Multiculturalism in the UK or the end of a Utopia?
Essay - 4 pages - Political science
Have you ever tried to fill in a job application form in the UK? If so, you may have been surprised, as a foreigner, to be asked the colour of your skin (white British, white West European, white East European, black, etc.). In France such a thing has long been unfeasible, even if today, the...
Critically discuss the legal theory of Austin - published in 2007
Essay - 3 pages - Political science
"The existence of law is one thing, its merit or demerit is another." John Austin (1790-1859) defines the essence of positivism in this one sentence, generally cited as the standard exposition of the imperative theory of law, from his book: The Province of Jurisprudence Determined (1832). A...
Describe and explain the varying significance of the Far Right in the French Fifth Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany and Italy
Essay - 3 pages - Political science
April 21st, 2002, the first round of the French Presidential election, was a clap of thunder in the political landscape. Jean-Marie Le Pen, candidate of “National Front”, the Far Right leading party, won a staggering 16.86 % of the votes, eliminating from the run-off the outgoing...
Democracy in Nigeria at the dawn of the 21st century
Essay - 5 pages - Political science
“« Democracy is good, » says Godwin Eweye, a video-store owner, « but Nigeria is not yet fully democratic. »” A few days only after Nigeria's 2003 parliamentary elections, this local comment illustrates the enduring difficulties that the country faces in its attempt to consolidate its...
Cultural relativism or universalism ? An essay in political ethics
Essay - 9 pages - Political science
This is an essay on cultural relativism in the field of political ethics. Yesterday confined to anthropological studies, the idea infiltrated the domain of international morality after the Second World War. It developed from its original virtues of tolerance and understanding to more defensive...
Nation-state and globalization
Essay - 11 pages - Political science
This essay deals with one of the most controversial questions in today's social science debates: the relationship between the nation-state and globalization. Globalization, is understood quite loosely here as a series of contemporary and unprecedented developments in the economic, social and...
Nation-state and globalization - publié le 20/02/2007
Essay - 11 pages - Political science
This essay deals with one of the most controversial questions in today's social science debates: the relationship between the nation-state and globalisation. Globalisation, understood quite loosely here as a series of contemporary and unprecedented developments in the economic, social and...
Who governs in modern liberal democracies?
Essay - 6 pages - Political science
"Imagination governs the world? said Napoleon Bonaparte three centuries ago. It may however, be difficult in today's world, to affirm who governs the world. Mankind has always been governed by numerous models. Thus, the Greeks invented democracy and were governed by the "demos", the Middle...
Public policies and globalization: classic liberalism, economic nationalism or embedded liberalism?
Essay - 3 pages - Political science
The last World Trade Organization summit illustrated the inability of governments to reach complete free trade agreements. The increasing number of cases of conflict presented to the Dispute Settlement Body of the WTO, shows that there is still a lot to do in the field of cooperation, and a...
Civil - military relations in Israel
Essay - 5 pages - Political science
Israel is a democratic republic and operates under the parliamentary system. Executive power is exercised by the prime minister and the government. It was founded in 1948.The Israeli defence forces, Tsahal, were also created in 1948, with the professionalisation of several paramilitary...
Can any theory fully explain the process of European integration? If not, why not?
Essay - 12 pages - Political science
European integration is a process which began with the birth of the European Coal and Steel Community the 18th of April 1952. This process was at first essentially economical, but the necessary structures needed for an economic integration led also to a political integration. This process has...
"The major parties of the Federal Republic of Germany provide better models of the 'catch-all party' (Kirchheimer) than do those of the French Fifth Republic and post-war Italy." Discuss - publié le 30/01/2007
Essay - 3 pages - Political science
The Post war period was characterized by move towards spreading secular and mass consumer-goods societies. This note is valid in the Federal Republic of Germany, the French Fifth Republic, and post-war Italy. This major turn in societies had to be understood by political parties and translated in...
France under the Fifth Republic
Essay - 7 pages - Political science
The French Fourth Republic collapsed following the rise of the civil war in Algeria. Its lack of stability, which was a consequence of its parliamentary structure and the weaknesses of its parties, did not manage to survive this major crisis, and pointed out the need for a stronger executive...
Extreme right in Belgium - publié le 22/01/2007
Essay - 8 pages - Political science
In September 2006, seventeen people have been arrested in Belgium for allegedly planning attacks aimed at "destabilising" the country's institutions, 10 of these 17 people where soldiers and the federal prosecutor's office said in a statement that they are people with an extreme-right...
New public management, which way?
