Lobbying in Political and Social Sciences

Lobbying is not only the subject of ongoing, heated debates in politics and the public sphere but has also been a focus of the social sciences for decades. This edited volume provides an overview of the current state of research on lobbying from the perspective of Public Choice as a subfield of political science and economics.

Overview of Basic Concepts and Theories

After a brief introduction to the field, Part I provides an overview of basic concepts and political-economic theories of lobbying from the standpoints of various subfields of Public Choice.

Channels of Influence and Regulation

Subsequently, Part II investigates the various channels used by interest groups to influence policymakers, such as party donations, informational lobbying, hiring politicians, etc. These chapters also discuss the possibilities and limits of regulating the respective channels.

Lobbying in Different Regions

Lastly, Part III sheds light on lobbying in selected regions (i.e., the United States, European Union, Russia, and China).