:return: the string value of the element or element tree

def element_to_string(element, include_declaration=True, encoding=DEFAULT_ENCODING, method='xml'):
    """ :return: the string value of the element or element tree """

    if isinstance(element, ElementTree):
        element = element.getroot()
    elif not isinstance(element, ElementType):
        element = get_element(element)

    if element is None:
        return u''

    element_as_string = tostring(element, encoding, method).decode(encoding=encoding)
    if include_declaration:
        return element_as_string
    else:
        return strip_xml_declaration(element_as_string)