The effects of globalization to local and local governments: the example of city councils

Globalization, as the concept of basic outlining of changes and transformations in the world in recent years, has a noticeable impact in many areas. Though there isn?t a consensus about the definition and conceptual framework of globalization, it is assumed that is a defined process in different ways by different disciplines. The phenomenon of globalization is a cause of various changes and transformations in economic, technological, political, ecological, and socio-cultural areas and affects to the local governments. The changes about local governments have emerged as well as the organization structure of its and the methods of service delivery, participatory mechanisms, financial structure, the understanding of responsibility and accountability. Globalization affected to the local governments by the way of local democracy. As a result of carrying the agenda of the Local Agenda 21 Program, city councils are located in the study. The changes and transformations which caused by the globalization are explained in this study. In this context, the study consists of five sections. The theoretical and conceptual framework of ?globalization?, ?localization? and ?local government? put forward in the first section. The economic, technological, political, and socio-cultural dimensions of globalization are discussed and put forward different approaches to the concept of globalization and decentralization. In the second part of thesis, the new trends are examined which affected the structural and functional transformation of local governments during globalization process. The effects of globalization on the nation state, and with it, the reflections of local governments are mentioned in this section. The international structures during the process of globalization and the reflections of these structures to the local governments in Turkey are examined in third part of thesis. The new trends in local governments during the process of globalization have studied and the Local Agenda 21, sustainable development and city councils have mentioned in fourt section of the study. The relation between city councils and local democracy during the process of globalization is focused on the fifth and final part of the thesis. Key Words: Globalization, Local Governments, Decentralization, City Councils, Local Democracy, Governance