Suchergebnisse

By applying a widely accepted method for famine operationalization, the 2005 food crisis in Niger is categorized as a famine. This presents a unique opportunity to assess Amartya Sen's two most important famine contributions: (1) the entitlement framework for famine analysis; and (2) the hypothesis of a positive effect of democracy on famine protection. The fact that the Niger famine was caused by unfavorable terms of trade rather than a collapse in food production supports the focus of the entitlement framework on access to food; nevertheless, the belated and inadequate response to the crisis from the democratically elected Nigerien government appears to undermine the link between a pluralistic political system and effective famine protection.

Issues of administrative responsiveness to the disadvantaged (as distinct from formal policy responsiveness) possess important implications for American democracy. In this regard, the administrative practices that facilitate or impede enrollment, or take-up, in social programs deserve attention. This study focuses on two means-tested programs in the context of American federalism, Medicaid & the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Based on an in-depth analysis of seventeen states, we develop an index of administrative responsiveness to the disadvantaged related to take-up. We then explore some possible sources of variation in responsiveness rooted in the task environment, political ideology, good government culture & practice, & signals from political principals. Our findings point to the need to refine & expand upon existing explanations of state variation in social programs. Among other things, this study suggests the political importance of international (not interstate) population mobility & gubernatorial leadership (rather than bureaucratic autonomy) in shaping administrative responsiveness to the disadvantaged. It also points to the need for a contingent approach in examining whether the greater presence of racial minorities tends to depress such responsiveness. Tables, References. Adapted from the source document.

The purpose of the study was to determine the educational priorities of parents with children enrolled in American Sponsored Overseas Schools in South America, and to compare those priorities with their perceptions of school performance. Responsiveness was defined as the relationship between priorities and perceived performance. Parents of secondary students enrolled in member schools of the Association of American Schools in South America, Inc. were the population for the study. A purposive sample of four schools located in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay were surveyed. A low response rate reflected the nature of the population. Characteristics of non-response in overseas settings are discussed. Results were biased in favor of the politically interested/active parents. Frequencies and crosstabulations were used to describe responsiveness levels, relationships between responsiveness and demographic characteristics, levels of parent satisfaction, and relationships between satisfaction and respondent characteristics. The findings indicate that respondents were a demographically homogeneous group. Parents responding were satisfied with their schools and felt that the schools were responsive to their needs. No significant predictors of either satisfaction or responsiveness were found. ; Ed. D.

Jennifer Bussell. Clients and Constituents: Political Responsiveness in Patronage Democracies. Delhi, India: Oxford University Press, 2019. 369 pages. ₹1,100.