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641. A New Mediterranean Political Landscape? The Arab Spring and Euro-Mediterranean Relations

Publication Date:
10-2011
Content Type:
Working Paper
Abstract:
The Arab Spring has placed the Mediterranean region at the centre of the international agenda. The popular uprisings that originated in Tunisia soon expected to other countries acquiring a regional dimension. The political processses that have emerged as a consequence of the protests have so far responded to three different dynamics: revolution, repression and reforms. In the first place, in revolutionary countries - such as Tunisia and Egypt - the protests gave put an end to authoritarian regimes and made possible the beginning of a new-born political order. Secondly, repressive regimes - such as Libya and Syria- have spared no efforts to silence criticism and to disperse the protests with excessive use of force, committing mass human rights violations. In the third place, reformist governments - such as Morocco and Jordan - have adopted political reforms in a wise move, giving an evolutionary response to revolutionary demands. With such a wide range of possible scenarios, it necessary to question the validity of the concept of Arab Spring as a regional phenomenon, since it is a term that encompasses national realities of a very different nature.
Topic:
Democratization, Politics, Popular Revolt, and Elections
Political Geography:
Middle East, Libya, Arab Countries, Syria, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia

642. Les entreprises françaises et allemandes en Chine : des pratiques de management contrastées dans un contexte en mutation

Author:
Jean-Louis Rocca, Rémi Bourguignon, Solène Hazouard, and Martine Le Boulaire
Publication Date:
09-2011
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches Internationales (CERI)
Abstract:
Ce rapport constitue le troisième volet1 d’une série d’études consacrées à l’implantation des entreprises occidentales en Chine, un pays qui représente un environnement des affaires atypique, entre exploit et danger. Son rythme de croissance effréné et ses équilibres sociaux, son contexte politique et social apparaissent comme autant de défis. Pour les entreprises occidentales, notamment, il n’est pas possible de s’en remettre à un transfert pur et simple des pratiques managériales. Le présent rapport s’efforce d’enrichir et de compléter les observations antérieures par la prise en compte d’une dimension comparative. Cinq nouvelles entreprises seront spécifiquement étudiées, deux d’origine française et trois d’origine allemande, portant ainsi notre panel global à près de trente cas d’entreprises.
Topic:
Democratization, Globalization, Political Economy, Social Policy, and Multinational Corporations
Political Geography:
China, Asia, France, and Germany

643. Expectations of the Turkish Society from the New Constitution

Author:
Salih Akyürek
Publication Date:
10-2011
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
BILGESAM (Wise Men Center for Strategic Studies)
Abstract:
This study aims at contributing to Turkey’s preparation efforts of the new constitution and reflecting Turkish society’s demands and expectations from the new constitution. Likewise, BILGESAM (the Wise Men Center for Strategic Studies), which conducts activities for the public interest, intends to designate the main pillars of the new Turkish constitution in line with the public’s demands. BILGESAM also aims at presenting this report to the Turkish public and law-makers, thereby contributing to the preparation phase of the new constitution. The problems and difficulties in front of Turkey’s democratization path indicate that there are still many steps to be taken for the country’s democratization process. It is clear that Turkey needs a more liberal, more democratic political atmosphere. First of all, there should be legal arrangements that will address all walks of life and that mainly deal with democratic and cultural rights for equality, justice and freedoms.
Topic:
Democratization, Politics, Constitution, and Society
Political Geography:
Turkey and Middle East

644. Democratic Opening and Social Perceptions

Author:
Salih Akyürek and Hacer Şartepe
Publication Date:
03-2011
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
BILGESAM (Wise Men Center for Strategic Studies)
Abstract:
As stated in the report, for 25 years, Turkey has experienced terror problems that have high material and intangible costs. The problem has been recently defined under such names as the ‘’Southeast Problem,’’ ‘’Kurdish Problem’’ and the ‘’Democratization Problem,’’ all of which are in search of the underlying reasons of the terror. Apart from the polarizations over demands for cultural identity, there have been problems in conceptually defining the problem. These, in turn, prevent the development of a new, reconciling political language and democratic negotiation processes and serve as a deadlock. This study tries to present findings and designations for developing a new reconciling language and for enabling both sides to understand each other; and brings constructive criticism to the “Democratic Opening’’ and “Democratic Autonomy.’’
Topic:
Democratization, Terrorism, Kurds, Identity, and Society
Political Geography:
Turkey and Middle East

