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Wiersma, J.K.C. 2023

Democratie, deugden, docentschap: de docent als gids in de democratie

Doctoral Thesis

open access

In dit proefschrift legt Wiersma uit hoe Plato's idee van de democratische mens nog steeds herkenbaar is als probleem voor onze eigen tijd. Hij schetst aan de hand van klassieke en christelijke... Show moreIn dit proefschrift legt Wiersma uit hoe Plato's idee van de democratische mens nog steeds herkenbaar is als probleem voor onze eigen tijd. Hij schetst aan de hand van klassieke en christelijke denkers een alternatief: de aristocratische mens. Voorts laat hij zien hoe de onderwijsfilosofie van de traditionele artes liberales een belangrijke rol kunnen spelen in de transitie van democratisch mens naar aristocratisch mens. Hierin is niet alleen het curriculum van groot belang maar vooral ook de rol van de docent. Show less

Claret, F. 2023

On the nature of the right to resist: a rights-based theory of the ius resistendi in liberal democracies

Doctoral Thesis

open access

Contesting the nature of right to resist continues to be of concern to those in power, for it poses the fundamental question about their legitimacy. From to Antigone to the Occupy Wall Street... Show moreContesting the nature of right to resist continues to be of concern to those in power, for it poses the fundamental question about their legitimacy. From to Antigone to the Occupy Wall Street movement, individuals and communities have expressed their grievances and resisted oppression through a myriad of strategies. And although those taking the streets use the language of rights and appeal to a higher law to vindicate their claims, resistance has usually been considered a political, or rather, a security affair. The thesis vindicates the place of the ius resistendi in the normative order and uses legal probe to evince that there are no reasons why it could not be considered a legal right, except for political opportunity. The thesis challenges some basic postulates of liberal legal theories and develops a broader conception of rights, one in which reserved rights are part of a democratic normative system that performs in a manner consistent with its fundamental values. A primary, indeterminate right, the ius resistendi, I contend, embodies the Arendtian right to have rights. Show less

Holst, C.; Christensen, J. 2023

The epistemic quality of expert bodies: from normative-theoretical concept to empirical measurement

Article / Letter to editor

open access

The ubiquity of experts in contemporary policy-making has been met with enthusiasm in some quarters, but has also faced severe criticism. Beyond the democratic concerns regarding expert power,... Show moreThe ubiquity of experts in contemporary policy-making has been met with enthusiasm in some quarters, but has also faced severe criticism. Beyond the democratic concerns regarding expert power, critics have raised worries about whether experts actually contribute to increasing the epistemic quality of policies, in line with normative expectations. Yet, so far, limited attention has been paid to the specific conditions under which experts involved in policy-making are likely to live up to such expectations. The article outlines a set of such conditions and empirically examines their fulfillment in the case of a real-world expert body. The article contributes theoretically to normative political theory about the proper role of expertise in policy-making; methodologically by linking normative theorizing and empirical analysis; and empirically through a longitudinal analysis based on large-n data of the extent to which the expert body under scrutiny satisfies a set of quantifiable empirical indicators of the proposed conditions. Show less

Connor, J.E. 2023

Hearing the quiet voices: listening as democratic action in a Norwegian neighborhood

Article / Letter to editor

open access

This article explores how modes of listening and ideologies of democratic action are intertwined, through the example of a multicultural neighborhood in Oslo, Norway. While much work on language... Show moreThis article explores how modes of listening and ideologies of democratic action are intertwined, through the example of a multicultural neighborhood in Oslo, Norway. While much work on language and democracy focuses on speakers, this article instead interrogates how a government listens to citizens, and how different conceptualizations of what listening is index different understandings of democratic action. While the Oslo municipality sees listening as a form of legitimation for governmental policymaking, local residents try to create a more open form of listening, which they see to be a better way of addressing the needs of a more diverse citizenry. Based on ethnographic fieldwork with municipal employees, neighborhood organizations, and residents, the analysis focuses on the participation frameworks and interactional genres that my interlocutors take to be instances of democratic listening, and how listening practices are intertwined with imaginations of a more inclusive future. Show less

Toshkov, D.D.; Mazepus, H. 2022

Does the election winner–loser gap extend to subjective health and well-being?

