables where applicable and necessary, in order to enhance analytical clarity. The chapters make good use of multi-year data (as recent as 2019), as well as comparative analysis across small states, and between small states and large economies. Chapters are not overly long, yet comprehensive and thorough with adequate references for further delving into each topic. - Courtney Lindsay, Independent Scholar

Handbook of Governance in Small States is a timely and relevant addition to both academia and the policy world. It successfully advances one’s understanding of the political economy of development in small states, with pertinent references to their viability in the context of climate change. From a practical standpoint, it offers policy solutions that – while requiring further consultation for strategic and effective implementation – contain high-level policy recommendations that can direct small states toward improving their governance performance. The book, therefore, is not only suitable for students and academics, but is a valuable tool for policy makers alike. Exoteric and insightful, the book will also connect with casual learners interested in issues affecting development in small states. The text comprises 26 chapters written by a group of scholars, researchers, and specialist practitioners; working in the fields of sociology, politics, economics, international political economy, development studies, environmental sciences, and engineering. The contributors work in various capacities across government agencies, universities, and international finance institutions, in some cases, criss-crossing platforms. They thus bring to the book a wealth of theoretical and practical knowledge in important, cross-cutting themes under social, economic, environmental, and political governance. The Handbook is divided neatly into four parts: Political Governance, Environmental Governance, Social Governance, and Economic Governance. Each section has between six and eight chapters, outlining various topics under the respective themes. Generally, concepts are properly defined, and in cases where they are not, authors outline areas for further work to improve conceptual clarity. This extends to areas of limitations of data. Methodologically, chapters display intellectual rigour, making use of quantitative, qualitative, or mixed method data gathering approaches. The chapters make judicious use of statistical tables where applicable and necessary, in order to enhance analytical clarity. The chapters make good use of multi-year data (as recent as 2019), as well as comparative analysis across small states, and between small states and large economies. Chapters are not overly long, yet comprehensive and thorough with adequate references for further delving into each topic. - Courtney Lindsay, Independent Scholar

Author Information

Lino Briguglio is Professor of Economics and Director of the Islands and Small States Institute at the University of Malta. Jessica Byron is Professor of Caribbean International Relations and Diplomacy and Director of the Institute for International Relations at the St Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies. Stefano Moncada is a lecturer and researcher in development economics and climate change at the University of Malta. Wouter Veenendaal is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Leiden University, the Netherlands.

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