How do the Federal Republic of Germany, Fifth Republic France and post-war Italy fulfil the criteria of Lijphart's 'majoritarian' and 'consensus' models of democracies?
Essay - 4 pages - International relations
This essay will attempt to analyse the Federal Republic of Germany, Fifth Republic France and post-war Italy thanks to Lijphart's work Democracy (1984). Lijphart classifies the majoritarian' model (or Westminster model') and the consensual model', in function of specific...
To what extent does multiculturalism in developed liberal democracies adequately address the issue of religious diversity?
Essay - 9 pages - Social sciences
In recent years diversity in developed liberal democracies has deeply increased. Indeed, in European countries, as in America or in Australia many migrants came to work. Whereas the first migration movements happened within Western countries (e.g. many Italians and Poles came to France to work in...
The role of the state in contemporary liberal democracies
Thesis - 8 pages - Sociology
The role of the state within contemporary liberal democracies is an issue that perhaps more than any other has attracted the attentions of the social and political sciences. The concept itself is not accorded universal acceptance and there are a plethora of theoretical and ideological...
Populism: a new challenge for the European democracies?
Dissertation - 19 pages - Political science
While Europe seemed affected by a sudden rise of populist leaders (Berlusconi in Italy, UKIP in Britain, Switzerland with Brocher, France with Le Pen and De Villiers), they were alarmed by this development. Should it be considered as an epiphenomenon of populism? The question is central to the...
Representation and governance in international organizations - Rapkin, Strand and Trevathan (2016) - Can international organizations be representative and democratic?
Text commentary - 7 pages - Political science
Due to all the problems associated with globalization, economic or financial crisis, and climates, the importance of international organizations such as the United Nations, or the IMF, has never been greater. As its name suggests, an international organization is made up of a collection of States...
Political Inaction
Essay - 1 pages - Political science
Democracy allows people to make choices. We can see it for instance nowadays with the choice of being vaccinated against coronavirus. In France, there is the possibility for a group of citizens supported by senators to make a referendum. Hugo Clement, a journalist, decided to use this...
The United States and the World: A New World Order?
Course material - 7 pages - Political science
We remember George Bush's optimism in 1990: he had announced "A New World Order", resting on the promotion of liberal democracy and free enterprise everywhere, resting on the UN (at last again effective due to the end of the Cold War) and on American benevolent hegemony. One could have...
The United States and the World: The Sources and Tools of American Foreign Policy
Course material - 8 pages - Modern history
There is undoubtedly an American exceptionalism: the US considers itself since the 18th century to be different from Europe. It has seen itself from the beginning as a universal model: the American way of life (linking most strongly liberal democracy and free enterprise, two...
India: Kesavananda Bharati vs State of Kerala
Essay - 5 pages - Constitutional law
Perhaps the most recognized constitutional decision within the Supreme Court of India reflects on the case of Kesavananda Bharati against the State of Kerala. While the Supreme Court ruled that there was no implied limitation on Parliament's powers on amendments to the Constitution, the...
The Republic of Germany and the German political system after World War II
Course material - 5 pages - Political science
Our conception of the Federal Republic of Germany is very different from what it was only 15 years ago. Throughout much of its history, Germany was under the leadership of dictators and was never very comfortable with democracy. Germany's first experience with democracy occurred...
Future Opportunities, Threats, Challenges and Goals of the European Union
Essay - 4 pages - European union
The European Union is the largest and most successful political and economic union in the world, making it a key player. Research on the European Union focuses mainly on its construction, its functioning, the challenges and threats it faces. Our research aims to examine the responsibilities and...
The United States and the World: Bush's Second Term and Current Trends in the US Foreign Policy Establishment
Course material - 9 pages - Political life and election
After Bush's re-election in November 2004, there were some doubts about the kind of policy he would now follow, after the occupation of Iraq had revealed itself as a much more difficult undertaking than what the Administration had contemplated. Many felt at the time the President would vastly...
Parties and party systems in contemporary democracies
Essay - 5 pages - Political science
Laver and Schofield wonder what makes length of a government's life through the examples of Italy and Germany, but also of other countries. Firstly, is the number of parties of the political system related to cabinet stability? This is right in Italy, Belgium and Finland. They have a higher...
The United States and the end of the Cold War (1989-1990)
Course material - 4 pages - Modern history
President George H. Bush was elected in November 1988. He had to steer the end of the Cold War, 1989-1990. His team was different from Reagan's, although he had been his vice-president: there were no neo-conservatives; the new Administration was more adept of Kissinger's prudent line....
The Wilsonian tradition and its limits (1914-1945)
Course material - 6 pages - Modern history
President Wilson (1913-1920) renounced isolationism, which was the American tradition since Monroe: in agreement with his progressive agenda, he believed the US had to act abroad. He promoted a new internationalist doctrine. But he failed to convince either the foreign partners of the US, or, at...
