Globalizing the Comparative Approach to Local Government and Politics Studies [Die Globalisierung des vergleichenden Ansatzes in der Kommunal- und Politikwissenschaft]

Kersting, Norbert; Navarro, Carmen; Bonviento, Jose Hernandez

Abstract

In an era marked by complex global challenges and growing interdependence, comparative research on local government and politics has gained renewed relevance. While the field has long benefited from proximity and numerosity, allowing for both qualitative depth and statistical rigor, it is now being reshaped by processes of re-globalization. New forms of international collaboration, cross-regional empirical agendas, and more inclusive research networks are broadening the scope of research and increasing participation in the knowledge production process. This chapter explores the evolution of comparative studies of local governance over recent decades, focusing on key themes such as decentralization, local administration, citizen participation, and local autonomy. Drawing on contributions from international networks such as IPSA RC05 and global projects such as the Local Autonomy Index, the chapter emphasizes the diversity of institutional responses to shared pressures, the continued importance of context, and the capacity of comparative research to reveal both convergence and divergence across different contexts. The chapter concludes that the field is becoming not only more globalized, but also being reglobalized in ways that enhance its empirical richness, theoretical pluralism, and normative significance.