Rescaling the state provides a theoretically-informed and empirically-rich account of the process of devolution undertaken in the UK since 1997, focusing in particular on the devolution of economic governance. Using case studies from England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, the book examines the purported reasons for, and the unintended consequences of, devolution. As well as comparing policy and practice across the four devolved territories, the book also explores the pitfalls and instances of good practice associated with devolution in the UK.
Rescaling the state is an important text for all social scientists – particularly political scientists, sociologists, anthropologists and human geographers – interested in the devolution of power in the UK and, indeed, all instances of contemporary state restructuring. It is also a significant book for all policy-makers interested in understanding the increasing complexity of the policy landscapes of economic governance in the UK.
With a new preface for the 2017 paperback edition