The Possible Geopolitical Consequences of Further Enlargements of the EU
Course material - 6 pages - Political science
The big enlargement of the EU in 2004 and the last one in 2007 to Bulgaria and Romania have been greeted with skepticism or even hostile reactions in large sectors of European public opinion. This situation, which probably contributed to the failure of the Constitutional Treaty in France and the...
Haiti briefing note and building mission solution : state of the country and developments of solutions
Case study - 7 pages - Political science
In October 2015, elections were deferred indefinitely due to allegations of fraud. The new elections were further postponed due to Hurricane Matthew and finally took place in November 2016, Jovenel Moïse won 56% of the vote. There was a holding of an electoral tribunal to conduct a verification...
Canada and the United States government
Essay - 2 pages - Political science
Canada and the United States have one primary similarity. They are both established as democracies. Additionally, they are both declared as federal states. However, there are numerous differences between the two. The primary difference is in the way the two conduct their government. Canada and...
Global overview of the death penalty around the world and reasons to abolish it
Dissertation - 13 pages - Criminal law
As far back as the Old Testament, the death penalty has been established to punish offenses. Nowadays the death penalty, also called capital punishement, defines the execution of an offender who has committed an infringment.This sanction is applied by a recognized instituion after a trial....
Towards a "Europe-puissance" or towards a free trade zone?
Course material - 8 pages - International relations
The development of the European Union, along the line of constant progress towards more integration, which more or less prevailed since 1950, appeared to stop suddenly in May 2005 with the French "No" to the so-called Constitutional Treaty. That problem has been solved, at least for now, with the...
Political Parties and Elections - Politics of the Middle East and North Africa
Summary - 2 pages - Political science
This text is based on "After the Arab Spring: Do Muslims vote Islamic now?" by Charles Kurzman and Didem Türkoglu, "Elections in the Arab world: Why do citizens turn out?" by Carolina de Miguel, Amaney A. Jamel and Mark Tessler, "The Middle East" by Ellen Lust and "Bricks and Mortar Clientelism:...
Infringements of fundamental rights and freedoms
Essay - 2 pages - Sociology
Fundamental freedoms organize the collective consciousness, by strengthening the protection of individuals against threats related to the functioning of our contemporary societies and give the holders of these prerogatives a power of self-determination in their action and thought.
The role of mobs in colonial society and The American revolution
Essay - 2 pages - Modern history
When thinking of the American Revolution, most people today think of George Washington's solidarity with the troops at Valley Forge, Thomas Paine's call for liberty and independence and Paul Revere's ride to warn the townspeople of Boston of the incoming British invasion. While these...
The role of the European Union in the democratisation of Central and Eastern Europe
Essay - 8 pages - International relations
In the concept of « consolidation of democracy », two aspects can lead to misunderstanding. Firstly, one can interrogate on the direction towards which such a consolidation is supposed to tend, as the word « consolidation » implies that democracy already exists, as something is...
Transition Macedonia
Essay - 20 pages - Modern history
Throughout the centuries, the South-eastern corner of Europe has been the scene of many invasions and transcending civilizations. This left the trace of different cultures, religions and empires. One of the most evident cleavages in the region is religious cleavage between the Catholic Church,...
Building democratic institutions: East and West Lecturer: A. Dimitrova
Essay - 6 pages - Political science
The accession in May 2004 of eight countries from Eastern Europe to the European Union and the future membership of Romania and Bulgaria in 2007 tends to show the importance, for these post-communist states, to find a new order and to gain more stability and security. Indeed, the end of the Cold...
Political representation in American thought
Thesis - 8 pages - Political science
Modern democracies are definitely linked to the concept of representation. We do not have any democracy which operates without resorting to representative governance. This principle is solely the fact of our modern times, it seems to have been necessary every time human being tried to...
The European Union and the democratic deficit
Essay - 13 pages - European union
The Convention of the the European Council of Laeken in 2001, was put in charge of drafting a new treaty for Europe. The main objective of this draft Treaty was to clearly define: how to bring citizens closer to the European aim, and to European Institutions, by organizing politics in the...
The European Union will never be fully democratic: discuss
Essay - 8 pages - European union
On 13th October 2005 was launched the Commission's Plan D for Democracy, Dialogue and Debate, which intends to lay the foundations for the profound debate about Europe's future in order to mak[e] the European Union more democratic . This strategy is a...
Judicial activism in Canada
Essay - 5 pages - Political science
In 1982, Canada has known a very significant shift with the adoption of the Charter of Right of Freedom. Before this date, Canada only had a Bill of Rights (1960's) which was a statute and did not allow the courts to restrict the action of the Parliament. But the 1982 Charter of Rights and...