The Oxford Handbook of Belgian Politics

Erscheinungsjahr 2026
ISBN: 978-0-19-891475-4
Verlag: Oxford University Press

Buch, Englisch, 720 Seiten, Format (B × H): 180 mm x 250 mm, Gewicht: 1393 g

Belgium is a paradoxical case: a country that some argue should not exist, yet one that has been a model of both democratic innovation and political fragmentation. The Oxford Handbook of Belgian Politics dissects Belgium's unique institutional architecture, its complex linguistic and community divides, and its evolving federal structure. Despite its small size and historically precarious existence, Belgium has played an outsized role in both political practice and political science scholarship. This volume brings together leading Belgian and international scholars to provide a comprehensive examination of Belgian politics, offering insights that extend far beyond its borders.

Structured into five thematic sections, the Handbook explores key dimensions of Belgian polity, politics, and policies. In forty meticulously crafted chapters, contributors analyze how Belgian politics serves as both an inspiration and a cautionary tale. The country has pioneered electoral reforms, social policies, and LGBTQI+ rights, positioning itself as a laboratory of democratic experimentation. At the same time, it has experienced extreme governmental instability, record-breaking coalition negotiations, and a deeply entrenched partitocracy. Whether viewed as a beacon of democratic resilience or an emblem of institutional gridlock, Belgium remains a compelling case for understanding the broader dynamics of governance in divided and multilingual societies worldwide.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Weitere Mitwirkende

Reuchamps, Min

Brans, Marleen

Meier, Petra

van Haute, Emilie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

- Acknowledgements

- About the Volume Editors

- Contributors

- 1: Min Reuchamps, Marleen Brans, Petra Meier, and Emilie van Haute: Introduction: A Journey Through Belgian Polity, Politics and Policies

- Part 1: Historic Background and Core Features

- 2: Sébastien Dubois and Catherine Lanneau: Short History of the Belgian State Formation

- 3: Edith Drieskens: Belgium and the United Nations

- 4: Bambi Ceuppens and Scott Brenton: Decolonizing Belgium

- 5: Pascal Delwit: Cleavages and Party Systems in Belgium

- 6: Matthijs Bogaards: Consociationalism in Belgium

- 7: Lieven De Winter: Partitocracy in Belgium

- 8: Ive Marx and Ninke Mussche: Corporatism and Welfare State in Belgium

- 9: Christoph Niessen and Patricia Popelier: Federalism

- 10: Silvia Erzeel, Eline Severs, and Petra Meier: Democracy in Belgium

- Part 2: Institutions

- 11: Frédéric Bouhon and Yseult Marique: Constitution and Courts in Belgium

- 12: Anne-Emmanuelle Bourgaux and Jean-Benoit Pilet: Electoral System and Elections in Belgium

- 13: Robin Devroe and Wouter Wolfs: Parliaments in Belgium

- 14: Régis Dandoy and Patrick Dumont: Governments in Belgium

- 15: Christian de Visscher, Catherine Fallon, Damien Piron, Frankie Schram: Civil Service and Public Administrations in Belgium

- 16: Sofie Hennau and Kristof Steyvers: Local Governments in Belgium

- Part 3: Actors

- 17: Kenza Amara-Hammou, Scott Brenton, Lise Frehen, and Laura Uyttendaele: Citizens and Non-citizens in Belgium

- 18: Nicolas Bocquet and Louise Knops: Social Movements in Belgium

- 19: Bert Fraussen and Evelien Willems: Interest Groups in Belgium

- 20: Jean Faniel and Kurt Vandaele: Trade Unions in Belgium

- 21: Thomas Legein, Emilie van Haute, Bram Wauters: Political Parties in Belgium

- 22: Gert-Jan Put, and Jérémy Dodeigne, and Audrey Vandeleene: Political Elites in Belgium

- 23: Arthur Meert, Marie Goransson, Tom Bellens, and Marleen Brans: Ministerial Cabinets and Advisers in Belgium

- 24: Laura Jacobs and Cato Waeterloos: Media and Social Media in Belgium

- Part 4: Political and Social Challenges

- 25: Catherine Xhardez and Ilke Adam: Immigration and Integration in Belgium

- 26: Ann-Mireille Sautter, Coline Rondiat, Bart Meuleman, Pierre Baudewyns: (Sub)national Identification and Identities in Belgium

- 27: Karen Celis and David Paternotte: Gender and LGBTQI+ Politics in Belgium

- 28: Samira Azabar, Sami Zemni, Corinne Torrekens: Religion and Politics in Belgium

- 29: Valérie Rosoux and Donatien Dibwe dia Mwembu: Dealing with Belgium's Colonial Past

- 30: Ruth Dassonneville: Polarization in Belgium

- 31: David Aubin, Marleen Brans, Ellen Fobé, Stéphane Jacobzone, and Valérie Pattyn: Policy Advisory Systems and the Science-Policy Nexus in Belgium

- 32: Didier Caluwaerts, Vincent Jacquet, Elisa Minsart, Nino Junius, Léon Acar, and Trui Steen: Democratic Innovations and Co-creation in Belgium

- Part 5: Public Policies

- 33: Damien Pennetreau, Claire Dupuy, Virginie Van Ingelgom: Multi-level Governance and Public Policies in Belgium

- 34: Benoit Bayenet and Willem Sas: Financing the Belgian Federation

- 35: Bea Cantillon, Daniel Dumont, and Yannick Vanderborght: Social Policy in Belgium

- 36: Aurore Fransolet and Anaïs Augé: Climate Governance in Belgium

- 37: Cathy Macharis, Dirk Lauwers, Imre Keseru: Mobility Policy in Belgium

- 38: Mathias Sabbe, Sacha Frenay, Céline Parotte: Energy Policy in Belgium

- 39: Fanny Hockers and Tanguy de Wilde d'Estmael: Foreign Policy in Belgium

- 40: Alexander Mattelaer: Defence Policy in Belgium

- 41: Emmanuel Klimis, Elisabeth Paul, Dimitri Renmans: Development Policy in Belgium

Über Autor(innen)

Marleen Brans holds a PhD in Political Science from the European University Institute in Florence. As Professor at the KU Leuven Public Governance Institute, she conducts research on the production and consumption of policy advice by various actors inside and outside government. She co-founded the International Public Policy Association (IPPA).

Petra Meier is Professor in Political Science, and co-chair of A*, the Antwerp Gender & Sexuality Studies Network, at the University of Antwerp (UAntwerpen). Her research focuses on the (re)presentation of gender and other social markers in politics and policies. She investigates how (in)formal institutions (re)produce inequality, dynamics of exclusion in political spaces and how this shapes power relations among social groups, and what contributes to fostering equality in a sustainable way.

Min Reuchamps is Professor of Political Science at UCLouvain. He graduated from the Université de Liège (ULiège) and from Boston University. His teaching and research interests include federalism and multi-level governance, democracy and its transformations and innovations, participatory and deliberative methods, as well as relations between language(s) and politics and in particular the role of metaphors in political discourse.

Emilie van Haute is Professor of Political Science at the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB). Her research focuses on political parties, elections and voting behaviour, political participation and representation, and democracy. She is the co-editor of the European Journal of Political Research. Her work has appeared in Electoral Studies, Party Politics, Representation, European Journal of Political Research, or Regional Studies, Regional Science.