Dr. Ed Turner

Educational Qualifications

Ed Turner took his doctorate at the Institute for German Studies, University of Birmingham, having previously completed a Masters in European Politics and Society at Nuffield College in Oxford, and a BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at St. John’s College, Oxford.

Teaching Responsibilities

• Introduction to Political Economy (LP 2022, full year module)

• Political Parties and Party Systems (LP 3024, teaching period 1)

• Contemporary Welfare Politics (LP 3023, teaching period 2)

• Partisan Politics in Europe (LPM019, teaching period 1)

• Ed Turner also contributes to the teaching of a further Masters module (“The EU. A Web of Institutions”).

Research Interests

Ed Turner is particularly interested in federalism, decentralisation and public policy.  He wrote his doctorate about the impact of political parties on public policy at the sub-national level in Germany, and retains a keen interest in all aspects of modern German politics.  He has also worked on comparative public policy, and has a subsidiary research interest in housing and spatial planning. 

In his spare time, Ed Turner serves on the Local Government Association's Environment Board.

Publications

Books

Turner, Ed (2011): When Parties Matter: Political Parties and Public Policy in the German Länder (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan)

Green, Simon and Turner, Edward eds. (2007): Policy Convergence in Britain and Germany: Beyond the Third Way? (London: Routledge)

Journal articles

Turner, Ed (2012): “On attempts to fend off locusts by shouting:  Social democracy and the (verbal) critique of capitalism”, Renewal, 20/1

Turner, Ed (with Anneliese Dodds, 2011), “Weniger Unterstützung und mehr Gebühren für alle? Die Entwicklung der Studienfinanzierung in Großbritannien“, Forum Wissenschaft, 2011/3;

Turner, Ed (2010): “A radical agenda for local government”, Renewal, 18/3-4, pp. 55-64

Turner, Ed (2009): “Rethinking the social housing waiting game”, Public Policy Research, 16/2, pp. 114-9

Turner, Edward and Green, Simon (2007): “Understanding Policy Convergence in Britain and Germany”, in German Politics, 16/1, pp. 1-21

Selected conference papers

“Modernisation in small steps?  Comparing the organisational reforms of the British Conservative Party and the German CDU”, Political Studies Association Annual Conference, Belfast, 2-5 April 2012 (with Tim Bale);

“Standing in front of bulldozers?  Explaining policy stability in land use planning”, Political Studies Association Annual Conference, Belfast, 2-5 April 2012 (with Siobhan McAndrew);

“Ambitionierte Zielsetzung, unzureichende Realisierung? Reformen der Kandidat/innenrekrutierung  in Großbritannien und Deutschland im Vergleich”, Akademie für Politische Bildung, Tutzing, 16-18 March 2012 (with Daniel Wigbers);

“‘Reformfähig oder nur schwer verändbar? Modernisierungsversuche der CDU und der britischen Konservativen im Vergleich“, Arbeitskreis Parteienforschung, Trier, 20-21 October 2011 (with Tim Bale and Simon Green)

“From Co-operative to Competitive Localism?  The changing balance between equity and efficiency in local government under the Conservative / Liberal Democrat coalition“, Public Administration Committee Conference, Birmingham, 5-6 September 2011

“Territory and Party: Explaining public policy variation in the German Länder“, American Political Science Association, Seattle, 1-4 September 2011

“Opportunities and challenges to local government in the new planning regime“, Local Government Association Conference, Birmingham, 28-30 June 2011

“The CDU and party organisational change”, Workshop, “The CDU: Continuities, Challenges and Changes”, Aston, 17 June 2011

“The CDU and party organisational change: critical reflections on the CDU as a ‘cartel’ party”, International Association for the Study of German Politics, London, 13-14 May 2011

“Planning at the Crossroads: English Planning Policy and Housing Need 1997-2011”, ACCIS seminar “Planning at the Crossroads”, London, 15 March 2011 (with Siobhan McAndrew)

“Elected Members and the Reform of Spatial Planning”.  Conference of the Planning Advisory Service, Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge, 27 January 2011

“Party Servants, Ideologues or Regional Representatives?  The German Länder and the Reform of Federalism”, University of Edinburgh, 29-30 November 2010 (with Carolyn Rowe);

“‘We Still Haven’t Found what We’re Looking For’: Land-Use Regulation and Housing Delivery”, Savills and Blake Lapthorn Planning Conference, Oxford, 4 November 2010;

“’Because Planning is Political’. Explaining Policy Failure in English Land-Use Regulation.”  Paper presented to the expert workshop “Territorial governance in Europe: Convergence, Divergence or Constancy?”, HafenCity University Hamburg, 22 June 2010 (with Siobhan McAndrew)

“When Parties Matter: Partisan Influence on Public Policy at the Regional Level in Germany”, Political Studies Association Annual Conference, Edinburgh, March 2010

“Keeping Development on Track”, SEEDA/South East Excellence Seminar, Said Business School, Oxford, March 2009

“‘Power to the People’?  The Limitations of the ‘New Localism’ as a Means of Community Empowerment”, with Anneliese Dodds and Dan Paskins. PSA Local Politics Specialist Group, Birmingham, January 2009

“Parties in Local Government: A Bottle Half Full?” INLOGOV ESRC Seminar Series Conference, University of Birmingham, January 2009

“Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose?’ Do Parties Matter in the Länder?”, German Academic Exchange Service Graduate Conference, Amsterdam (June 2007); and Association for the Study of German Politics Annual Conference, Edinburgh (May 2007)

“Asymmetries and Inequalities in Devolved Policy-Making in Britain and Germany”. Lecture Tour at invitation of German-British Foundation, September 2005