Search results for "democracy"

This time it’s different? Effects of the Eurovision Debate on young citizens’ and its consequence for EU democracy – evidence from a quasi-experiment…

2017

For the very first time in EU history, the 2014 EP elections provided citizens with the opportunity to influence the nomination of the Commission President by casting a vote for the main Europarties’ ‘lead candidates’. By subjecting the position of the Commission President to an open political contest, many experts have formulated the expectation that heightened political competition would strengthen the weak electoral connection between EU citizens and EU legislators, which some consider a root cause for the EU’s lack of public support. In particular, this contest was on display in the so-called ‘Eurovision Debate’, a televised debate between the main contenders for the Commission Presiden…

La Nostra Escola Comarcal: An Educational Cooperative in Defense of Democratic, Active and Valencian Pedagogy (Spain 1973)

2015

This chapter presents the story of La Nostra Escola Comarcal, a school founded in 1973 in the Valencia Region of Spain while the country was still under the Franco dictatorship. At the school’s inception, a group of parents who participated in some of the more innovative educational experiences were seeking to provide their sons and daughters with a more democratic, co-educational experience that was grounded in the local culture and language. Since this kind of education was not possible within the hierarchical structure of public schools, they organized under the cooperative model securing both, the full participation of parents in the school and a democratic organizational model. Educati…

From impact refugees to deterritorialized states: Foresighting extreme legal-policy cases in asteroid impact scenarios

2022

Throughout recorded history, humans have crossed national borders to seek safety in nearby countries. The reasons for displacement have been generated by phenomena of terrestrial origin, but exposure to unexpected extra-terrestrial threats poses a different scenario. An asteroid impact warning implies a change of paradigm which would represent a historic precedent. In this regard, the analogies with natural disasters must be considered, along with multiple possible scenarios, and legal aspects related to (a) the legal framework to regulate this situation; (b) the action and responsibility of the states; and (c) the definition of impact refugee and the reconfiguration of traditional concepts…

Humanities and Social Sciences. Latvia: Vol. 27, N 1 (Spring-Summer 2019)

2019

Unequal Attainments: Ethnic educational inequalities in ten Western countries

2014

Western countries have become increasingly diverse in recent decades and these demographic trends are certain to continue. The resulting ethnic diversity is a major challenge to policy-makers, who need to tackle issues of social justice and social integration. Education plays a pivotal role since it is the major stepping stone for the children of immigrants to successful economic integration and also plays a major role in social and political integration more generally since education gives access to the skills, resources and contacts which enable individuals to participate fully in the life of their society. Our central research questions are: Do the descendants of migrants experience equa…

PORTRAITS OF RUSSIAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS: IDENTIFICATION AND WAYS OF LEADERSHIP

2009

Entrepreneurship has developed in Russia during the past two decades, which is a short time to develop a firm business culture. Women are still a minority among entrepreneurs globally, also in Russia [Verhovskaya, O. and Dorokhina, M. (2008) GEM. Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, Executive Summary, Russia 2007, www.gemconsortium.org, 30.9.2008]. Our study focuses on Russian women entrepreneurship by means of an interview and photographs of 10 women entrepreneurs in the St. Petersburg area. We ask, how do they identify themselves in the current economic situation. Further, we ask if there is a specifically Russian type of women entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial identification. Finally, in …

The Development of Democracy and Local Governance in Latvia

2006

The traditions of autonomous local governments in Latvia between the two world wars were interrupted in the Soviet period. The local council elections held in December 1989 were the first democratic elections in the postwar period. The elections were competitive, with more than one candidate running for each — post, and a majority system was implemented. Local government laws were passed in February 1990 when the Supreme Council of the Latvian SSR government adopted three separate laws on district, city and rural local governments. A short time before the re-establishment of the independent Republic of Latvia — a process in which the local governments played a great role (before Parliament …

Addressing Social Heterogeneity: Comparative Policy and Performance in Latin America

2012

Abstract Social heterogeneity has always been a critical problem in Latin American societies. The paper analyzes how Latin American democratic governments tackle social inequality and what effects these strategies have. Five countries are compared qualitatively-two countries with moderate left governments, following moderate strategies (Chile, Brazil) and two cases with radical left governments, following more radical strategies (Venezuela, Bolivia). In addition, Mexico is included as a control due to its conservative government. Different policy strategies are described and the effects of the policies are analyzed. Do radical efforts yield a better result regarding social equality? The re…

The effectiveness of rural versus urban nonprofit organisations in the Democratic Republic of Congo

2017

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a country with high natural resources, but it has suffered from decades of civil wars and social turmoil, being heavily aid-dependent. In the DRC, several Nonprofit Organisations (NPOs) are major players in fighting poverty and enhancing welfare. This research aims to analyse the effectiveness of small NPOs in improving poor peoples’ lives through health, education, and economic activities. Two NPOs working in the DRC, one in a rural and the other in an urban area, are compared by researching the aid sites and surveying 201 households (aid beneficiaries). Our case observations and the survey results facilitate analysing the mission accomplishment, e…

Participative Planning Processes in the Absence of the (Public) Space of Democracy

2010

Abstract This article aims to investigate the role, limits and opportunities of participation programmes in a local political context where consensus-building and inclusionary practices are not high priorities. A public housing neighbourhood in Palermo is used as a case study in order to critically highlight the ambiguous role that participative practices tend to play in fragile contexts. The case study also highlights the need for some preconditions for effective participatory practices in planning. These preconditions are focused on Arendt's notion of the ‘space of democracy’. Some concepts developed by Hannah Arendt will be used to explain the necessity of these preconditions, and their …