Article / Letter to editor

open access

Political scientists have studied extensively the gap between winners and losers of democratic elections with regard to satisfaction with democracy. We ask whether the winner–loser gap extends... Show morePolitical scientists have studied extensively the gap between winners and losers of democratic elections with regard to satisfaction with democracy. We ask whether the winner–loser gap extends beyond the political domain to subjective health and well-being as well. Building on insights from biology and coalitional psychology, we hypothesize that winning and losing elections could affect one’s outlook on life, happiness, and subjective health. We comprehensively test these theoretical propositions with cross-sectional data from the 2012 and 2018 waves of the European Social Survey. We document significant gaps between winners and losers with respect to measures of subjective personal well-being. To further probe the causal nature of these winner–loser effects, we trace changes in well-being following election wins and losses using a panel dataset from the Netherlands, where we find weaker supportive evidence. Overall, our results suggest that winning and losing democratic elections can have much wider-reaching consequences than previously recognized. Show less

Lapuente, V.; Suzuki, K. 2022

Quality of government in the Asia Pacific region

Article / Letter to editor

open access

Blommestijn, R. 2022

Het spook van Weimar: een democratie in crisis

Doctoral Thesis

open access

The Weimar Republic, founded in November 1918, was the first real democracy on German territory. It didn’t last long. On the 23th of March 1933, Hitler took power and abolished democracy to start... Show moreThe Weimar Republic, founded in November 1918, was the first real democracy on German territory. It didn’t last long. On the 23th of March 1933, Hitler took power and abolished democracy to start building his totalitarian Third Reich. Since then, the Weimar Republic became famous – or rather infamous – for being a ‘failed democracy’. In this research, the downfall of Weimar’s democracy is of central interest. After broadly stating the historical reality of the first Germany democracy, this thesis focusses on the juridical and philosophical concepts underlying the Weimar democracy to answer the question to what extent they offered real possibilities to defend the democratic state. It answers this question for the dominant philosophical school in Germany when the Weimar Constitution was drafted: legal positivism, for the Weimar Constitution itself as well as for Hans Kelsen, Carl Schmitt, Hermann Heller and Rudolf Smend. Show less

Mazepus, H.; Toshkov, D.D. 2022

Standing up for democracy? Explaining citizens’ support for democratic checks and balances

Article / Letter to editor

open access

Winners and losers of elections have different stakes in protecting democratic institutions. We provide new evidence for the effects of partisanship and economic performance on support for checks... Show moreWinners and losers of elections have different stakes in protecting democratic institutions. We provide new evidence for the effects of partisanship and economic performance on support for checks and balances and acceptance of their infringement. Using survey data from 26 European countries, we show that voters who feel close to a political party that lost the elections support checks and balances significantly more than other citizens. We also find that higher satisfaction with the economy is associated with lower support for checks and balances. Our experiment in Ukraine shows that supporters and opponents of the governing party have divergent evaluations of a reform potentially infringing on the independence of the judiciary. Those in opposition find such reforms less acceptable and justified. Again, we find that improved economic performance leads to higher acceptance of judicial reform. Our results confirm that citizens’ support for checks and balances is contingent and volatile. Show less

Grol, Peter; Weggemans, D.J. 2022

Antidemocratische bewegingen in de Nederlandse democratie: een blik op Hizb ut-Tahrir

