Alistair Clark and Toby S. James argue that many people overlook the exhaustive efforts that poll workers put into elections. A new study on their experiences suggest that the 2015 general election was well-run, but some citizens were turned away from the polling station presumably because they were not registered to vote. Similar PostsGeneral election […]
The specific scenario in which select committees seek evidence from a judge who has chaired an inquiry generates a lot of heat and light. But Patrick O’Brien indicates that the research he conducted with Robert Hazell shows the practice of judges giving evidence to parliamentary committees has been widely accepted as a positive and productive […]
The way in which political parties use state resources indirectly (e.g., parliamentary expenses) receives substantial attention in public debate, particularly when surrounded by perceptions of misuse. Nicole Bolleyer looks at the different ways in which parliamentary resources are used in party-political ways, and argues that attempts to bring about reform will be limited by the […]
By combining a human geography perspective with graphic representation, The Social Atlas of Europe sets out to explore European identity through the social realities experienced by Europeans. Patricia Hogwood finds the authors’ unique approach highlights the unifying features of European social life and the subtle fragmentation of ‘Europe’ that is often masked, or at least obscured, […]
The new Leader of the Labour Party, his Shadow Chancellor, Shadow Home Secretary, and Shadow Foreign Secretary are all men, as is the party’s candidate for Mayor of London. Sarah Childs and Meryl Kenny argue that the mechanisms to ensure greater gender representation are available for any political party which seeks to achieve gender process […]
The UK Government recently caused controversy when it authorised drone strikes in Syria against two of its own nationals – Reyaad Khan and Ruhul Amin. Unmanned drones have played an increasing role in the West’s military activities in the Middle East. Chris Fuller argues that the move brings UK policy into line with US policy […]
Is democracy in crisis? The sentiment has become commonplace, particularly in response to phenomena like the rise of the Islamic State, and ever-growing corporate dominance. Ewa Atanssow argues that our perspective on this question must depend on how we conceive democracy itself. Similar PostsDemocracy requires the critical engagement of practitioners and experts alike if it […]
EU member states agreed on 14 September to strengthen actions against people smugglers in the Mediterranean as part of their response to the ongoing migration crisis. Mollie Gerver writes that instead of scaling up actions against smugglers, a better option may be to decriminalise the practice. She argues that criminal sanctions against people smuggling are counter-productive […]
Autocracies have traditionally been thought more spendthrift than democracies which manage money prudently in order to maintain favour with the public to whom they are accountable. But is this true? According to Christopher Gandrud and Mark Hallerberg, not necessarily, as politicians in democratic polities are more likely to push the costs to the future rather […]
Jeremy Corbyn’s Shadow Cabinet raised a few eyebrows when it was revealed that there would be no women among the most senior positions, despite the subsequent appointment of Angela Eagle as Shadow First Secretary of State. Despite this, the Shadow Cabinet is Britain’s first majority female Cabinet or Shadow Cabinet, but, asks Dee Goddard, who […]
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