I (Ed Benton, University of South Florida), along with John Kincaid (Lafayette College), am preparing an Encyclopedia of Local and Regional Government and Politics to be published by Edward Elgar by 2024. It is important to note that we already have a contract to produce this book. We propose to include in the encyclopedia new and original short articles on all pertinent topics/subject areas related to the existence and operation of local and regional governments around the world and their ensuing relevant politics, policies, programs, etc.

We invite you to be part of this monumental and ground-breaking work. There are three ways you can contribute to this encyclopedia. First, you can send us pertinent topics or subject areas that should be covered in the encyclopedia. (A tentative, initial list of topics is provided below.) Second, you can suggest topics or subject areas on which you would like to write one or more entries. Third, you can provide us names of, and contact information for, scholars who could contribute to the volume; please also provide their subject-matter expertise or specific topics they are qualified to write on. This volume has a global perspective and will, tentatively, cover the following countries: United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Columbia, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Romania, Poland, Czech Republic, Greece, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Russia, Nigeria, South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Australia.

We need to hear from you as soon as possible so we can finalize the topics and invite contributors in order to publish the encyclopedia in a timely manner so as to make the volume as current and relevant as possible to a wide and diverse audience. You can contact Ed Benton at jbenton@usf.edu and/or John Kincaid at kincaidj@lafayette.edu We encourage you to contact us as soon as you see this notice. Thank you.

List of Tentative Topics and Subject Areas

cantons

länder

provinces

republics

states

intergovernmental relations, generally

national government-local government relations

national government-regional government relations

regional-local government relations

interlocal relations

centralization of authority

decentralization of authority

federalism

unitary form of government

confederal form of government

federal form of government

counties

municipalities (cities)

towns

township

panchayats

special districts

legislative authorities

school districts

villages

regions

districts

shires

wards

parishes

departments

oblasts

prefectures

hamlets

boroughs

precincts

councils of governments

types of local government structure

sovereignty

tribal authority

eminent domain

government finances

local government budgeting

revenues

expenditures

grants-in aid

government borrowing and debt management

immunity

service provision, generally

public safety services

fire suppression and prevention services

health care services

public welfare services

hazardous material collection and disposal

parks and recreational programs and facilities

public/private partnerships in service provision

library services

utility (water provision, sewer collection and disposal services, natural gas provision, electric power provision

Internet and cable TV service

road and street construction and repair

provision of sidewalks and street lights

stormwater management

planning and zoning services

solid waste collection and disposal service

environmental protection and conservation services

consumer affairs and citizen protection services

government borrowing policies

types of bonds (general obligation, revenue, mortgage)

human resource policies and procedures

local government officials (mayors, council-persons, commissioners,

mutual aid agreements (pacts)

incorporation

ultra vires

citizenship

interjurisdictional cooperation

interjurisdictional conflict

administrative agencies and departments

bureaucracy

administrative procedures, rules, and regulations

administrative efficiency

elections, generally

at-large elections

district or ward elections

election campaigns

powers of elective officials

balanced budgets

bicameral legislatures

bill of rights

democratic regimes

autocratic regimes

Communist regimes

Civil service or merit system

Patronage system

Bureaucratic discretion

Bureaucratic responsiveness

Political campaigns

Campaign finances

Capacity of governments

Capital budgets

general fund budgets

citizens access to government

constitutional conventions

constitutions