Nation-Building in the Baltic States

Transforming Governance, Social Welfare, and Security in Northern Europe
1. Auflage 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4822-5071-8
Verlag: Taylor & Francis

Buch, Englisch, 286 Seiten, Format (B × H): 155 mm x 234 mm, Gewicht: 544 g

The product of more than twenty years of research, first-person observations, discussions, and policy analyses, Nation-Building in the Baltic States: Transforming Governance, Social Welfare, and Security in Northern Europe explores the characteristics of the Baltic states as positioned in the northeast corridor in terms of military strife and polity development such as democratization. It details governments' efforts to abet transparency and trust by way of developing new public and private institutions for advancements like innovation and private wealth creation.

The book examines the effects of various factors of economic and social adjustments in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The authors explore the opportunities and problems that have shaped the region’s progress in the process of rebuilding democratic institutions and nation states after regaining their independence. They then describe the region’s progress in laying the critical internal foundation necessary for maintaining their political independence. The book also reviews the progress made in strengthening what the authors believe are key social functions of government in what the EU describes as its social market system: the provision of social welfare services that meets the needs of all. The book concludes with a realistic picture of future hurdles for this region, looking at lingering challenges and regional instabilities, policy mistakes not to be made again, and recommendations for national planning and resource management.

Going beyond a massive, single explanation of recent Baltic developments, the book provides a broad picture of development of social and political trends and insights with separate evaluations of issues in the process of national transformation. It provides a foundation examining the forces that will shape the future of the Baltic states.

Zielgruppe

Academic, Postgraduate, Professional, Professional Practice & Development, and Undergraduate

Autoren/Hrsg.

King, Gundar J

McNabb, David E

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politikwissenschaft Allgemein

Inhaltsverzeichnis

SHAPING THE NATION STATES. Transformation Challenges. Transforming the Polity. Shaping the Nation State. ESTABLISHING SOCIAL FOUNDATIONS. Building Social Capital. Forming Civil Society. Nurturing Democratic Institutions. TRANSFORMING SOCIAL SERVICES. Transforming Social Welfare. Transforming Education Systems. Transforming Fiscal Governance. PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE. Shaping Baltic States' Security. Managing Transformation. Author Index. References. About the Authors.

Über Autor(innen)

Gundar J. King, Professor and Dean Emeritus of the School of Business at Pacific Lutheran University, was born and raised in Latvia where he graduated from the Riga First State (Classical) Gymnasium. Author of many articles and books for managers, he holds a Stanford Ph.D. (business) degree, the Dr. Habil Oecon. degree granted by the Latvian Science Council and the Dr. of Science (h.c.) degree awarded by the Riga Technical University. Founding president of the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies, he is also an international member of the Latvian Academy of Sciences.

David E. McNabb, professor emeritus at the Pacific Lutheran University, has been a visiting professor at the Stockholm School of Economics-Riga, the American University in Bulgaria, University of Maryland University College-Europe, and the University of Washington-Tacoma. He is currently an adjunct professor at Olympic College. He has a Ph.D. in administration from Oregon State University and an MA in communications from the University of Washington. His current research interests focus on Baltic-area public policy and on research methods. He is the author of eight books and nearly 100 articles and conference papers.