Politics of Representative Bureaucracy: Power, Legitimacy and Performance - Hardcover

`Given the ongoing discussions regarding the legitimacy of the public service in relation to both the rise of a multicultural society and of multi-level governance, representative bureaucracy remains of the utmost importance to public administration. This volume consists of apt and perceptive contributions to the debate made by authoritative writers in the field.' -- Frits van der Meer, Leiden University, the Netherlands

Attempting to understand the politics of representation entails the close examination of the procedural, political, and conflicting nature of representation in public organizations. Shedding light on the study of public administration, this book provides a profound understanding of the causes, facets, and consequences of the politics of representation in the public sector. Using a comparative and interdisciplinary approach, and recognizing the inherently political nature of public bureaucracies, expert contributors extend our understanding of this salient topic. Three areas are discussed, catalysing debate about representation in the public sector: * The study of representative bureaucracy is explored, moving away from traditional viewpoints concerning passive and active representation, making room to capture additional `channels for the expression' of interests * Insight into the institutionalization and freezing of different types of representation is presented, drawing attention to factors that will help explain this variation among administrative systems in the future * Lessons for theorizing public organizations are elaborated upon, to include how public sector bureaucracies play multiple and competing roles. Providing comprehensive analysis of representation in public organizations, Politics of Representative Bureaucracy will benefit scholars and practitioners alike, from comparative public administration and management, government, public policy, and diversity studies.