Suchergebnisse

Using state-level data from Illinois General Assembly elections, I test the implications of a formal model of electoral competition where political parties present voters with platforms of ideological locations and levels of partisan support for their candidates. Consistent with the model, I find that candidate policy positions and parties' campaign contributions are responsive to district partisan predisposition, even when controlling for the policy preferences of the district's median voter and other conventional determinants of candidate ideology and funding. Also consistent with the theory, uncontested elections occur more often in politically lopsided districts than in districts where there are more even levels of partisan competition, and there is an inverse relationship between candidate policy extremity and campaign contributions. These results support a theory of activist programmatic parties in the electoral arena and highlight the need for further scholarship on the role of parties in the electorate and their connections with parties in the legislature.

Examines geographic, economic, & security factors that have made the relationship with Central Asian countries a top priority for China. Its new position as the world's second-largest oil importer has led China to focus on resolving border disputes, establishing trust, providing assistance, & building strong ties with its neighbors. Chinese fears of US encroachment in Central Asia are discussed, along with China's role in the creation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) which addresses regional/international issues & established the Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure in 2004. Special attention is given to anti-US aspects of the SCO; the admittance of India, Pakistan, & Iran to the July SCO summit; & the negative impact of Iran's links with the SCO on the ability of US & the European Union to convince Iran to end its nuclear program. It is noted that China shares Russia's interest in drawing India into the alliance to neutralize US influence & prevent an Indo-US strategic partnership. The implications for US strategy are discussed. J. Lindroth

Examines the Soviet Union's untypical non-use of force to combat the fall of communist governments in Warsaw Pact countries in 1989. Although the Soviet Union's material decline made some striking foreign policy change likely, it could have taken a much different form. A review of materialist accounts of Soviet concession in Europe during 1989-1990 is followed by a look at standard ideational explanations that either highlight processes of socialization, persuasion, & identity change or the effects of transnational actors united by shared expert knowledge. The focus is on how beliefs were accepted & implemented. The opposing views of German unification held by Mikhail Gorbachev & Soviet hardliners are explored to argue that Gorbachev's ideas prevailed primarily because of the authority of his position. It is concluded that both ideas & government structure were crucial in determining policy directions taken by the Soviets in 1989; however, internal learning is more powerful than socialization in making decisions about the use of force. The theoretical implications are discussed. Adapted from the source document.

Ethiopia has for a long time been in the impossible position of trying to draw enough water from the Blue Nile. Mythic river, it bathes many countries with its waters & represents the historic heart of a region of 30 million Christians. Egypt & the Sudan, & before them Great Britain, have never let Ethiopia exercise the slightest power over the strategic decisions concerning the river & the countries that lie downstream. The demographic stakes in Ethiopia & the imperatives that arise from ensuring agricultural profitability, have changed the historical constraints on the nation & may lead to a water war. The conditions in the Nile Basin are being addressed through initiatives such as the Initiative of the Nile Basin as well as the intervention of third countries such as France. These may or may not be able to reverse the current destructive spiral. The current rapprochement between Ethiopia & Israel in the domain of water is viewed with suspicion by neighboring Arab countries. D. Knaff