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Examines the nature of vertical policy diffusion in the US, and other factors that influence state government policy; case studies of truth-in-sentencing laws, partial birth abortion, and hate crime policy.

Abstract. The utility of comparative politics has been questioned from time to time in two ways. Doubts have been cast upon its ability to offer genuine and useful generalisations, and these doubts have been reinforced by the appearance of studies which, while statistically adventurous, are not grounded upon a sufficiently sound theoretical base. In this paper we consider Alasdair MacIntyre's objections to the idea of a science of comparative politics, and discuss the nature of law‐like generalisations. We explore the extent to which MacIntyre's objections may be overcome, and indicate the form that generalisations about political stability could take. We also argue that studies of stability need a clear explanatory linkage between the empirical data they utilise and the hypotheses of a theory about political stability. This is often lacking in such studies, which seem to substitute a sophisticated statistical technique for genuine political theory.

This article focuses on how a major shift in government policies can transform the national innovation system (NIS) of a developing country. Thailand's used to be a typical developing country NIS. It was quite weak and fragmented. Major change took place when Thaksin Shinawatra became prime minister in 2001. New policies and practices, which can be group together as 'Thaksinomics', transformed not only the government sector, but also two other leading actors of the NIS: private firms and university. Even though it is too early to draw final conclusions of the effects of Thaksin policies on Thai NIS, it is true that it became stronger and more coherent. The experience of Thailand demonstrates that a national innovation system of a latecomer country can transform from a long-standing character of a weak, fragmented and slow-learning one to a stronger, coherent and more-active-learning one, if there is a significant change in the behaviour of a key actor that can cause positive effects in other actors.

You have given me a lot of territory to cover this morning with the title: "Political Factors in the Formulation of National Strategy." I have been trying to think of what I might say that would not be too repetitive of what you have been reading and covering in your discussions, which are the life of this great insti­tution. I am delighted to be asked to take part in a "global" problem, for it seems to me that it is only "global" thinking that will meet our national needs.

In Portugal, new rules of political participation have been imposed by the transition to a multicultural society, in addition to the European political integration that is currently developing towards a new level of citizenship. This paper intends to show to what extent non-national residents, both from EU and non-EU countries, effectively use their new political rights and participate in the Portuguese electoral acts that give them the opportunity for a wider political integration in their state of residence. ; Em Portugal, novas medidas de participação política têm vindo a ser introduzidas tanto por força da transição para uma sociedade multicultural como pela sua participação na integração política europeia que se direcciona para um novo nível de cidadania. O presente artigo pretende mostrar até que ponto os residentes não-nacionais, de países terceiros e da União Europeia, efectivamente usam os seus novos direitos políticos e participam nos actos eleitorais em Portugal, conferindo-lhes a oportunidade de uma maior integração política no seu Estado de residência. ; In Portugal, new rules of political participation have been imposed by the transition to a multicultural society, in addition to the European political integration that is currently developing towards a new level of citizenship. This paper intends to show to what extent non-national residents, both from EU and non-EU countries, effectively use their new political rights and participate in the Portuguese electoral acts that give them the opportunity for a wider political integration in their state of residence. ; Em Portugal, novas medidas de participação política têm vindo a ser introduzidas tanto por força da transição para uma sociedade multicultural como pela sua participação na integração política europeia que se direcciona para um novo nível de cidadania. O presente artigo pretende mostrar até que ponto os residentes não-nacionais, de países terceiros e da União Europeia, efectivamente usam os seus novos direitos políticos e participam nos ...