645. What are Kurds and Zazas Thinking About? A Look to the Shared Values and Symbols

Author:
Salih Akyürek
Publication Date:
01-2011
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
BILGESAM (Wise Men Center for Strategic Studies)
Abstract:
Today, it is not the demands and choices of the people who are personally at the heart of the problems in southeastern Anatolia that have come to the agenda, but instead the thoughts and demands of the third-persons or people speaking on behalf of people. This, in turn, results in the issue losing its essence, a high tension between different ethnic groups and drags Turkey into a struggle and a polarization period. The easiest way to overcome this problem is to directly search the opinions of the people in the region, not the people who speak on behalf of them. Therefore, taking a fresh look at the existing problem with field researches and direct knowledge from the local community will provide more realistic information for the accurate strategies and solution proposals of the future. Recently, a confederative proposal of rights called “Democratic Autonomy” (collected under eight main topics) has come onto agenda and has been discussed as a claim for the Kurdish people’s views and demands. According to some estimates, this proposal of rights is useful to be discussed but also there are other considerations believing that it just establishes a ground for the separation of the country. Before arguing on the current demands, one has to prove whether or not these demands are really the Kurdish demands. Another issue is to find out what are the real Kurdish demands and expectations and to generate some solution strategies concerning this problem. At this point, once more, one needs to underline the importance of field work which designate the problems and set the expectations.
Topic:
Democratization, Sectarianism, Minorities, Kurds, and Autonomy
Political Geography:
Turkey and Middle East

646. Just Expectations: A Compilation of TESEV Research Studies on the Judiciary in Turkey

Author:
Eylem Ümit Atılgan, Meryem Erdal, Mithat Sancar, and Suavi Aydın
Publication Date:
02-2011
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
Abstract:
Since the European Union membership process has gained a central position in politics, Turkey has become focused on reforms and change. However, this requires not only political will but also social acceptance, as Turkey’s drawbacks originate also from the social mentality as much as from the state tradition. Therefore, how social perception is changing in the areas expected to go through restructuring and how ready the society is for the possible reforms is a very important question. TESEV studied this issue within the scope of a research on “Social Perceptions and Mentality Structures” a few years ago and presented the results of this research to the public in the format of four separate books. In addition to ideological frameworks such as religiousness, secularism and nationalism, these studies addressed the general approach to the state and the patriarchal environment evident in families, and revealed how perceptions are changing at the individual and collective level. However, there is another very important stratum between political will and social ownership, and Turkey’s need for reform perhaps shows itself most keenly at this point. This stratum is the state institutions. It looks like it is a must for virtually the entire bureaucracy, and mainly the armed forces, the judiciary and the police, to restructure in terms of mentality, organization and functions. Taking this into consideration, Turkish Economic and Social Studied Foundation (TESEV) Democratization Program (DP) decided to continue its studies on “Perceptions and Mentalities” with bureaucratic institutions and address the judiciary as the first institution. One of the main reasons behind this choice was that there were very few studies on the judiciary, an institution that is in a central position in terms of democratization, law, and state-citizen relations in Turkey. Taking this shortcoming into account, a research series comprised of three separate studies that complement each other were prepared with the aim to inform and guide the public debate on the judiciary in Turkey. Based on these research projects conducted between early 2007 and mid-2009, TESEV DP published three separate books on the judiciary in Turkey. It should be noted that the study does not cover the developments taking place in the judiciary after the first half of 2009. The first book authored by Mithat Sancar and Eylem Ümit Atılgan attempted to shed light on the mentalities of judges and prosecutors and how they approach 2 the concepts of state, justice and rights. The second book authored by Mithat Sancar and Suavi Aydın aimed to determine the perception of justice in the society and the functionality attributed to the judiciary as an institution in the public mind. The book demonstrates that terms such as equity and criminality are interpreted within a pragmatic framework, and reveals the social perceptions that hamper the establishment of an understanding of law based on universal principles. The third book authored by Meryem Erdal takes a look at the press as an essential area that functions as a bridge between the judiciary as a bureaucratic institution and the way justice and law are perceived in the society. This is mainly because the support of a powerful media is a requirement for the institutional transformation of the judiciary based on democratic principles and norms as well as for the formation of the social perception that seeks a transformation as such. This English edition consists of an extensive summary of each of these three books with the aim to present their core findings in one volume. Turkey’s requirements in its democratization process are the formation of a citizenship in conformity with the universal norms recognized today, along with its administrative mechanisms. The bureaucracy of law and, hence, the judiciary are in a central position as the indispensible guarantees of such a transformation. We hope that this study will make serious contributions to discussions on the reforms that will be made in such an important area...
Topic:
Democratization, Law, European Union, Media, Justice, Judiciary, and Society
Political Geography:
Europe, Turkey, and Middle East

