Understanding Governance asks: * What has changed in British government over the past two decades how and why? * Why do so many government policies fail? * What does the shift from government to governance mean for the practice and study of British government? This book provides a challenging reinterpretation which interweaves an account of recent institutional changes in central local and European Union government with methodological innovations and theoretical analysis. It emphasizes: the inability of the 'Westminster model' with its accent on parliamentary sovereignty and strong executive leadership to account for persistent policy failure; the 'hollowing out' of British government from above (the European Union) below (special purpose bodies) and sideways (to agencies); and the need to respond to the postmodern challenge rethinking the methodological and theoretical assumptions in the study of British government. Professor Rhodes makes a significant and timely contribution to our understanding of government and governance. . Language: English