Suchergebnisse

Why do democracies encounter more violent secessionist movements in comparison to non-democracies? While there is evidence that democratic states contribute to international peace, the converse, that democracies enjoy internal peace, seems problematic. In fact, the evidence seems to suggest that authoritarian states face fewer separatist challenges of a violent nature than do democratic ones. Democracy, which introduces competitive elections, is commonly offered as a solution to political problems. However, in ethnically divided societies, competitive democracy may exacerbate political tension and polarize groups. Are systems of democratic governance incompatible with durable peace in such societies? This work examines how respect for minority rights can contribute to conflict prevention in multi-cultural democracies in Asia. ; Democracy, Peace and Conflict Democracy and People Democracy and Minority Challenges Democracies and Separatist Violence in Asia Indian Experience Concluding Remarks Bibliography

The compilation of articles in this book originated in papers delivered at a two day workshop that took place in San José, Costa Rica, in March 2007 . This workshop is part of the Africa/Asia/Latin America Scholarly Collaborative Program jointly undertaken by APISA-CLACSO-CODESRIA with the generous support of ASDI. This Program is designed to serve as a research forum for the generation of fresh and original comparative insights on the diverse problems and challenges facing the countries of the South. In doing so, it is also hoped that the activities will contribute to the consolidation of cross-regional networking among Southern scholars, foster a scholarly culture of Southern cross-referencing, and contribute to a type of theory-building that is more closely attuned to the shared historical contexts and experiences of the countries and peoples of the South. Participants from all three continents in equal numbers are invited to each activity. Each scholar is exposed to the socio-historical contexts of other regions of the South as an input that will help to broaden their analytical perspectives and improve the overall quality of their scientific engagements. ; Preface 9 Introduction Ciska Raventós 11 Part I Civil society, public space and democratization Democratic innovation in Latin America: a first look at the Democratic Participatory Project Evelina Dagnino, Alberto Olvera and Aldo Panfichi 27 Citizens' participation and associative space Armando Chaguaceda Noriega 47 Part II Protest, contentious collective action and democratization Participation vs. Representation? The Experience of the Neighborhood Assemblies of Buenos Aires, 2001-2003 Inés Pousadela 69 Index A Time of Opportunities: the Piquetero Movement and Democratization in Argentina Gabriela Bukstein 123 Antinomies of Political Society: Implications of Uncivil Development Ajay Gudavarthy and G. Vijay 141 Part III Institutional legal reform: contribution to democratization The "Democratization" of China's Laws and Policies: two steps forward one step back from Reform and Tiananmen to Falun Gong Gillian Hui Lynn Goh 167 Innovations in Electoral Politics in Ghana's Fourth Republic: an Analysis Alexander Frempong 183 On Democratic Consolidation in the South: comments on Alexander Frempong´s Paper Jorge Rovira Mas 205 Part IV Minority rights and democracy Democracy, Minority Rights and Conflict Prevention in Asia Ashok Swain 213