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1062. Opening the Realm: The Role of Communications in Negotiating the Tension of Values in Globalization
- Author:
- Michael Suman
- Publication Date:
- 04-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Aspen Institute
- Abstract:
- We live in an era in which security concerns have become paramount, the forces of capitalism have dealt a death blow to socialist command economies, and the United States is aggressively promoting democracy in the Middle East. In this context, what does the future hold for the values of security, capitalism, and democracy? Historians tell us we also are in the Digital Age—increasingly so with the advent of new communications technologies such as the Internet. What role can the media play in fostering the values of security, capitalism, and democracy?
- Topic:
- International Relations, Civil Society, Democratization, and Globalization
- Political Geography:
- United States and Middle East
1063. In Support of Arab Democracy: Why and How
- Publication Date:
- 06-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Council on Foreign Relations
- Abstract:
- The Middle East will be a central focus of U.S. foreign policy for the next generation and beyond. While the list of challenges in the region is long, the Arab world also presents opportunities. In a region marked by a "democracy deficit" and limited economic prospects, there is also ferment. From Marrakesh to Cairo and Ramallah to Riyadh, Arabs are engaged in intense debate, self-reflection, and reassessment of their societies. Washington has a chance to help shape a more democratic Middle East. Whereas emphasis on stability was once the hallmark of U.S.-Middle East policy, democracy and freedom have become a priority. Indeed, U.S. policymakers concluded shortly after the September 11 attacks that the prevailing domestic political, economic, and social conditions within Arab countries were a serious national security concern.
- Topic:
- Democratization and Development
- Political Geography:
- United States, Middle East, and Arabia
1064. Démocratie et Etat de non-droit au Brésil : analyse et témoignage
- Author:
- Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro
- Publication Date:
- 09-2005
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Cultures & Conflits
- Institution:
- Cultures & Conflits
- Abstract:
- Même dans des moments fondateurs de la démocratisation au Brésil, comme pendant les deux décennies suivant 1985, les vestiges de l'autoritarisme persistent. Je discute ici les questions relatives aux garanties constitutionnelles, en particulier les droits civils, et le fonctionnement du pouvoir judiciaire et de la police, en essayant d'attirer l'attention sur la violence endémique et les violations systématiques des droits humains sous les gouvernements constitutionnels démocratiques, en particulier des années 1990 à nos jours. J'y examine les efforts déployés au Brésil par le gouvernement et la société civile en vue d'un élargissement de la jouissance des droits de la personne à toute la population. Enfin, cet essai comporte également un témoignage sur mon bref passage au gouvernement fédéral du Brésil.
- Topic:
- Civil Society and Democratization
- Political Geography:
- Europe, France, and Brazil
1065. From Revolution to Reform - Georgia's Struggle with Democratic Institution Building and Security Sector Reform
- Author:
- Eden Cole and Philipp H. Fluri
- Publication Date:
- 07-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Austrian National Defence Academy
- Abstract:
- The theme of this book is 'Georgian Security Sector Governance after the 'Rose Revolution''. After the downfall of Shevardnadze's authoritarian regime, apostrophied by many Western observers as 'mild', and therefore worthy of support, there have been definite changes in how security is perceived. 'Good governance' means introducing fundamental political changes according to the principles and practices of democracy. Although the countries that we recognize as democratic do not have completely identical political mechanisms, methods and procedures for governance, it is not difficult to determine whether a political system is democratic or not. For Georgia, as for all transition countries, the first important matter on the reform agenda was setting up the structure of governance, that is, writing constitutions and laws, erecting political institutions, and making them work. External experts who assess how well security sector governance functions in those countries designated as 'new democracies' sometimes neglect to take into account the fact that they indeed are new; that they have not had the many years, even many centuries, that the Western countries have had to develop the ways and means, the habits and customs, of their Executives and Legislatures.
