Political Theory Commons^™

Considering Clausewitz Across Contexts, Laura Salter

Tenor of Our Times

Carl von Clausewitz’s On War has been heralded as one of the most influential theories of war. It has influenced statesmen as diverse as Dwight Eisenhower, Vladimir Lenin, and Adolf Hitler. After having been incorporated into various schools of thought, taught to soldiers and studied extensively, it begs the question: what explains the continuous relevance of Clausewitz’s theory, despite changing contexts and technology? This paper posits that Clausewitz presented war as an extension of politics composed of a trinity of forces, used methodology that would transcend eras, and wrote about war’s very nature. In doing so, On War gained its …

Evolutionary Paths And Confining Cages: The Genealogy Of American State Constitutions, Nancy Martorano Miller

Political Science Faculty Publications

With this poster, Dr. Miller explained her work to identify how provisions and concepts in state constitutions are related to one another and evolved over time and to understand how the provisions in these documents impact the work of state officials in the policymaking process.

Her goals: 1. Provide a “genealogical” mapping of state constitutional evolution that will allow the testing of path dependency and other theories of institutional development. 2. Create a series of scores that can be used to assess the extent to which a state government’s capacity to act in a specific policy area (e.g., Health, Education, …

Laws, Norms, And The Institutional Analysis And Development Framework, Daniel H. Cole

Articles by Maurer Faculty

Elinor Ostrom’s Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework has been described as ‘one of the most developed and sophisticated attempts to use institutional and stakeholder assessment in order to link theory and practice, analysis and policy’. But not all elements in the framework are sufficiently well developed. This paper focuses on one such element: the ‘rules-in-use’ (a.k.a. ‘rules’ or ‘working rules’). Specifically, it begins a long-overdue conversation about relations between formal legal rules and ‘working rules’ by offering a tentative and very simple typology of relations. Type 1: Some formal legal rules equal or approximate the working rules; Type 2: …

The Making Of A Hero: Cultivating Empathy, Altruism, And Heroic Imagination, Ari Kohen, Matt Langdon, Brian R. Riches

Department of Political Science: Faculty Publications

Heroes are not born; they’re made. This article examines the commonalities in the backgrounds of people who take heroic action on behalf of others to theorize the ways in which our society can encourage citizens to prepare themselves to act heroically. In looking closely at a variety of people who have acted heroically, in a single moment or over time, we argue they have at least four crucial commonalities: They imagined situations where help was needed and considered how they would act; they had an expansive sense of empathy, not simply with those who might be considered “like them” but …

Deconstructing “Deviance” And “Disorder” As Systems Of Domination: Chicago Public Schools As A Case Study Of The Effects Of Zero Tolerance Discipline Policies On Educational Outcomes In Us Schools, Maya Kaul

Pomona Senior Theses

The rise of “zero tolerance” discipline practices in US primary and secondary schools has become increasingly well documented by the media and empirical studies. Despite the extensive scholarship that has emerged from these conversations, many of these analyses are limited in their scope and do not connect the phenomena of zero tolerance in schools to the diverse, shifting forces at play within American politics and policy today. As such, the goal of this work is to synthesize ideas about zero tolerance across disciplines by integrating historical thought, philosophical frameworks of punishment, shifting policy goals within the US education system, the …

Corruption May Worsen In Democratizing Economies: But Don't Let It Erode Our Faith In Democracy, Shaomin Li, Ilan Alon, Jun Wu

Management Faculty Publications

This commentary is based on a recent study we conducted on the relationship between regime type, corruption, and economic development. We build a theory that links corruption and regime type to economic growth and test it on 158 countries, using multiple databases including Polity IV, transparency international, the World Bank, and others. We first distinguish three regime types, autocracy (dictatorship), anocracy (countries in early stage of democratization), and mature democracy. We found that when autocratic countries begin democratize, corruption usually gets worse. As the infant democracies mature, corruption decreases.

The Evolving Security Policy Of Japan And The Adherence To Antimilitarism Culture, Chaula Rininta Anindya

Global: Jurnal Politik Internasional

Japan has reinterpreted Article 9 as the fundamental constitution of their antimilitarist culture and shows its willingness to play a more active role in the International security. This article seeks to examine the changes of Japan’s security and the potential shift of antimilitarist strategic culture, arguing that despite the continuous changes, Japan has not changed its strategic culture due to perpetual debates within the domestic politics that are vital in shaping the security identity. The changing security practices are merely a natural response to the current dynamic of International security environments. Therefore, it remains unlikely for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe …

