Arianna Giovannini
I am Associate Professor/Reader in Local Politics & Public Policy at the Department of Politics and Public Policy, De Montfort University, where I am also the Deputy Director of the Local Governance Research Unit (LGRU). Between July 2019 and February 2020 I was Director of IPPR North, the leading think-tank for the North of England, on a secondment basis.
Before joining DMU in August 2016, I was a Researcher at the Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute (SPERI), University of Sheffield. I previously worked at the University of Leeds (POLIS) as a research assistant for the White Rose Consortium for the North of England project. I also held academic positions at the University of Huddersfield, and at Leeds Metropolitan University, where I was awarded a PhD in 2014. Before moving to the UK, I worked as a researcher for regional governments and for several academic institutions in Italy.
My research focuses on territorial and local politics, governance rescaling, devolution and democracy – both in the UK and in comparative European perspective. Most recently, my work in these areas has concentrated on devolution deals in England, and in particular in the North; the politics, governance and political economy of the Northern Powerhouse; the changing landscape of local government, especially in the context of austerity and Brexit; the new municipalism; and asymmetric regionalism. I have written extensively on these topics, publishing in academic journals such as Territory, Politics, Governance, Policy & Politics, Regional and Federal Studies, The Political Quarterly and Political Studies. My latest book ‘Developing England’s North. The Political Economy of the Northern Powerhouse’ (co-edited with Craig Berry) was published by Palgrave in 2018.
My work actively engages with the world of practice and policy. In 2018-9, I was part of a collaborative research project between APSE and the LGRC, which led to the publication of APSE’s report Ensuring the leadership of the new municipalism. Based on my research, I regularly present evidence in Parliament and collaborate with local and national policy makers. Currently, I am a member of Executive of APSE’s Local Government 2030 Commission – which was set up to produce an independent analysis of the state of local government in the UK, focusing on its future challenges and emerging role in delivering a New Municipalism. As part of my role while Director of IPPR North, I was also a Commissioner of the UK2070 Commission – an independent inquiry into city and regional inequalities in the UK Chaired by Lord Kerslake.
I regularly appear on international, national and regional broadcast media, including SkyNews and BBC News, and I write for a range of online and print publications.
I am an elected Trustee of the UK Political Studies Association (PSA), the co-convenor of the PSA Local Politics Specialist Group, and the Chair the PSA Italian Politics Specialist Group. I am a Fellow of the RSA, an Associate Fellow of the Centre on Constitutional Change (University of Edinburgh), and a Honorary Research Fellow at SPERI (University of Sheffield).
Before joining DMU in August 2016, I was a Researcher at the Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute (SPERI), University of Sheffield. I previously worked at the University of Leeds (POLIS) as a research assistant for the White Rose Consortium for the North of England project. I also held academic positions at the University of Huddersfield, and at Leeds Metropolitan University, where I was awarded a PhD in 2014. Before moving to the UK, I worked as a researcher for regional governments and for several academic institutions in Italy.
My research focuses on territorial and local politics, governance rescaling, devolution and democracy – both in the UK and in comparative European perspective. Most recently, my work in these areas has concentrated on devolution deals in England, and in particular in the North; the politics, governance and political economy of the Northern Powerhouse; the changing landscape of local government, especially in the context of austerity and Brexit; the new municipalism; and asymmetric regionalism. I have written extensively on these topics, publishing in academic journals such as Territory, Politics, Governance, Policy & Politics, Regional and Federal Studies, The Political Quarterly and Political Studies. My latest book ‘Developing England’s North. The Political Economy of the Northern Powerhouse’ (co-edited with Craig Berry) was published by Palgrave in 2018.
My work actively engages with the world of practice and policy. In 2018-9, I was part of a collaborative research project between APSE and the LGRC, which led to the publication of APSE’s report Ensuring the leadership of the new municipalism. Based on my research, I regularly present evidence in Parliament and collaborate with local and national policy makers. Currently, I am a member of Executive of APSE’s Local Government 2030 Commission – which was set up to produce an independent analysis of the state of local government in the UK, focusing on its future challenges and emerging role in delivering a New Municipalism. As part of my role while Director of IPPR North, I was also a Commissioner of the UK2070 Commission – an independent inquiry into city and regional inequalities in the UK Chaired by Lord Kerslake.
I regularly appear on international, national and regional broadcast media, including SkyNews and BBC News, and I write for a range of online and print publications.
I am an elected Trustee of the UK Political Studies Association (PSA), the co-convenor of the PSA Local Politics Specialist Group, and the Chair the PSA Italian Politics Specialist Group. I am a Fellow of the RSA, an Associate Fellow of the Centre on Constitutional Change (University of Edinburgh), and a Honorary Research Fellow at SPERI (University of Sheffield).
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Journal Articles & book chapters by Arianna Giovannini
Abstract:
The aim of this chapter is to explain and assess the relevance of the North–South divide in England. To achieve this, we start by tracing the roots of the North–South divide discourse, in historical, economic and cultural terms. We also provide a definition of what constitutes North and South in our analysis, before moving on to examine the political dimension of the divide, focusing on electoral behaviour. Through this investigation we both explain and challenge assumptions about the presence of a divide that cuts across England, especially in the contemporary context. We conclude by linking our findings on electoral behaviour to policy strategies devised by central government to address the North–South divide in recent years, and offer a critical assessment of these.
At a time of great upheaval, uncertainty and division, instead of looking inward this year’s State of the North looks outward – to the country and across the developed world to show how the North fits into a bigger picture. We investigate how divided but interdependent we are as a country, comparing the UK to countries overseas.
We show how centralised governance has been an especially acute problem for the UK and discuss how it has exacerbated our regional divides.
Finally, we show how devolution could be a source of hope and real change. We highlight the pioneering northern mayors who have already shown what devolution can do, even with their limited powers. We conclude by setting out the ambition for the North in 2020.
KEYWORDS: Regionalism, nationalism, Lega Nord, populism, personalization
momentous 2013 general election, and the way in which these have impacted so far on the Italian political system and its main political actors.
Books by Arianna Giovannini
Papers by Arianna Giovannini
Abstract:
The aim of this chapter is to explain and assess the relevance of the North–South divide in England. To achieve this, we start by tracing the roots of the North–South divide discourse, in historical, economic and cultural terms. We also provide a definition of what constitutes North and South in our analysis, before moving on to examine the political dimension of the divide, focusing on electoral behaviour. Through this investigation we both explain and challenge assumptions about the presence of a divide that cuts across England, especially in the contemporary context. We conclude by linking our findings on electoral behaviour to policy strategies devised by central government to address the North–South divide in recent years, and offer a critical assessment of these.
At a time of great upheaval, uncertainty and division, instead of looking inward this year’s State of the North looks outward – to the country and across the developed world to show how the North fits into a bigger picture. We investigate how divided but interdependent we are as a country, comparing the UK to countries overseas.
We show how centralised governance has been an especially acute problem for the UK and discuss how it has exacerbated our regional divides.
Finally, we show how devolution could be a source of hope and real change. We highlight the pioneering northern mayors who have already shown what devolution can do, even with their limited powers. We conclude by setting out the ambition for the North in 2020.
KEYWORDS: Regionalism, nationalism, Lega Nord, populism, personalization
momentous 2013 general election, and the way in which these have impacted so far on the Italian political system and its main political actors.