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A New Social Ontology of Government

Consent, Coordination, and Authority

Authors:

  • Provides a better understanding of some of the central puzzles of empirical political science
  • Answers to question like what accounts for both plasticity and perseverance of political institutions and practices
  • Aims to formulate a better understanding of the persistence of dysfunctions in government and public administration

Part of the book series: Foundations of Government and Public Administration (FGPA)

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Table of contents (10 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xi
  2. Ontology and Government

    • Daniel Little
    Pages 1-15
  3. The Ontology of Composition

    • Daniel Little
    Pages 35-52
  4. Institutions, Norms, and Networks

    • Daniel Little
    Pages 71-90
  5. Sources of Organizational Failure

    • Daniel Little
    Pages 91-109
  6. Electoral Democracy

    • Daniel Little
    Pages 111-123
  7. What Does Government Do?

    • Daniel Little
    Pages 125-144
  8. Governments as Regulators

    • Daniel Little
    Pages 145-160
  9. Concluding Observations

    • Daniel Little
    Pages 161-164
  10. Back Matter

    Pages 165-178

About this book

This book provides a better understanding of some of the central puzzles of empirical political science: how does “government” express will and purpose? How do political institutions come to have effective causal powers in the administration of policy and regulation? What accounts for both plasticity and perseverance of political institutions and practices? And how are we to formulate a better understanding of the persistence of dysfunctions in government and public administration – failures to achieve public goods, the persistence of self-dealing behavior by the actors of the state, and the apparent ubiquity of corruption even within otherwise high-functioning governments?

Authors and Affiliations

  • University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, USA

    Daniel Little

About the author

Daniel Little is Professor of Sociology and Public Policy at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, USA, and Professor of Philosophy at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. His research focuses on the philosophy of social science. Recent books include New Directions in the Philosophy of Social Science (2016) and New Contributions to the Philosophy of History (2010).

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 44.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access