Dear Althol,

I have studied the development of the Grand Paris initiative for now almost ten years, and there might be in this process something pertaining to your object of study.

But I'm not sure the 'bipartisan' entry is the best one. In the case of the Grand Paris, it was in the beginning a very partisan initiative. What is interesting is how its promoters had to slowly integrate elements promoted by the opposition in order to be accepted and how the opposition, once having won the elections, appropriated it again. Such processes of negotiation, accommodation and appropriation seem to me the most interestng to study for social scientists.

I previously made this kind of analyse in Rome about the embankment of the Tiber river between 1870 and 1900. There again: very partisan projects, then negotiation, accommodation...

I'm sure this kind of reading is possible about all infrastruture projects. An attention to the civic sphere and to opposition that is not represented by main stream stakeholders is also necessary in order to get the full picture.

Best regards

d.

Dear Denis, This is very interesting as I had only thought of it as the other way around. Have you written anything no the Grand Paris initiative?

Dear Athol,

(If I understand correctly), Did you already see this interview:

http://www.progressiverailroading.com/federal_legislation_regulation/news/Obama-emphasizes-bipartisan-infrastructure-plan-in-SOTU-address--43286

And this report:

http://www.progressivepolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/2014.03-Carew_Mandel_Infrastructure-Investment-and-Economic-Growth_Surveying-New-Post-Crisis-Evidence.pdf

Regards,

Vanessa

Hi,

Infrastructure policy in Spain is bipartisan regarding the core points of the policy. And this has been a long term trend. You can check at  http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00076791.2011.599591#.VQqh9Y5wurQ   and last three chapters  (4 to 6) in the book  http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00076791.2011.599591#.VQqh9Y5wurQ