Contesting Global Civil Society’S Legitimacy Claims: Evaluating International Non-Governmental Organizations (Ingos)’ Representation Of And Accountability To Beneficiaries, Cazadira Fediva Tamzil

Global: Jurnal Politik Internasional

The global civil society is often regarded as a progressive moral force that provides advocacy and protection of marginalized groups in the global political arena. Nevertheless, departing from the belief that civil society has great power and influence over global dynamics, it sees that the legitimacy claims they articulate and articulated by academics are essential to be evaluated, especially with regard to their representation and accountability groups and individual beneficiaries. This paper concludes that the claims of legitimacy of civil society are less justifiable, both normatively and empirically. From the normative point of view, claims for civil society representation are …

Kerja Sama Pembangunan Korea Selatan Di Vietnam Dalam Pengembangan Area Pedesaan Melalui Model Saemaul Undong, Indah Lestari

Global: Jurnal Politik Internasional

In this last decade, a closed cooperation of rural development “Saemaul Undong” between South Korea and Vietnam has been formed. Saemaul Undong is a success model of South Korea’s rural development. Along with it, question related to the possibility of adopting Saemaul Undong by developing countries arises. With this regard, this research attempts to explain the reasons why this cooperation has been formed. By using concept of cooperation, this research tries to observe the existence of goals and benefits in “Saemaul Undong” cooperation between South Korea and Vietnam. Result of this research affirmed that goals and benefits spurred “Saemaul Undong” …

How Threat Assessment Could Become Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: Case Of U.S.-China Relations, Muhamad Arif

Global: Jurnal Politik Internasional

This article tries to explain how misperception can trigger conflict between countries. The article would employ spiral model of conflict proposed by Robert Jervis as a theoretical framework to scrutinize contemporary US and Chinese contemporary competition. As a result, this paper shows how threat assessment could trigger a spiral of conflict through state’s tendency to overestimate threat level and its failure to perceive that defensive behavior can be interpreted as offensive by the belligerent. Based on this analysis, the probability of conflicts can be reduced as each country tries to comprehend motivations that drive other behavior, perceptions and reactions that …

Young African Leaders Forum (Yalf) Developmental Projects, Terea Abila

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

The Young African Leaders Forum is actively engaged in developmental projects that would see a sustainable Africa in the near future. The young leaders have committed themselves to undertaking specific projects in their countries. These projects keenly focus on playing a major role in the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. YALF passionately undertakes these developmental projects because we believe that Africa has the enormous potential to empower her people and ensure her challenges are solved in an amicable manner. The youth leaders have dedicated themselves to serving voluntarily in their communities and this has …

The State Of African Economy And A Way Forward, Florian Cyril Mshanga

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

The current emerging market downturn in economic powerhouses like China, has already negatively affected African economic growth. For resource-rich countries, it is a chance to improve their public investment management (PIM) system, which could help boost growth; although from experience drawn, Sub-Saharan oil resourced countries on average score lower in PIM, reflecting weak administrative capacity and low transparency in the use of public resources, especially at the project appraisal and evaluation stages of the PIM process. Countries that have successfully diversified their economies will suffer less than those that have not and they will enjoy less stress than countries depending …

The Impact Of Oil Price On Ghana's Inflation, Albert Mcbell Ninepence

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

World oil price is a momentous determinant of global economic performance. In most cases, when oil prices skyrockets, it leads to a transfer of income from importing countries to exporting countries through trade shifts. The link between oil and inflation is mostly seen as being correlational. The direct relationship between oil and inflation was evident in the 1970’s nevertheless this relationship started to deteriorate after the 1980’s. Quite a cornucopia of researchers have made relentless inquiry on the macroeconomics impact of world oil price shocks and hikes on economic growth and consumer price inflation on importing countries. Also, an infinitesimal …

Impact Of Conflict On Availability Of Selected Non-Timber Forest Products Around Omo Forest Reserves Of Ogun State, Nigeria, Aluko O.J.

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

This study aimed at assessing the impact of conflict on the level of availability of selected non-timber forest products around Omo forest reserve of Ogun State. Data was collected with the aid of well-structured questionnaire on one hundred and twenty marketing households using multistage sampling technique. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, categorization method and t-test. The data analysis targeted socio-economic characteristics, the level of availability of NTFP before/afer the conflict in the study area. It was revealed that majority (69.2%) were farmers and (75%) had experienced conflict more than 3 times. It was discovered that the selected NTFPs …

When Your Teachers Fail You: The Necessity Of Improving Teachers Training For Quality Education In Cameroon, Monique Kwachou

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

With the underlying hypothesis that the quality of a teachers’ training is directly proportional to the quality of education pupils eventually receive, this essay explores and critiques the basic education teacher training process in Cameroon, using two notable educational theories to assess the possibility of quality education resulting from Cameroonian government-trained basic education teachers. It was found that there is dire need to improve the quality of teachers we train to ensure that they can deliver the quality of education we seek. A brief outline of suggestions is made towards improving the flawed training system.

