The Development of Federalism in the United States: Centralization and Devolution in a Multi-level System (1997)

In the course of development of American federalism four phases can be distinguished: dualism (before 1930), cooperation (1930 to 1960), centralization (1960 to 1980), and devolution (since 1980). In the center of interest of the analysis are the reasons which contributed to the strong centralization of the multi-level system of the U.S. before 1980 as well as to the transition to devolution politics pursued since then. The centralization of American federalism in the 1960s and 1970s was not compatible with the “obstinacy” of the states in the long run because this process caused the building of decentral capacities for action (Handlungskapazitäten). Therefore, the centralization of American federalism served as the basis for the devolution of important responsibilities after 1980. The decentral capacities, built while the system was centralized, can be fully utilized only if adequate discretion is given to the states.

Environmental Policy Success in International Comparison (1996)

International comparisons of environmental policies are concentrated on determining the explanatory factors for success and failure of public policy. A survey of existing studies shows that socio-economic factors have been largely neglected. Cultural factors are widely used as a residual category when all other determinants cannot fully explain the results. However, political factors are dominant in almost all studies examined. Aside from structural determinants, the impacts of the situative context on the success of the policy is undisputed. In spite of remaining research deficits, this research approach has achieved an important contribution to the comparative analysis of public policies.

Horizontal and Vertical Policy Diffusion in Multi-level Systems (1998)

In multi-level systems as the U.S. decentral policy initiatives can spread like a ‘wildfire’. The diffusion of policy innovations is not restricted to certain policy areas and can be supported by different political institutions. It is neither an entirely new phenomenon nor can it be found only in the American system. From a political science perspective, the analysis of policy diffusion is of interest for two reasons: On the one hand, it can be shown that policy diffusion can superimpose and substitute the traditional forms of governance (‘governance by diffusion’). On the other hand, this analysis provides important impulses for a reorientation of comparative politics. A typology of the different forms of policy diffusion serves as a starting point. It is based on the differentiation between horizontal policy diffusion between the subunits of a political system (e.g. between the U.S. American states) and vertical policy diffusion between the levels (e.g. between the states and the federal government). It is argued that the institutionalization of policy transfer leads to a fundamental change of diffusion patterns. The results can be applied not only to the American multi-level system, which is here in the center of interest, but also to other multi-level systems showing structural similarities, especially the European Union and the international system.