Devolution and Governance Wales Between Capacity and Constraint

Drawing on extensive primary interview data within the Welsh policy community over a period spanning more than a decade, this book explores the development of Welsh devolution in a context of economic crisis, institutional uncertainty and comparative soul-searching. Cole and Stafford emphasise contingency, doubt and dependency upon outside forces (Scotland, UK, EU), as much as internal dynamics. Welsh devolution currently enjoys a positive image in public opinion, however, together with a widespread belief that the Welsh level of governance ought to be the most pertinent one in those areas that are most valued by Welsh citizens, including health, education and welfare. Such a foundation of broad support ought to be a precious political resource, on condition that Welsh democracy moves to a new level of maturity, accepts more political and financial responsibility for its actions and makes some hard political choices about the machinery of government.

Alistair Cole has been Professor of European Politics at Cardiff University since 1999. He is also a Fellow of the AcSS, FRSA, FRHS and FLSW. He is Principal investigator on the Leverhulme Trust's International Network on Territorial Governance (IN-2012-109). In 2014, Alistair Cole was Senior Fellow at the Institute of Advanced Studies in Lyons, France.
 
Ian Stafford is a Lecturer in Politics in the Department of Politics and International Relations, Cardiff School of Law and Politics at Cardiff University. Prior to joining the department in April 2012 he was a Research Associate leading on comparative policy analysis within the Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research, Data and Methods (WISERD).

Preface
List of Tables and Figures
Chapter 1: Devolution in Wales between Capacity and Constraint
Chapter 2: 'Team Wales' - Narratives of Small Country Governance and Constructed Divergence
Chapter 3: Welsh Devolution and public services in a period of economic crisis
Chapter 4: Wales and the challenges of multi-level governance
Conclusion: Devolution in Wales - future challenges
Bibliography
Index