Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Deciphering The Phenomenon Of Elite Corruption In Africa, Segun Oshewolo, Babatunde Durowaiye

Segun Oshewolo

Development challenges transverse the countries of Africa. This explains why the continent has progressed with comparative slowness in the global community. Among these challenges, the phenomenon of elite corruption proves to be one of the most potent. The paper offers a flash of intellectual insight that simultaneously distils the conceptual orientation of the phenomenon of elite corruption and also unravels its various dimensions in the African context. To achieve the latter goal, the paper adopts the theory of rent-seeking. The theory does not only expose the conspiracy to perpetuate poverty by elites, it also reveals the mechanisms for achieving that …

Good Practices In Standard Setting For Domestic Worker Contracts, Piyasiri Wickramasekara

PIYASIRI WICKRAMASEKARA

The presentation discusses international good practices in model or standard employment contracts in protection of migrant domestic workers. International instruments negotiated by ILO and UN constituents are the best sources of good practices. It outlines the provisions in international instruments, particularly the ILO Convention on Domestic Workers, 2011 (No. 189). The author maintains that for maximum effectiveness, the model/standard contracts should be mutually recognized by countries of origin and destination, and duly enforced to ensure compliance by employers, and supplemented by other measures. The author concludes that there is a large unfinished agenda in ensuring decent work for domestic workers.

Discerning For Peace In Africa: The Sudan Civil Wars And Peace Processes 1955-2013, Conrad John Masabo Mr.

Conrad John Masabo Mr.

Separation of the Sudan into the Republic of Sudan (North) and the Republic of Southern Sudan (South) was globally extolled as the long-lasting solution to one of the longest civil wars in post-Colonial Africa. However, recent developments in Sudan: continued clashes between north and south, crises in the contested areas and tribal civil wars have uncovered that: separation without addressing the principal root causes of the conflicts is not the panacea to prone and protracted civil wars. Taking a historical analysis framework, the paper attempts to tackle issues of causes, opportunities and challenges for peace in Sudan.

40 Years In Paradox: Post-Normalisation Sino-Japanese Relations, Yinan He

Yinan He

Post-normalisation Sino-Japanese relations have been fraught with contradictions. In particular, three paradoxes stand out over the past 40 years. First, despite many shared geopolitical and economic interests, China and Japan have never developed genuine strategic cooperation, and since the 2000s have even evinced a trend towards thinly-veiled or open rivalry. Second, time, rather than healing the wounds of past wars, has since the mid-1980s yielded only a more vivid and bitter recollection of history that has bedevilled both official and popular relations. Third, diplomatic and commercial ties as well as “thick” societal contacts developed since normalisation have failed to bridge …

Multicultural Citizenship Education In Indonesia: The Case Of A Chinese Christian School, Chang Yau Hoon

Chang Yau HOON

No abstract provided.

Book Review: The Arab Spring, Democracy And Security: Domestic And International Ramifications, Efraim Inbar (Ed), Zenonas Tziarras

Zenonas Tziarras

To oer analysis on an on going political event is always a challenging task. Yet, the “Arab Spring” has given rise to many questions about the past, the present and the future of the Arab world and the Middle East more generally. The Arab Spring, Democracy and Security:Domesc and International Ramifications addresses some of these questions. The chapters of this edited volume have been written by selected Israeli scholars focusing on “issues such as democratization, the role of economic factors in political change and explanations for variations in regime stability in the Middle East.” The relationship between internal and external …

Turkey-Egypt: Turkish Model, Political Culture And Regional Power Struggle, Zenonas Tziarras

Zenonas Tziarras

This paper argues that although, during the governance of the Muslim Brotherhood, the promotion of the Turkish model through political and economic support was welcomed in Egypt, it is not compatible with the country and cannot be emulated, while there are also different perceptions about the matter on the elite and mass political culture levels. Moreover, based on the political culture(s) of the county, it is very likely that future governments in Egypt would want to assume a greater regional role. Ultimately this means that the Turkish model would have failed as a means of soft power and hegemony, while …

