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This article argues that shifts in the UK's territorial management practice in the late 2010s and early 2020s, described by various terms, including 'muscular unionism', may be more rhetorical and ideational than substantive. The practices associated with these terms are recognisably part of the 'British political tradition', and the changes of the early 2020s can be viewed as reasserting traditional governance practices rather than introducing new ones. The article examines the various phenomena described as 'muscular unionism' and suggests that many are relatively ad hoc, low-level initiatives, often rhetorical. There is also much evidence that the UK governments of the 2020s see the 'Millennium Settlement', introduced in 1999, as continuing to be a core part of UK territorial management. The clearest break from historical practice comes in the overt, explicit quality of 'muscular unionist' rhetoric. The article then suggests that, contrary to some scholarly expectations, this muscular unionist turn may come to be an effective territorial management strategy for the UK government, as it aligns with an Anglo-British imaginary within England that continues to conflate England, Britain and the UK in terms of governance and national identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In 2016, Colgate University Libraries began converting their static HTML website to the Drupal platform. This article outlines the process librarians used to complete this project using only in-house [...]

The governance of territories has become increasingly fragmented and complex, challenging the accountability arrangements for "governable spaces." Tension between central and local governments is a perennial feature of their relationship, but few analyses have explored the implications of this tension for accountability relationships. This article assesses policy initiatives within England aimed at increasing accountability in localities, by establishing governable spaces that include territorializing, mediating, adjudicating, and subjectivizing. During the 2010s, the UK government sought to introduce a form of place‐based accountability within the context of reduced central government funding to English local authorities. This meant that local government faced new forms of accountability while adapting to considerable financial shocks. Accounting methods—assessing what phenomena can and should be governed—underpin audit and orthodox concepts of accountability in the United Kingdom. These have driven a narrow finance‐focused narrative of local audit and local accountability. However, we also argue that developments in England in the 2010s have undermined political accountability in the localities, because they have worked against critical components within it for making governable space auditable: interpretation of data, judgments on service quality and the impact of cross‐public sector relationships on local authorities' "decision space." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SANDFORD M. (2002) What place for England in an asymmetrically devolved UK?, Reg. Studies 36, 789-796. The effect of the government's 'devolution settlement' on the position of England within the UK shows no signs, as yet, of departing from the tradition of British incrementalism. Despite significant changes still underway, attitudes and identity have yet to show decisive changes. The paper analyses the plausibility of an English Parliament and of elected regional assemblies in England, noting that administrative regionalism is progressing effectively in England. Political imperatives may lead to emphasis on local government reform, particularly high-profile Mayors, as an alternative to strong regional governments: but the experience of the Greater London Authority suggests such bodies would lack credibility elsewhere in England. England Regional government English parliament Asymmetry Democratic renewal White Paper SANDFORD M. (2002) Quel role l'Angleterre va-t-elle jouer au sein d'un Royaume-Uni regionalise de facon asymetrique?, Reg. Studies 36, 789-796. L'impact de 'l'accord du gouvernement portant sur la regionalisation' qui avance la place de l'Angelterre au sein du Royaume-Uni ne montre encore aucun signe de rupture avec la tradition britannique de la prise de decision cumulative. En depit des transformations en cours, il faut encore que les attitudes et l'identite refletent des changements decisifs. L'article cherche a analyser les perspectives pour un Parlement anglais et pour des assemblees regionales elues en Angleterre. Il est a noter que la regionalisation administrative progresse efficacement en Angleterre. Il se peut que des imperatifs politiques mettent l'accent sur la reforme de l'administration locale, notamment les maires bien en vue, comme alternative aux administrations regionales fortes: toujours est-il que l'experience de la Greater London Authority laisse supposer que de tels organismes manquerait de credibilite ailleurs en Angleterre. Angleterre Administration regionale Parlement anglais Asymetric Regain democratique Livre blanc SANDFORD M. (2002) Was ware die Stellung Englands in einem assymetrisch dezentralisierten Vereinigten Konig reich?, Reg. Studies 36, 789-796. Die Auswirkung der 'Dezentralisierungsregelung' der Regierung bezuglich der Stellung Englands innerhalb des Vereinigten Konigreichs von GroBbritannien hat bisher keinerlei Anzeichen einer Losung von der britischen Tradition des Prozesses stufenweisen Wachstums erkennen lassen. Obschon bedeutsame Veranderungen noch nicht abgeschlossen sind, mussen Haltungen und Identitat noch entscheidende Fortschritte zeitigen. Der Aufsatz analysiert die Aussichten auf ein englisches Parlament und gewahlte Regionalversammlungen in England, wobei festgestellt wird, daB Regionalverwaltung in England effektive Fortschritte macht. Politisch mag es geboten sein, die Reform der Gemeindeverwaltungen zu betonen, besonders die Einsetzung hoch profilierter Burgermeister als Alternative zu starken Regionalregierungen, doch die Erfahrungen der Verwaltungsbehorde von GroBlondon legt nahe, daB es der artigen Korpern in andern Teilen Englands an Glaubwurdigkeit fehlen wurde. England Regionalregierung Englisches Parlament Asymmetrik Demokratische Erneuerung WeiBbuch

Attempts to measure decentralization globally have frequently consisted of either quantitative measurement of 'regional authority' or a more qualitative characterization of decentralization. The most frequent descriptions of the latter have come via the terms 'deconcentration', 'delegation' and 'devolution'. These terms have been used in divergent ways by scholars but three broad approaches to decentralization processes can be synthesized from the literature. This article contributes to the literature by using the terms to assess the character of the 'devolution deals' negotiated in England in the mid-2010s. Findings indicate that a number of substantive powers will be devolved as a result of the deals, but the bulk of the commitments are to joint working between the central and 'regional' tiers of government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK's decision to leave the European Union in 2016 threatens to open up a range of territorial management issues that have long remained unexplored. Since 1999, the UK's devolution settlements have allowed divergent constitutional narratives to develop and to co-exist. This 'constructive ambiguity' has led UK territorial governance to take the form of 'Schrodinger's devolution', where Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have and have not experienced fundamental constitutional change. However, the technical requirements of Brexit will mandate the need for exact decisions where 'constructive ambiguity' has existed up to now. The UK's unwritten constitution, limited intergovernmental relations and a lack of shared rule mechanisms mean that these technical decisions have the potential to lead to ongoing political instability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]