The book explores one of the most topical issues of public bureaucracies worldwide: the relationship between the composition of the public sector workforce and the nature of the society it serves.

Taking a comparative and analytical perspective, the authoritatively, yet accessibly written, country chapters show how salient the politics of representativeness have become in increasingly diverse societies. At the same time, they illustrate the wide variety of practice based on different political systems, administrative structures, and cultural settings.

Providing comprehensive up-to-date information and analysis, these studies will interest scholars and practitioners alike, from comparative public administration and management, government, public policy, and diversity studies.

Contributors: R. Andrews, R. Cameron, G. Capano, N. Carboni, F. de Zwart, M. del Carmen Pardo, G.S.A. Dijkstra, S.M. Dudek, A.-G. Gagnon, S. Groeneveld, D. Kübler, M. Maor, K. Michalak, C. Milne, B.G. Peters, E. Schröter, R. Smith, L. Turgeon, S. van de Walle, L. Vandenbussche, F.M. van der Meer, B. van Gool, P. von Maravic