Neoliberalism And University Education In Sub-Saharan Africa, James R. Ochwa-Echel

James R. Ochwa-Echel

This article reviews the history of university development in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and discusses the impact of neoliberal policies. This will be followed by an examination of the problems facing universities in the region. The following questions will be explored: (a) Are the existing universities in SSA serving the development needs of the region? (b) Are these universities up to the task of moving SSA out of the predicaments it faces such as famine, HIV/AIDS, poverty, diseases, debt, and human rights abuses? Finally, the article argues that for universities to play a role in the development of the region, a …

Greizie Rati #1, Maira Bundza

Maira Bundza

This was the first of two newsletters published during the course of the Latvian Heritage Camp 3x3 in the Latvian Center Garezers in Three Rivers, MI. Bundza was the editor and wrote some of the articles.

Achieving Participatory Development Communication Through 3d Model Building In Timor-Leste, Lauren Leigh Hinthorne

Lauren Leigh Hinthorne

Participatory development is now widely accepted in principle. In practice, however, institutional obstacles, resource constraints and perceived capacity weaknesses conspire to undermine genuine community participation in project design, implementation and evaluation. The question is no longer whether communities should participate in development initiatives, but how. In this paper I draw on recent exploratory research in Timor-Leste to discuss the potential of structured 3D model building as a tool for promoting substantive community engagement in development projects.

Legislative Turnover And Institutional Reforms: Evidence From The Bolivian Case, Miguel Centellas

Miguel Centellas

Despite increased attention to Latin American legislatures, we know little about legislative candidate selection—particularly in countries that underwent institutional reforms. This paper analyzes candidate selection in Bolivia’s lower legislative chamber using database of candidate & legislator biographical data. Bolivia is an interesting case because it significantly altered its electoral system (from list-PR to MMP). Using legislative candidate biographical data (winners and losers), the paper observes effects in changes in candidate recruitment across pre- and post-reform periods. In addition to common indicators (age, gender, professional association, etc.), the paper focuses on three key candidate dimensions: “localness” (connection to electoral district), “partisanship” …

Health, Citizenship, And Human Rights Advocacy Initiative: Improving Access To Health Services In Mexico, Almudena Ocejo, International Budget Partnership

International Budget Partnership

When it comes to health care in Mexico, “universal” has never meant equal, particularly when it came to the access to adequate care for the country’s 52 million uninsured. Civil society organization Fundar — a research organization with a background in budgetary analysis — developed a successful advocacy strategy on health policy to change this.

The full version and short summary of this case study are available in English.

LINK: http://internationalbudget.org/publications/health-citizenship-and-human-rights-advocacy-initiative-improving-access-to-health-services-in-mexico/

When Opportunity Beckons: The Impact Of The Public Service Accountability Monitor’S Work On Improving Health Budgets In South Africa, Alta Fölscher, John Kruger, International Budget Partnership

International Budget Partnership

The Eastern Cape Province of South Africa struggles with high poverty, poor public infrastructure, and dysfunctional administrative systems. One result is that the Eastern Cape has the worst health outcomes in the country. This case study illustrates how a South African civil society organization has used its budgetary analysis to advocate for improvements in health service delivery.

The full version and short summary of this case study are available in English.

LINK: http://internationalbudget.org/publications/when-opportunity-beckons-the-impact-of-the-public-service-accountability-monitors-work-on-improving-health-budgets-in-south-africa/

Secularity, Religion And The Possibilities For Religious Citizenship, Lyn Parker, Chang Yau Hoon

Chang Yau HOON

No abstract provided.

La Objeción Democrática A Los Límites Materiales De La Reforma Constitucional, Sergio Verdugo Sverdugor@Udd.Cl

Sergio Verdugo R.

En este ensayo el autor argumenta que las teorías de algunos constitucionalistas chilenos que justifican la imposibilidad de modificar la Constitución de acuerdo a límites materiales derivados especialmente del Derecho (y jurisprudencia) Internacional, es contraria a la libre deliberación que debiera existir en nuestra democracia constitucional.