"Black" Colonialism Is The Leading Cause Of Zimbabwe's Collapse, Sensewell Chingwaramusee

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

Black colonialism is the neo-oppression of black people by other black elite groups within a certain area according to the researcher. In this instance, some war veterans who fought for the liberation of Zimbabwe and other politicians seem to have fought in order to replace the white oppressive regime. Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980 from the Ian Smith colonial rule and for a while, independence meant enjoying self-black majority rule till the elected politicians began to ignore the needs of their masses. This article serves to explicitly express the effects of black colonialism in Zimbabwe and how the wrath of …

The Position Of African Women Within The Realm Of Culture, Patriarchy And The Law: A Case Of Kenya, Liz Guantai

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

The world is on a quest to achieve United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG5), which seeks to promote gender equality and empowerment of women and girls. Women have been oppressed overtime in most societies. Statistics continue to project increasing rates of various acts of gender based violence such as domestic violence, sexual violence, cultural and economic abuse and so on. These acts of abuse are accelerated by several factors pertinent to our social systems such as culture, patriarchy and the Law. Using Kenya as a case study, this paper examines how these three factors contribute to differential gender treatment. …

Religious Response To Sexual Violence: A Black Theology Perspective, Siyabulela Tonono

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

This paper looks at why it is necessary for churches to take part in the response to sexual and gender-based violence within the African context. As a starting point, it is necessary to discuss the nature of influence that religion has on the society. The discussion focuses on understanding religion as a coping mechanism for stress. Attention is then turned to the context of the Christian faith and available theological frameworks that can be a basis for response to sexual violence. The last part of this paper looks at the ability of the Christian church to mobilise communities and harness …

On Being An Entrepreneur: The Nigerian Perspective, Olayinka K. Binuomoyo

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

It is common knowledge that the success of an economy rests on the strength of its entrepreneurs. Present-day challenges make it imperative for countries in the same bracket as Nigeria to deemphasize reliance on oil and government for social crumbs, to embrace innovative activities and deepen small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs). SMEs are important drivers of economic growth but they face significant challenges as obtained in Nigeria where infrastructures such as power, transportation and financing needed to make entrepreneurship work seldom exists. With a high unemployment rate, young Nigerians are required to embrace entrepreneurship. The aim of this paper is …

Radio Micah: A Communication Tool To Serve Agriculture In Africa, Akoueteh Charles, Okey Ogbonin Attivi

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

Radio Micah was launched in Lomé on May 1, 2015 by its founder, Mr. Attivi, Okey to broadcast programmes to listeners online with the goal of transmitting content about Togolese agriculture on the airwaves and thereby increasing the visibility of the work performed by the community, various supervisory authorities, national and international organisations. The company MICAH FARM S.A.S recognized and responded to the need for a suitable communication medium, resulting in the birth of Radio Micah.

Social Innovation And Social Enterprise: Integrating Mental Health Interventions, Jacob Waisawa Buganga, Dembe Annet

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

An estimated 450 million people suffer from a mental or behavioural disorder. According to WHO’s Global Burden of Disease 2001, 3% of the years lived with disability (YLD) are due to neuropsychiatric disorders, a further 2.1% to intentional injuries (WHO, 2013). Only 1% of the medical doctors and 4% of the nurses were specialized in psychiatry. The last revision of the mental health legislation was in 1964. The legislation basically focused on the custodial care of the mentally ill persons and is an antiquated kind of law that has been overtaken by events. One percent (1%) of health care expenditures …

Ethnicity As A Synopsis Of Africa's Under-Development: Way Forward, Pwakim Jacob Choji

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

Ethnicity has been differently defined but for the sake of our focus, it is a situation of internal instability of a person in which he/she manifests his/her inability to have a good relationship internally with himself/herself, others and God, which develops and snowballs into ethnic pandemonium. Invariably, one of the ways of exhibiting this internal uncertainty is in common differences exhibited due to ethnic diversities; and because we so want to move into our safety zone, we begin to see our ethnic group as not just being superior but longing for protection and advancement of territory. It is at this …

Addressing Socio-Economic Challenges To Curb Youth Participation In Terrorism In Africa, Tendaishe Tlou

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

The scourge of terrorism has become an international crisis after the 9/11 attacks in America. Terrorism has deeply encroached its claws in Africa on the premise of socio-economic challenges along the clash of civilizations. In countries such as Nigeria, Somalia, Central African Republic, Kenya and the Maghreb region, terrorism is a threat to peace and security, compounded by spiraling youth unemployment rates, the youth bulge, porous borders, poverty, arms proliferation, weak governments, economic problems among other challenges. It is yet to be seen how Africans will unite to deal with this threat to security on the continent given the above …

African Inter-City Railway Connection System, Ntende Edward K.

