Suchergebnisse

While the number o f state PACs and their campaign contributions have increased substantially over the past decade, much remains unknown regarding their organization and activities. From a survey o f PACs in three states we develop a portrait o f political action committees, which extends beyond contributions. State PACs form around both economic and ideological issues; have very modest organizational structures; solicit funds primarily by direct mail and personal contacts; typically delegate responsibility for making campaign contributions to committees, which adopt accommodationist strategies; and have extended their activities to include voter education and mobilization. A number o f differences among the various types o f PACs are also evident.

The Political Science Program at the National Science Foundation (NSF) announces it awards for basic research support and dissertation improvement grants for fiscal year 2009. The program funded 56 new projects and 34 doctoral dissertation improvement proposals. (Additional program funds were spent on continuing grant increments. These result from awards that were made in previous fiscal years, but where funds are being disbursed on a yearly basis instead all up front.) The Political Science Program spent $10,461,799 on these research, training, and workshop projects and $383,238 on dissertation training grants for political science students. In addition, the program contributed $345,000 to support three Graduate Research Fellowships. The program holds two grant competitions annually (Regular Research, August and January 15; Dissertation Improvement, January 15) and constitutes a major source of political science research funding as part of fulfilling NSF's mission to encourage theoretically focused empirical investigations aimed at improving the explanation of fundamental social and political processes and structures.

[Δε διατίθεται περίληψη / no abstract available] ; [Δε διατίθεται περίληψη / no abstract available]

Taiwan or the Republic of China on Taiwan (ROCT) is a critical case study of an economically successful civic authoritarian society that has moved through political liberalization towards full democracy. Political aspirations and social consciousness are generally mobilized with regard for continued economic prosperity and a concern for economic equity. Taiwan has passed through a series of identifiable liberalization thresholds which have culminated in highly competitive elections for a wide range of political offices. Local elections which began in 1950 led to a fully elected National Assembly and Legislative Yuan in the 1990s. The ruling Kuomintang has become an umbrella party competing vigorously for votes in order to remain in power. Thus far, the Kuomintang has remained largely in control of the liberalization progress. Fictions, money politics and gangsterism remain problems as a two-party system emerges. Today in Taiwan, the Kuomintang is the majority party rather than the dominant party. (AJPS/DÜI)

The political science program of the National Science Foundation (NSF) announces it awards for basic research support and dissertation improvement grants for fiscal year 2010. The program funded 75 new projects and 31 doctoral dissertation improvement proposals. Additional program funds were spent on continuing grant increments, which result from awards that were made in previous fiscal years, but for which funds are being disbursed on a yearly basis instead of upfront. The political science program spent $12,753,794 on these research, training, and workshop projects and $345,389 on dissertation training grants for political science students. The program holds two grant competitions annually—Regular Research, August and January 15; and Dissertation Improvement, January 15—and constitutes a major source of political science research funding as part of fulfilling NSF's mission to encourage theoretically focused empirical investigations aimed at improving the explanation of fundamental social and political processes and structures.