Suchergebnisse

As the principles and practices of democracy continue to spread ever more widely, it is hard to imagine a corner of the globe into which they will not eventually penetrate. But the euphoria of democratic revolutions is typically short-lived, and usually followed by disgruntlement and even cynicism about the actual operation of democratic institutions. It is widely accepted that democracy is a good thing. However democrats have much work to do in improving the performance of democratic institutions. The essays in this volume focus on this difficult and vital challenge: how can we improve the design of democratic institutions? How can public deliberation in democracies be enhanced? How can elections be reformed so as to dampen the excessive influence of special interests, especially those with money? How can democratic institutions be reformed so they can deal with issues that transcend the boundaries of the nation-state? And finally, how can democratic practices better take account of the internal plurality of societies that are ethnically or otherwise divided? Contributors: Brooke Ackerly, Ian Ayres, Geoffrey Brennan, John Ferejohn, Alan Hamlin, Russell Hardin, Donald Horowitz, Stephen Macedo, Philip Petit, Philippe C. Schmitter, Ian Shapiro, Philippe Van Parjis, Iris Marion Young

REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Political Science covers the major political developments that have shaped the American government today. Includes ancient theories such as Secularism, and modern theories such as Marxi

If victors write history, and Bashar al-Assad is consolidating his grip on Syria after nearly a decade of civil war, is there any hope of justice for victims of state-sponsored abuse in Syria?

Russia and China have blocked efforts to set up an international tribunal for Syria, so Syrians in exile have been searching for ways to use national laws, and the principle of universal jurisidiction to pursue accountability.

Last year Germany arrested two Syrian men and charged them with committing crimes against humanity. When they go on trial this year, it will be the world's first prosecution for state-backed torture in Syria.
Activists have also filed cases in Norway, Sweden and Austria, and international groups are stockpiling evidence in the hope of future court cases.

But with the top members of Assad's government safely ensconced in Damascus, how much impact can these cases have?

About the speaker:

Emma Graham-Harrison is senior international affairs correspondent for the Guardian and Observer. She has covered conflicts, political crises, energy and the environment in more than 40 countries across five continents, and was based in China, Afghanistan and Spain for over a decade, before returning to London to take up her current roving role. She graduated from Oxford with a first class degree in Chinese Studies, and speaks Mandarin and Spanish. Awards include Foreign Reporter of the Year at the 2017 British Press Awards; her investigative work on the Cambridge Analytica investigations was also recognised at the British Press Awards and by the London Press Club.

Political science is in decline because it has become too focused on methodological precision, has lost contact with public policy, and recruits only among academics. To become more vital and relevant, it must use a wider range of methods, recover a voice on policy issues, and expect much more government experience from its recruits.

I am pleased to have the opportunity to respond to Oren, Ozminkowski, and Strake's
comments on my recent article on myths about the physical sciences. All of them in my
judgment either misperceive parts of my original argument or raise concerns that allow me to
extend that argument. To the degree that others share their views, this essay may address
widespread differences of opinion or misperceptions about these matters.

The 2020 US presidential election will take place amidst the background of a global pandemic, high unemployment, protests for racial justice, catastrophic wildfires wrought by climate change, and rising political polarisation. At stake is the direction of federal politics and policymaking for the next four years, as well as control of the Senate, the House of Representatives and a number of state offices. What can we expect from a Joe Biden administration or a second term of Donald Trump? In this panel discussion, four leading experts—Brian Klaas (Washington Post and UCL CUSP), Anne Joseph O'Connell (Stanford Law School), Colin Provost (UCL CUSP), and Sherrill Stroschein (UCL SPP)—will discuss politics, policy, and governance under Trump's first term and what this election may bring after Election Day.

The bad news is that critics of the quantitative movement in policy and political science are right (so far). Widely accepted quantitative models of politics promote cynicism and counter‐productive uses of government power. Mainstream social science provides a perverse basis for policy analysis. The good news is that there is no sound scientific reason for the schism between so called "empirical" and "normative" theories of politics. Traditional theories of politics, which show how government power can be used to serve the public interest, can be quantified and tested as empirical theory. The resulting scientific normative theory provides a constructive foundation for policy analysis.

This episode explores the powers of political executives. What can ministers and presidents do without the consent of the legislature? And what place should such powers have in a democracy?

Michael Barber, from BYU Political Science, and John Holbein, from the University of Virginia, authored an article in the AAAS, American Association for the Advancement of Science, on the current topic of mail-in voting and its impact on elections. In the United States, the coronavirus crisis has thrust a typically wonky debate—the effectiveness of mail-in […]