Article / Letter to editor

open access

In de maatschappelijke discussie over antidemocratische bewegingen lijkt stelselmatig voorbij te worden gegaan aan de vraag die als eerste beantwoord zou moeten worden, namelijk: Wat is democratie (en hoe deze te beschermen)? Antwoorden op deze vra(a)g(en) kunnen gevonden worden in het debat over weerbare democratie. Dit artikel heeft daarom hoofdzakelijk tot doel om het debat over weerbare democratie en het debat over antidemocratische bewegingen dichter bij elkaar te brengen.Een van de bewegingen die centraal staat in het debat over antidemocratische bewegingen is Hizb ut-Tahrir. In het artikel ‘Eigen koers richting kalifaat, een beeld van Hizb ut-Tahrir in Nederland’, dat eerder in dit tijdschrift is gepubliceerd, hebben we een beeld geschetst van Hizb ut-Tahrir in Nederland. Deze in de jaren vijftig van de vorige eeuw opgerichte beweging is wereldwijd actief, manifesteert zich als politieke partij en streeft naar de heroprichting van een ‘islamitisch kalifaat’. Hoewel de beweging fel gekant is tegen de heersende politieke elite en overheden wereldwijd, en democratie in zijn algemeenheid, wijst ze het gebruik van geweld om politieke verandering te verwezenlijken af. Inmiddels is Hizb ut-Tahrir ook al enkele decennia actief in Nederland, waar de beweging, in tegenstelling tot in veel andere landen wereldwijd, waaronder Duitsland, niet verboden is. Echter, ook in Nederland pleitten politici de afgelopen jaren geregeld voor een stevige aanpak van of zelfs een verbod op de beweging.In dit artikel zullen we allereerst illustreren hoe het debat over Hizb ut-Tahrir zich de afgelopen decennia ontwikkelde, en laten we zien dat er parallellen te trekken zijn met de wijze waarop het debat over het salafisme wordt gevoerd. We zullen daarbij ook kort de relevante maatschappelijke context schetsen en enkele nuanceringen plaatsen met betrekking tot de (vermeende) gewelddadige aard van deze bewegingen. Vervolgens zullen we laten zien dat de moderne weerbare democratietheorie mogelijk een waardevolle rol kan spelen in de verdere ontwikkeling van dit debat.

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Shaev, B.; Hackett, S. 2021

Cities, migration and the historiography of post-war Europe

Article / Letter to editor

open access

The role of municipalities in migrant integration in post-war European history has largely slipped below the radar in previous migration research. Our special issue presents case studies on how... Show moreThe role of municipalities in migrant integration in post-war European history has largely slipped below the radar in previous migration research. Our special issue presents case studies on how Bristol, Dortmund, Malmö, Mannheim, Stuttgart and Utrecht managed migrant influxes from the mid-1940s to 1960s. Following interdisciplinary advances in local migration studies, our urban histories take a diversity of approaches, present diverse temporalities, and uncover municipal responses that range from generosity to indifference and to outright hostility. In all six cities, despite such diversity in local attitudes and municipal policies, municipal authorities had significant impacts on migrants’ lives. The introductory article explores how our urban perspectives contribute to scholarship on reconstruction and the post-war boom; welfare; democracy and citizenship; and European integration. Using local migration as a lens into postwar European history, we argue, provides important new insights for the historiography of postwar Europe. Show less

Tomini, L.; Gürkan, S. 2020

Contesting the EU, contesting democracy and rule of law in Europe: conceptual suggestions for future research

Part of book or chapter of book

open access

In ECE countries, democratisation and Europeanisation seemed to exist in a mutually reinforcing relationship and both concepts provided the main analytical lenses for studying these states. In the... Show moreIn ECE countries, democratisation and Europeanisation seemed to exist in a mutually reinforcing relationship and both concepts provided the main analytical lenses for studying these states. In the light of recent illiberal and anti-EU politics, two different concepts have started to receive increasing scholarly attention, namely the concepts of de-Europeanisation and autocratisation. Their exact meaning, however, remains unclear and the causal link between these specific processes and the rule of law has largely remained understudied. Against this backdrop, this chapter first summarises the state-of-the-art research on autocratisation and de-Europeanisation, and then examines the interaction and causal link between these two phenomena in times of declining democracies in Europe and rule of law problems. Show less

Scholte, J.A. 2020

After liberal global democracy: new methodology for new praxis

Article / Letter to editor

open access

Liberalism is in trouble as a normative basis of world order, partly for its failure to deliver adequate democracy to contemporary globalisation. This article explores how new ideas and practices... Show moreLiberalism is in trouble as a normative basis of world order, partly for its failure to deliver adequate democracy to contemporary globalisation. This article explores how new ideas and practices of democracy might underpin a future post-liberal world order. The discussion especially addresses methodological issues, on the premise that the way that global democracy is studied deeply affects the ways that it can be understood and enacted. To open space for more innovative thinking about people’s power in a global world, the article develops an approach which—in contrast to established liberal theorising—emphasises principles of diversity, reflexivity, and praxis. Drawing on experiences of implementing these principles in a six-year ‘Building Global Democracy’ programme, the article argues that such a methodology can generate different, imaginative and transformative notions. In particular, post-liberal reinventions of democracy could redefine the demos, incorporate non-modern institutions, deepen justice, and confront structural power hierarchies. To be sure, as the final section reflects, the formulation and implementation of post-liberal constructions of global democracy face considerable challenges. Yet, with no less than the future of a good society at stake, it is vital further to pursue such experiments in globality beyond liberalism. Show less

