The Geography of Local Politics: How Jurisdiction Size Shapes Local Policy Agendas

Abstract

One of the enduring questions in political science is whether large communities behave differently from small ones. While prior research has examined the political, democratic, and economic implications of community size, a key dimension remains underexplored: how political agendas differ across jurisdictions of varying sizes. This study addresses this gap by examining how the size and geography of local jurisdictions shape the size, issue diversity, complexity, and issue content of local policy agendas. Drawing on a systematic collection and coding of thousands of local council meeting agendas from Danish and Norwegian municipalities, the analysis reveals significant differences in agenda characteristics between large and small communities. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how jurisdiction size shapes democratic processes and local governance.