- Topic:
- Security, Democratization, International Organization, Non-Governmental Organization, and Politics
- Political Geography:
- Balkans and Georgia
1066. Defence Institutions Building - 2005 Partnership Action Plan on Defence Institution Building - Regional Conference
- Author:
- Eden Cole and Philipp H. Fluri
- Publication Date:
- 09-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Austrian National Defence Academy
- Abstract:
- At their meeting in Istanbul, Allied Heads of State and Government launched the Partnership Action Plan on Defence Institution Building (PAP-DIB). EAPC Heads of State and Government also endorsed this initiative. PAP-DIB reflects Allies' and Partners' common views on modern and democratically responsible defence institutions. It provides an EAPC definition of defence reform and a framework for common reflection and exchange of experience on related problems. It is to help interested Partners to reform and re structure their defence institutions to meet their needs and international commitments.
- Topic:
- Security, NATO, Democratization, and International Cooperation
- Political Geography:
- Russia, Europe, Asia, and Istanbul
1067. Angola - Drivers of Change: An Overview
- Author:
- Alex Vines, Nicholas Shaxson, and Lisa Rimli
- Publication Date:
- 05-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Chatham House
- Abstract:
- Angola has undergone dramatic economic and political changes since independence from Portugal in 1975, and continues to face severe challenges three decades later. An open democratic process has not yet been established, the economy faces deep-rooted structural imbalances, and the country's international relations have undergone many shifts and changes, so that it is currently again in a major transitional era.
- Topic:
- Civil Society, Democratization, Development, Government, and Poverty
- Political Geography:
- Africa
1068. Eye on Africa: A Scholar's Tale
- Author:
- Jesse Ribot
- Publication Date:
- 06-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Wilson Center
- Abstract:
- Ribot is a senior associate at the World Resources Institute (WRI) in Washington and currently a Wilson Center fellow working on a new book on rural democracy in Africa. Several years ago, he was writing a history of forestry in French West Africa, a story of a supposed deforestation crisis from 1880-1920. The colonial government had devised odd policies to fix this nonexistent problem—policies that would not have fixed it had there been a crisis. Furthermore, the policies concentrated access to lucrative resources in the hands of a few elites. "The discourse of 'deforestation crisis' was being used to expropriate the people's resources," Ribot said. "That was the real story."
- Topic:
- Democratization, Development, and Third World
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Washington
1069. Administering information: Eurostat and statistical integration
- Author:
- Ulf Sverdrup
- Publication Date:
- 10-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- European Research Papers Archive
- Abstract:
- This chapter analyses the processes and dynamics of institution building in the European Union (EU). While most studies of EU institution building have dealt with the birth and evolution of key institutions, such as the legislatives, the executives or the courts, the focus is here on a different aspect of democratic governance: the informational foundation of the EU. The chapter examines developments and changes in the organization of numerical information in the EU, in particular the role of Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Commission. How and to what extent can we observe the emergence of a pan-European informational system? How and to what extent has the European information system in Europe interacted and worked together with national statistical institutes?
- Topic:
- Democratization, Development, and Government
- Political Geography:
- Europe
1070. The Role of Public Discourse in European Social Democratic Reform Projects
- Author:
- Vivian A. Schmidt
- Publication Date:
- 06-2005
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- European Research Papers Archive
- Abstract:
- Public discourse, understood both as ideas about public action and interactive processes that serve to 'coordinate' the construction of those ideas and to 'communicate' them to the public, has been central to the success (or failure) of the reform projects of social democratic parties. Certain background factors, including countries' policy legacies, problems, preferences, and capacity set the stage for reform while good ideas which are cognitively sound and normatively appropriate as well as relevant, coherent, and consistent contribute to reform success. But institutional context also matters with regard to how ideas are conveyed to whom, with 'simple' polities emphasizing the 'communicative' discourse to the general public and more 'compound' polities the 'coordinative' discourse among policy actors. This is demonstrated with examples from Germany, France, Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden.
- Topic:
- Civil Society, Democratization, and Government
- Political Geography:
- Europe, France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Sweden, and Netherlands