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A study of territorial dynamics within party organizations in multi-layered systems. This book contributes to a new approach in party research which acknowledges the importance of multi-layered institutional framing. It includes an analysis of vertical linkages and sub-state autonomy in Austrian, Belgian, British, German and Spanish parties.

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Introduction Federalism, Democracy and Political Parties The Challenges of Multi-Level Party Politics Methodological Issues A Framework for Analysis Multi-Level Party Competition Multi-Level Party Organizations Toward an Explanation Conclusions: Major Findings and Outlook Bibliography Endnotes Index

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´Detterbeck´s book is a very impressive contribution to knowledge in a field of growing importance in political science: territorial (or regional) politics within the state. Detterbeck directly challenges the ´nationalisation bias´ in conventional scholarship, which is especially strong in the study of political parties. He shows across an impressive range of European cases that party competition is ´multi-levelled´, with distinctive, ´asymmetric´ logics at statewide and sub-state scales; and that parties need to organise themselves in new, territorially differentiated ways to grapple effectively with those distinctive logics. The book provides a sustained challenge to the ´nationalisation bias´ which is outstanding conceptually, methodologically, empirically and analytically.´

- Charlie Jeffery, Professor of Politics, University of Edinburgh, UK

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KLAUS DETTERBECK Senior Lecturer at the University of Magdeburg, Germany. He works primarily on political parties, territorial politics and European integration. Among his current activities is the coordination of a Global Dialogue project for the Forum of Federations on parties and civil society in federations.

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