A Theory Without A Movement, A Hope Without A Name: The Future Of Marxism In A Post-Marxist World, Justin Schwartz

Justin Schwartz

Just as Marx's insights into capitalism have been most strikingly vindicated by the rise of neoliberalism and the near-collapse of the world economy, Marxism as social movement has become bereft of support. Is there any point in people who find Marx's analysis useful in clinging to the term "Marxism" - which Marx himself rejected -- at time when self-identified Marxist organizations and societies have collapsed or renounced the identification, and Marxism own working class constituency rejects the term? I set aside bad reasons to give on "Marxism," such as that the theory is purportedly refuted, that its adoption leads necessarily …

Mainstreaming Migration In Development Agendas: South Asia, Piyasiri Wickramasekara

PIYASIRI WICKRAMASEKARA

The presentation addresses the issue of mainstreaming labour migration into development agendas of South Asian countries. Starting with definitions, it identifies tools which can be used for mainstreaming: national development plans, PRSPs, national labour migration policies, and sectoral policies, among others. It reviews the role of remittances, return migration and diaspora engagement as mechanisms for mainstreaming. It raises some contradictions and ambiguities in the regional and international discourse on the issue. finally it raises the role of migration in the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

The Art Of Getting In The Way: Five Years Of The Bndes Platform, Peter Spink, International Budget Partnership

International Budget Partnership

When a coalition of civil society organizations began to pry into the finances of Brazil’s powerful national development bank, it challenged the status quo and advanced the call for a more transparent, balanced, and democratic economic policy.

The short summary and full version of this case study are available in English. The short summary case study is available in French and Spanish.

LINK: http://internationalbudget.org/publications/the-art-of-getting-in-the-way-five-years-of-the-bndes-platform-2/

Reforming The Judiciary By Election: Assessing The Role Of Candidate Demographics In Bolivia’S 2011 Judicial Elections, Miguel Centellas, Laura Suaznabar

Miguel Centellas

Since 2005 election of Evo Morales, Bolivia has been undergoing an unprecedented process of reforms aimed at increasing citizens’ direct access to political power. Among the reforms is the 2011 direct election of high court justices—a first among contemporary democracies. This paper analyzes the results of that unique election. Unlike partisan elections, candidates (who were pre-selected by the legislature) were not allowed to campaign and media coverage of candidates was highly restricted. Instead, the country’s electoral organ was charged with disseminating information about the candidates as part of its mission to educate voters about the judicial elections. Lower-than-average voter turnout …

Kalamazoo Latvian News - June 2013, Maira Bundza

Maira Bundza

The Kalamazoo Latvian community newsletter comes out in Latvian and English and is now published by the Kalamazoo Latvian Association and Daugavas Vanagi. This issue includes ideas from the American Latvian Association Congress, articles about the Museum of Occupation in Riga, new board members Anita Gaudio and Malda Putelis, spring clean-up, our high school and college graduates, the annual Daugavas Vanagi meeting, their annual reports, the Latvian Foster Family Society they support, Zane Valdmane, the Latvian Foundation projects for 2013 and the upcoming events calendar.

Opting For Innovation: Selecting Highly Skilled Workers As A Competitive Strategy In The Jamaican Economy, Patrick Leon Mason

Patrick L. Mason

This paper empirically examines the relationship between a firm’s financial success and its innovation strategy, that is, how it utilizes or does not utilize professional service workers and researchers. Our empirical analysis uses a survey administered during 2006 to 324 Jamaican business and governmental organizations. We empirically investigate two questions: 1) what factors determine a firm’s innovation strategy; and, 2) which innovation strategies increase the financial success of firms. We find that sets of critical economic factors, alternatively group as market factors, human resource factors, production/service delivery factors, and other factors, are important determinants of the competitive strategy of Jamaican …

Diplomatic Management Of International Human Resources, Gary S. Sander

Gary S Sander

When we look up the term’s history of the management of Human resources we can say that it comes of the Concept of the Personnel Management. Though the concept of the Personnel Management resulted from the scientific discussions of the managerial theories that revealed after the World War II the concept actually based on the ancient period of time. Scientific Management thought, Developing the Welfare Work Action and Industrial Psychology started from 19. Century played a great roll for the Human Resources Management to improve. In compliance with the scientific management approach the productivity had been tried to increase by …

