Lluís Medir Tejado

Modelling local autonomy and dependence through cooperative relations

Given the spread of multi-level governance tools, interaction between local and regional governments has become an important mechanism for service delivery and the implementation of public policies. The purpose of this paper is to empirically test a model of cooperative relations affecting local governments and thus having impact on local autonomy and dependence.,This paper takes previous typologies as a starting point to theoretically build and empirically test a model of cooperative relations based on two selected indicators: the degree of autonomy-dependence and the degree of rigidity-flexibility of the cooperative system. In a second step, the authors stimulate the model numerically to match real data on it coming from South European local governments to assess the functioning of the theory in a concrete space and time.,The combination of the aforementioned concepts, creates a four-option theoretical model that describes four possible situations where cooperative intergovernmental relations can be empirically placed.,This paper points out the need to incorporate empirical studies to trace the characteristics and evolution of the cooperative relations between local governments and upper tiers. This is particularly relevant if the authors are referring to mechanisms that can vary through time. In the current big and open data era, this empirical process will become easier and more affordable. In this context, local government studies benefit from particular features that improve the operation of this kind of analysis: large “N” configuration (a large number of units to be included) and a reasonable equivalence in concepts and bodies that allows comparability.

Layer upon Layer: The Position of Inter-municipal Cooperation in the Spanish Quasi-Federal System—The Case of Catalonia

The Spanish local system is characterized by strong fragmentation and a large number of local territorial entities in a quasi-federal system. This implies the interactions of different overlapping layers of institutions and multi-governmental organizations. Thus, Spain, and Catalonia can be seen as a paradigmatic example of the way cooperation works and as a suitable case study for analysing the institutional position of inter-municipal cooperation in a complex system. In this chapter, we explore the interactions of the different agents in order to identify and analyse the key factors and explanatory variables of the diverse relationships and ties.