Public Administration and the Illiberal Challenge

Name: Public Administration and the Illiberal Challenge
Price: 127.20 AUD
Availability: OutOfStock
ISBN: 9781009635097

Michael W. Bauer (European University Institute)

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Hardback

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English

Cambridge University Press
14 May 2026

Political structures: democracy; Public administration; Civil service & public sector

Series: Elements in Public and Nonprofit Administration

This Element addresses the illiberal challenge facing public administration amidst the rise of authoritarian populism and democratic backsliding. It investigates how populist governments seek to reshape state bureaucracies, often undermining liberal democratic principles such as pluralism, expertise, and constitutional safeguards, and examines how public administration must respond to safeguard democratic integrity. Drawing on global examples, the Element identifies strategies of populist administrative manipulation, patterns of bureaucratic compliance and resistance, and critical gaps in scholarly understanding. It develops a framework for analyzing these dynamics and proposes normative principles to defend active democratic bureaucracy. Through theoretical inquiry and practical recommendations, it advocates for robust, ethically grounded public administration capable of countering illiberal pressures. Its central thesis underscores the need to restore the intellectual foundation of public administration as a social science deeply embedded in and committed to the democratic policy process. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

By: Michael W. Bauer (European University Institute)
Imprint: Cambridge University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Weight: 277g
ISBN: 9781009635097
ISBN 10: 1009635093
Series: Elements in Public and Nonprofit Administration
Pages: 96
Publication Date: 14 May 2026
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Introduction; 1. The illiberal challenge; 2. Patterns of illiberal transformation; 3. Intellectual foundations of bureaucratic responsiveness; 4. Administrative reactions; 5. Boosting the bureaucracy's ability to resist illiberal demands; 6. Meeting the challenge; References.