647. Communicating Democracy – Democratizing Communication: Media in Turkey: Legislation, Policies, Actors

Author:
Dilek Kurban and Esra Elmas
Publication Date:
06-2011
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
Abstract:
The report offers a comprehensive critical analysis of Turkish media in view of the social, political and ethical task of democratization.
Topic:
Democratization, Communications, Media, and Ethics
Political Geography:
Turkey, Middle East, and Mediterranean

648. Democratization via Elections in an African "Narco-state"? The Case of Guinea-Bissau

Author:
Dirk Kohnert
Publication Date:
02-2010
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
German Institute of Global and Area Studies
Abstract:
Recent development cooperation with Guinea-Bissau, focusing on good governance, state-building and conflict prevention, did not contribute to democratization nor to the stabilization of volatile political, military and economic structures. The portrayal of Guinea-Bissau as a failed “narco-state”, as we ll as Western aid meant to stabilize this state, are both based on dubious concepts. Certainly, the impact of drug trafficking could endanger democratization and state-building if continued unchecked. However, the most pressing need is not state-building facilitated by external aid that is poorly rooted in the social and political fabric of the country. Rather, it is grassroots nation-building that is a pre-condition for the creation of viable state institutions.
Topic:
Democratization and Narcotics Trafficking
Political Geography:
Africa and Guinea-Bissau

649. The Economist Intelligence Unit's Index of Democracy 2008

Publication Date:
02-2010
Content Type:
Working Paper
Abstract:
The results of the Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy Index 2008 confirm that, following a decades-long global trend in democratisation, the spread of democracy has come to a halt. Comparing the results for 2008 with those from the first edition of the index, which covered 2006, shows that the dominant pattern in the past two years has been stagnation. Although there is no recent trend of outright regression, there are few instances of significant improvement. However, the global financial crisis, resulting in a sharp and possibly protracted recession, could threaten democracy in some parts of the world.
Topic:
Civil Society, Democratization, International Political Economy, and Financial Crisis

650. Setback for Iran's Opposition: Khamenei's Hardline Reinforced

Author:
Mehdi Khalaji
Publication Date:
02-2010
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Abstract:
A few hours after the official demonstration marking the February 11 anniversary of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei stated, "Was the presence of tens of millions of motivated and aware people in the festival of the thirty-first anniversary of revolution enough to awaken [to their mistakes] the internal enemies and deceived individuals who sometimes hypocritically speak of 'the people'?" Khamenei had spent months worrying that the opposition Green Movement would hijack the anniversary. Yesterday, he seemed to regain his self-confidence by proving that he could manage Tehran's streets. In light of this development, how will the Supreme Leader deal with both Iran's political crisis and the nuclear dossier?
Topic:
Democratization, Islam, and Politics
Political Geography:
Iran and Middle East