Tessema, Y.N. 2020

Political discourses and the securitization of democracy in post-1991 Ethiopia

Doctoral Thesis

open access

This thesis attempts to interrogate post-1991-2015 political development in Ethiopia, focusing on the political discourses espoused by the government and opposition, using the discourse analysis... Show moreThis thesis attempts to interrogate post-1991-2015 political development in Ethiopia, focusing on the political discourses espoused by the government and opposition, using the discourse analysis method and securitization theory. Discursive narratives and counter- discourse narratives are used by the political elite as instruments for political mobilization to bolster their ideological claims, while negating those of their opponents.The study draws two important linkages between the political discourses of the major political forces and the speech act” in securitization theory, where the EPRDF Government used extraordinary measures to quell opponents criticism of its doctrine,which is based on revolutionary democracy, ethnic federalism and the developmental state as sub- versive and existential terrorist acts intended to undermine its system rule. Concomitantly, opposition political discourses portray the EPRDF Government as a threat to the emergence of competitive open democratic politics, which would eventually lead to un- dermining the existence of Ethiopia as a unitary state.The thesis argues that government and opposition political discourses and the securitization of democracy have resulted in the emergence of the politics of the extraordinary”, which closed the political space for the growth and development of normal politics. The cumulative effect of the politics of the extraordinary is that it stifles any opportunity for authentic democratization to emerge. In Ethiopia, it privileged the securitization of democracy and legitimized the use of violence as an extension of a centralist revolutionary democratic discourse.Accordingly, this thesis explains the failure of post-1991 political development by unveiling the role of discursive narratives in shaping an entrenched nexus between politics and security. The thesis also examines the ruling partys political discourses and its institutionalizations, and investigates the discourses of the opposition – the Pan-Ethiopianists and ethno-nationalists – and the interplay of these discourses. Show less

Banda, Tinenenji; Kaaba, O'Brien; Hinfelaar, Marja; Ndulo, Muna 2020

Democracy and electoral politics in Zambia

Book (monograph)

open access

Democracy and Electoral Politics in Zambia aims to comprehend the current dynamics of Zambia's democracy and to understand what was specific about the 2015/2016 election experience. While elections... Show moreDemocracy and Electoral Politics in Zambia aims to comprehend the current dynamics of Zambia's democracy and to understand what was specific about the 2015/2016 election experience. While elections have been central to understanding Zambian politics over the last decade, the coverage they have received in the academic literature has been sparse. This book aims to fill that gap and give a more holistic account of contemporary Zambian electoral dynamics, by providing innovative analysis of political parties, mobilization methods, the constitutional framework, the motivations behind voters' choices and the adjudication of electoral disputes by the judiciary. This book draws on insights and interviews, public opinion data and innovative surveys that aim to tell a rich and nuanced story about Zambia's recent electoral history from a variety of disciplinary approaches. Contributors include: Tinenenji Banda, Nicole Beardsworth, John Bwalya, Privilege Haang'andu, Erin Hern, Marja Hinfelaar, Dae Un Hong, O'Brien Kaaba, Robby Kapesa, Chanda Mfula, Jotham Momba, Biggie Joe Ndambwa, Muna Ndulo, Jeremy Seekings, Hangala Siachiwena, Sishuwa Sishuwa, Owen Sichone, Aaron Siwale, Michael Wahman. Show less

Heine, J.A.H. 2019

Consensuspolitiek in Nederland: Een studie naar de politieke besluitvormingscultuur in de tweede helft van de twintigste eeuw