Indigenous Peoples And The Capitalist World System: Researching, Knowing, And Promoting Social Justice, Asafa Jalata

Asafa Jalata

This paper explores the major consequences of the expansion of the European-dominated capitalist world system, colonial terrorism, and continued subjugation for indigenous Americans, Australians, and Afri- cans between the late fifteenth and nineteenth centuries. Western powers as well as most of the descen- dants of European colonialists in Europe, the Americas, Australia, and in Africa and their regional and local collaborators deny or forget or minimize the crimes committed against indigenous peoples and claim that their ancestors spread modernity and civilization around the world.

Foreign Assistance And Fiscal Transparency: The Impact Of The Open Budget Initiative On Donor Policies And Practices, Linnea Mills, International Budget Partnership

International Budget Partnership

This paper presents research that sought to document how, when, and why three donor agencies — the U.S. Department of State, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), and the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID) — have adopted the Open Budget Index in language and practice; assesses the contributions of the Open Budget Initiative and its partners to achieving these apparent advocacy successes; and analyzes other factors that may have influenced the decision of these three donors to use the language and methodology advocated by the Open Budget Initiative. In conclusion, the analysis of the three donor case studies covered in …

The Social Justice Coalition And Access To Basic Sanitation In Informal Settlements In Cape Town, South Africa, Neil Overy, International Budget Partnership

International Budget Partnership

Formed in 2008, the Social Justice Coalition (SJC) is a coalition of civil society organisations in the informal settlement of Khayelitsha in Cape Town, South Africa. In response to reports from residents about the inadequate and unsafe conditions of sanitation facilities in the settlement, the SJC therefore launched the Clean and Safe Sanitation Campaign in 2010. The campaign aimed to ensure that the City Council properly maintained existing toilets and also provided additional clean and safe sanitation facilities in informal settlements. SJC’s campaign had several concrete achievements, such as the City’s introduction of a janitorial service for regular maintenance of …

Western Balkans, Organized Crime And The Euro Crisis: Myths And Realities On The Road To Accession, Sotiris Serbos Dr.

Sotiris Serbos Dr.

By placing Western Balkans in the contemporary European economic context shaped by the ongoing debt crisis, the article discusses current strengths and weaknesses of Western Balkan countries towards EU accession. While the achievement of financial adjustment albeit the continuous presence of economic dualism along with the side effects produced by the global crisis are stressed, the article sheds light on the challenges of organized crime and corruption as a major risk factor and a barrier in the event that Europe abandons the completion of Balkan enlargement. With the Europeans unwilling turning the Balkan question into a hard European one the …

Colonial Terrorism, Global Capitalism And African Underdevelopment: 500 Years Of Crimes Against African Peoples, Asafa Jalata

Asafa Jalata

This article critically explores the essence and characters of European colonial terrorism and its main consequences on various African peoples during racial slavery, colonization, and incorporation into the European-dominated capitalist world system between the late fifteenth and twentieth centuries. It employs multidimensional, comparative methods, and critical approaches to explain the dynamic interplay among social structures, human agency, and terrorism to critically explain the connections among all forms of violence, the emergence of globalization, and African underdevelopment. The piece focuses on four central issues: First, it conceptualizes and theorizes terrorism to clarify its roles in creating and maintaining the global system. …

Rebuilding 2014 Afghanistan (Pakistan Observer), Shams Uz Zaman Mr.

Mr. Shams uz Zaman

Proposes a strategy to rebuild Afghanistan.

Port And Pipeline Politics (Pakistan Observer), Shams Uz Zaman Mr.

Mr. Shams uz Zaman

Explains the correlation between terrorism in Pakistan and developmental projects considered problematic by the US.

Islamophobia Only A Short Chapter In The Muslim-West Story, Muqtedar Khan

Muqtedar Khan

The short essay argues that there many positive elements that should not be marginalized while examining the rise of islamophobia in the West.