Essay - 3 pages - Political science
Through a metaphorical use of language, this statement highlights the shift from the traditional model of public administration's model of bureaucracy (an organization typified by formal processes, standardization, and hierarchic procedures and written communication) to the New Public Management,...
What role does the media play in the political process?
Essay - 4 pages - Political science
Since its beginning, about five decades ago, the mass media have been intertwined with political processes of every type, ranging from coverage of major political events and institutions to effects on campaigns and elections. In our liberal democracies, the media are central for the public:...
Why has the development experience of sub-Saharan Africa diverged markedly from that of other developing regions?
Essay - 6 pages - Political science
The recent images of migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa dying on the border of the Spanish territories of Ceuta and Melilla reminded the Northern opinion of the reality of life in the poorest region in the world . Migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa flee such horrible conditions of life, and such a...
Account for the failure of Clinton's health care reforms
Essay - 4 pages - Political science
In the United States in the early 1990s, both public opinion and political actors agreed that healthcare system did not work properly anymore. The American system is based on employment, i.e. those who work can benefit from a healthcare insurance, but unemployed people and half-time workers...
'Prime ministers are already 'presidential', and are becoming more presidential': examples of United Kingdom, Italy and France
Essay - 5 pages - Political science
In most European countries, Prime ministers are the major figure of the political game. They have a wide interface, with the media (both at a national and international level), and with their population, even if they are never called the “head of states”. Many political scientists have...
In spite of its record of failure the EU continues to try to develop a common foreign policy. Why?
Essay - 4 pages - Political science
The European Union is often described as an “economical giant but political pigmy” . The Union is indeed the first commercial power in the world, but its political representation on the global stage is weak. From many points of view, the former attempts to develop a common foreign...
Is there a distinct American political culture?
Essay - 4 pages - Political science
We often assess that some behaviours are “American” and some “European”. Doing this, we mean there is a distinct American culture. Does it match for political culture? Political culture could be defined as a set of behaviours and habits towards the political system of one's...
The terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 have led to a complete change in American foreign policy
Essay - 6 pages - Political science
When George W. Bush arrived in office as President in 2000, he was determined to limit the role of the United States in foreign affairs, although there was in his electorate a hope for a strong foreign policy. The new administration saw in the failure in Yugoslavia, “Clinton's war” ,...
Mill's and Green's accounts of freedom
Essay - 6 pages - Political science
The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant. (J.S. Mill) "It is the responsibility of the state ... to maintain the...
Mill's and Green's accounts of freedom - publié le 02/01/2007
Essay - 6 pages - Political science
“The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant.” (J.S. Mill) “It is the responsibility of the state ... to...
To what extend should contemporary Western governments be able to regulate journalists in times of conflict?
Essay - 4 pages - Political science
The 3rd of May is the day for the freedom of the press. It had been created by the UNESCO to defend the freedom of expression of journalists, but this fundamental right is being flouted everywhere. The freedom of the press is mentioned in every constitution of the western countries, with respect...
Eradication of poverty and sustainable development in developing countries: an oxymoron?
Essay - 7 pages - Political science
The Millennium Development Goals have quantified targets for addressing poverty in its several dimensions (United Nations, 2005). Adopted in 2000, it is stated to be followed by "all the world's governments as a blueprint for building a better world in the 21st century" (Kofi Annan, 2005)....
Eradication of poverty and sustainable development in developing countries: an oxymoron? - publié le 20/12/2006
Essay - 7 pages - Political science
Adopted in 2000 by “all the world's governments as a blueprint for building a better world in the 21st century” (Kofi Annan, 2005), the Millennium Development Goals are quantified targets for addressing poverty in its several dimensions (United Nations, 2005). The first Millennium...
How can the "crisis" of the Welfare States affect the policy of fight against poverty?
Essay - 3 pages - Political science
Since the end of the XVIIIth century, the disastrous consequences due to the Industrial Revolution and to “savage capitalism” on working conditions has been underlined through the rising resentment of the working class. That is why, in order to avoid social implosion and to control...
Can the European parliament ever break out of the cycle of failing public interests and legitimacy?
Essay - 5 pages - Political science
In one of his speeches, Pat Cox, the President of the European Parliament said ‘Turnout across Europe [in 1999] was higher than in the last US Presidential Elections, and I do not hear people questioning the legitimacy of the presidency of the United States.'. Since 1979, indeed, the...
Robert O.Paxton: The anatomy of fascism
Book review - 5 pages - Political science
Many authors have proposed definitions for the question “what is Fascism?”, but most of them failed to give a complete definition. The historian Robert O. Paxton answered this question for the first time by focusing on the concrete: what the Fascists did, rather than what they said. To...
