1. Introduction: the meanings of governance - What is governance? - Governance and institutionalism - Governance and core concepts - Outline of the book 2. Governance in public administration adn public policy: steering inter-organizational networks - The traditional model of the public sector - Challenges to the traditional model - The new public management (NPM) reforms - Changes in the aftermath of public sector reforms - The impact of changes on central government - The impact of changes on local government: networks in service delivery - Governance in a modern complex setting - Democratic governance: holding networks accountable - Conclusion: governance in public administration and public policy 3. Governance in international relations: governing in a global era - The neo-realist model of international relations - Challenges to the neo-realist model - The extent of changes: the need for governance in an era of globalization - Globalization and the need for governance: summing up - Is the state's role in global governance declining? - What is the character of global governance? - Democratic global governance - Conclusion: governance in international relations 4. European governance: between international relations and public policy - The emergence of the european community (Union) and the IR debate - Policy-making and governance in the european union - Democratizing the EU - Conclusion: governance in the EU 5. Governance in comparative politics I: the state and economic development - Societal approaches to the state - Bringing the state back in - Models of economic governance - The developmental state - 'Good governance' in the developement community - Governance in weak states: can the developmental state model be transferred? - Conditions for effective governance - Conclusion 6. Governance in comparative politics II: theories of democratization - Modernization theory and democratization - Transition theories - Institutional approaches to democratic governance - Governance and regime transitions - Measuring governance - Conclision 7. Governance and the world bank - 'Good governance' as policy condition - Governance of the world bank - The world bank and global civil society - Conclusion 8. Conclusion - Summarizing the chapters - Disciplinary boundaries - Key discussions and common problems in governance theory