A book on the autonomy of city-regions by a professor of political science at The University of Western Ontario has been shortlisted for the Donner Prize.
The Donner Prize recognizes excellence and innovation in Canadian public policy writing. It is awarded annually by the Donner Canadian Foundation.
Andrew Sancton is author of four books and is respected for his research and writings on municipal government. He recently received notification that his latest book, The Limits of Boundaries has received a Donner nomination. Sancton will join other nominees at a Toronto celebration on April 30 where a winner will be announced.
The Limits of Boundaries examines the increasingly important role of city-regions as sources of innovation and wealth, but asks if these will lead to increasing autonomy, allowing them to become self-governing. Sancton argues to the negative – providing evidence that city regions in western liberal democracies will not and cannot be self-governing.
Andrew Sancton has been a professor of political science at Western since 1977 and he is director of the Local Government Program at the university, which offers undergraduate and graduate education in public administration for municipal managers. Many of Canada’s senior municipal officials have attended these courses.
Sancton’s previous books are: Governing the Island of Montreal: Language Differences and Metropolitan Politics (1985), Governing Canada’s City-regions (1994), and Merger Mania: The Assault on Local Government (2000).
The Donner Prize carries with it an award of $35,000, and authors of all shortlisted titles receive $5,000.
More information is available at www.donnerbookprize.com.