Doctoral Thesis

open access

This thesis focuses on the political decision-making culture of the Netherlands in the second half of the twentieth century. The dominant view of this culture has been one of compromise cooperation... Show moreThis thesis focuses on the political decision-making culture of the Netherlands in the second half of the twentieth century. The dominant view of this culture has been one of compromise cooperation and consensus. This view is strongly influenced by Lijphart’s 1968 book Politics of Accommodation. Since then, the extent to which this culture of consensus politics may have changed at the elite level is being debated. This study contributes to this debate by studying the parliamentary debates about some of the major socio-economic (social security) and ethico-religious issues (cremation, abortion and euthanasia). These debates have been characterized by studying the informal rules of the political game. Two sets of rules, corresponding to the dichotomy between consensus and majoritarian democracy, were used. An important observation is that the studied issues are difficult to position within the dichotomy of consensus and majoritarian politics. Only a few cases can be included, while most cases do not fall into either category or have characteristics of both. This leads to the main conclusion that the political elites primarily act on the basis of their own political interests, and less with regard to higher normative notions that underlie the concept of consensus politics. Show less

Köhler, K.; Albrecht, H. 2019

Revolutions and the military: endgame coups, instability, and prospects for democracy

Article / Letter to editor

open access

This article presents a systematic analysis of military coups following popular mass uprisings in nondemocratic regimes, conceptualized as endgame coups. Drawing on our original, medium-n data set... Show moreThis article presents a systematic analysis of military coups following popular mass uprisings in nondemocratic regimes, conceptualized as endgame coups. Drawing on our original, medium-n data set of revolutionary situations, we find that such endgame coups form a distinct type of military intervention in politics. Compared to regular coups, episodes of popular mass contestation prompt conservative interventions in politics of the military’s leadership aimed at preserving the regime’s authoritarian infrastructure. A systematic test of factors characterizing postcoup political trajectories is based on Cox proportional hazard models and provides empirical evidence in contrast to the widely held notion of “democratic coups.” Our findings reveal that endgame coups are conservative rollback coups, executed by military leaderships, that result in continued political instability and illiberal politics. Show less

Augusteijn, J.; Hijzen, C.; Vries, M.L. de 2019

Introduction: democracy, the nation state, and their adversaries

Part of book or chapter of book

open access

Augusteijn, J.; Hijzen, C.; Vries, M.L. de 2019

Concluding remarks

Part of book or chapter of book

open access

Wijayanto, W. 2019

Between fear and power : Kompas, Indonesia's most influential daily newspaper, 1965-2010

Doctoral Thesis

open access

In order to shed light on what happens to the media when a political regime changes from an authoritarian one to a democracy, this book has investigated the biography, and the journalistic... Show moreIn order to shed light on what happens to the media when a political regime changes from an authoritarian one to a democracy, this book has investigated the biography, and the journalistic values and practices of Kompas daily newspaper: the largest and oldest national newspaper in Indonesia, with special emphasis on the newspaper’s relationship with the power holders across different political administrations. This book argues that Kompas has developed a polite, indirect and cautious style of journalism that has changed very little after the fall of Indonesia’s authoritarian regime, limiting the newspaper’s capacity to function as a critical watchdog of the power holders, and preventing it from becoming a mobilizing force in the development of Indonesian democracy. This particular style of journalism developed during the authoritarian period as a result of two different, intertwining factors which shaped the habitus of Kompas; these were both cultural and political economy factors. After the regime change, this journalistic style was preserved, because to a considerable degree the same cultural, political and economic forces continued to operate within and upon the newspaper. Show less

Jong, J. de 2018

Democratie in kinderschoenen : twee referenda: Nederlanders stemmen over hun eerste grondwet, 1797-1798

Doctoral Thesis

open access

In 1797 and 1798 the first steps were taken in the Netherlands towards the development of a democratic system. In 1796-1797 a written Constitution was drafted for the Batavian Republic, as the... Show moreIn 1797 and 1798 the first steps were taken in the Netherlands towards the development of a democratic system. In 1796-1797 a written Constitution was drafted for the Batavian Republic, as the Netherlands was called at the time. This Constitution was in 1797 submitted in a national referendum for a vote of the people, but it was rejected. A new draft was written and again submitted the following year. This time the Constitution was adopted. Very little is known about these referenda. Extensive archival research has been necessary in order to understand how these steps in democracy were taken. It has been possible to produce a dataset of results for 948 cities, villages and rural districts. Based on the voting results, the public support for a democratic constitution has been analyzed after a description of the voting system. The voting results are examined along two cleavages structures. First, major distinctions existed between cities and rural districts and secondly between Catholics and Protestants. As a partial explanation the religious preferences are important to understand the turnout by the two referenda. Above all, the results of the two referenda show a deeply divided society of religious minorities. Show less

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