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

African countries are limited in unifying themselves due to the boundaries and various requirements which hinder their free and perfect mobility, manifested in visa requirement, multi-currencies, different leadership, insecurity, unemployment, poor resource utilisation and poor production. Leadership, perfect mobility and industrialisation are the major sectors to Africa’s unification and prosperity. There is always the thinking that perhaps the means used by the imperialists to exploit Africa’s minerals and partitioning, that in return led to Europe’s industrialisation, could be the very means to Africa’s unification, industrialisation and becoming a first world continent. The effort to find a possible means of providing …

Democracy And Development In Africa: What Africans Require, Ugochukwu M. Ifoh

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

According to the 2009 African Governance Report (AGR II), by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), many democracies in Africa are suffering from an authoritarian hangover. Many African countries adopted the system of democracy because it enjoys global endorsement as the best form of government and panacea for underdevelopment. But it is a truism that development in Africa remains impeded. This is because many African leaders are ignorant and negligent of the philosophical principles upon which democracy is formed. This paper seeks to discuss, within an African framework, the link between democracy and development. The clamour for democracy …

Administrative Narratives, Human Rights, And Public Ethics: The Detroit Water-Shutoff Case, Richard K. Ghere

Political Science Faculty Publications

This inquiry focuses specifically on administrative (local official) narratives that speak to contentious issue contexts of social conflict. Specifically, it draws upon a theoretical connection between hermeneutics and the sociology of knowledge to interpret narrative passages of local officials and others related to a contentious public action—the Detroit Water and Sewerage District’s stepped-up water-discontinuation efforts (2014 and 2015) that left thousands of inner-city residents with “delinquent” accounts and no access to water service. Selected narratives from this case are interpreted on the basis of their literary and social functions. The interpretations support a subsequent determination of whether and how the …

Women's Role In Enhancing Innovation In Livestock Farming: A Gender Perspective, Amailuk Joseph R., Nasubo Fred E., Njeri Njoroge E.

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

Livestock accrues benefits to women that include food, income and insurance against crop failure. This gives rise to the need for gender-friendly policies that promote and encourage women to own livestock. Women remain in the ranks of poor livestock keepers, although they make up two-thirds of the population of livestock keepers. Factors that influence livestock productivity among women range from rights to land, access to high yield breeds, application of new technologies and practices, access to education and extension services, and rigid cultural systems among others. These factors handled in a gender sensitive manner would go a long way to …

Meaning, Nature And Scope Of Conflict In Nigerian Workplaces, Theophilius Adekunle Tinuoye

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

Conflict is a pervasive reality which resonates and occurs globally in diverse forms. UNDP (2014) noted that conflict and a sense of personal insecurity have pervasive adverse impacts on human development and leave billions of people living in precarious conditions. Conflicts have short and long term impacts which affect both conflicting and non-conflicting parties in different ways. This is most poignant at work, where workplace conflicts can escalate, inflict enormous harm on firms, employers, managers, employees, unions etc and pose a great threat to societal as well as national stability and progress. Hence, it becomes expedient for stakeholders at work …

Education: A Pathway To Africa's Development (The Scrutiny), Walusungu Lululukile Ngulube

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

There have been many theories given on how Africa should develop, regardless, this paper argues on why it is important to focus on education as one of the major tools to move Africa forward. It scrutinizes the current education systems in African countries and how they are not tailored to equip the African child with the mindset and skills required for leadership. Instead of waiting for aid and relief, this paper champions the need for Africans to arise and offer solutions to Africa's problems. The challenge calls for stock-taking of the “state” of the different African countries so that the …

Developmental Nationalism: The Role Of The African Youth, Uzoigwe Chimezie Daniel

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

Nationalism has long been a subject of discussion in the literature of development. It helps facilitate development by creating a strong sense of national identity which allows the citizenry to commit to nation-building. This paper examines the role of the African youth in promoting the continent’s development through developmental nationalism. Africa’s young people are recognized as the continent’s greatest assets and the most suited to play this role. The fact that the continent needs development suggests a compelling need for the potentials of youth to be harnessed to drive any development agenda. In the past, young people played historic roles …