scholarly journals Arbitrary States

Author(s):  
Rebecca Tapscott

In recent years, scholars of authoritarianism have noted a trend in which institutions designed to check arbitrary power have been hollowed out to facilitate its exercise. As they grapple with how to understand the disjunct between state institutions and enforcement power, scholars of sub-Saharan African states have been doing so for decades. Based on in-depth field research on local security in Museveni’s Uganda, Tapscott offers an innovative and provocative contribution to studies of authoritarianism and state consolidation: rulers maintain control by creating unpredictability in the everyday lives of local authorities and ordinary citizens. In this type of modern authoritarian regime, rulers institutionalize arbitrariness to limit the space for political action, while they keep citizens marginally engaged in the democratic process. By showing not just that unpredictability matters for governance, but also how it is manufactured and sustained, this book challenges and extends cutting-edge scholarship on authoritarianism, the state, and governance.

KWALON ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lotje de Vries

The paradox of field research permits The paradox of field research permits This essay provides an account of the way in which permits for field research in South Sudan were obtained. It shows how, despite the fact that the new country did not have a formal procedure for researchers, doing fieldwork at South Sudans borders with DR Congo and Uganda would have been impossible without a few letters of endorsement signed by people within the South Sudanese government. This inherent contradiction is further complicated by a paradox: The security personnel at the border interpreted the letters differently than the staff in the government offices in the capital. The essay argues that the contradiction between practice and procedures and the paradox of variable legitimacies provide key insight in the everyday organization of the state in South Sudan, both in the center and in the periphery.


Author(s):  
Anna Coote

Attempts at improving state-citizen cooperation will fail unless the protagonists ensure that citizens share control over the process with their counterparts in the state on a genuinely equal footing. This chapter focuses on collective control and the pivotal importance of confidence – the perception that it is possible to influence decisions and make things happen, or prevent things happening – for the benefit of the community. Drawing on published findings as well as the New Economics Foundation’s own field research, it considers how systems in state institutions can be geared to build the confidence and capacity of citizens to collaborate constructively with public sector policy makers. The second part of the chapter examines collective control and state-citizen co-operation in relation to ‘the commons’: resources that are essential for human survival and flourishing. It shows how the ‘commoning’ movement will help to test the limits of both citizen and state control, as well as the potential of state-citizen cooperation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Battista Martino

Mozambique’s donor-inspired ongoing programme of ‘traditional authorities’ ‘(re-)integration’ carries considerable emancipatory potential for local communities in their relations with central political institutions and the globalized economy. By analysing ‘traditional authorities’’ specifically elaborated discourse and highlighting their agency within the dynamics emerging from state institutions’ attempts at ‘incorporating’ them in the sense indicated by Zenker and Hoehne, that is, to deny them all political auton-omy, this article aims to clarify ‘traditional’ leaders’ role in defending their own com-munities’ interests and rights vis-à-vis the state, private enterprises, and development actors/donors. Close examination of empirical data collected during field research in Inhambane province provides convincing evidence of traditional authorities’ general inability to develop effective discursive strategies for the representation and defence of their communities’ interests and rights. By choosing to retreat within the domain of spirituality and to cede much of their statutory prerogatives to more dynamic and bet-ter resourced actors, ‘traditional authorities’ end up accepting their ‘incorporation’ into the institutional structure of the state as merely symbolic objects and sources of inter-nal as well as international legitimacy, thus obliterating their role as natural repre-sentatives of their communities.


Legal Ukraine ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 6-17
Author(s):  
Serhii Hordiienko

The paper considers and systematizes the powers of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the President of Ukraine, the National Security Council of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, local authorities and the judiciary in modern conditions and attempts to improve them by systematizing legislation in the political, military, economic and judicial spheres. It is determined that the security of the state in the modern conditions of development of Ukrainian society is ensured not only by the Security Service of Ukraine, as stated in the legislation, but also by other authorities and management on which it directly depends: Verkhovna Rada, President, National Security and Defense Council, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine; Ministry of Energy and Environmental Protection of Ukraine; Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine; Ministry of Finance of Ukraine; Ministry of Justice of Ukraine; State Tax Service of Ukraine; State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience; State Customs Service of Ukraine; State Service of Geology and Subsoil of Ukraine; State Service of Ukraine for Emergencies; State Financial Monitoring Service of Ukraine; State Export Control Service of Ukraine; The State Fiscal Service of Ukraine and almost all other state institutions. However, their activities in this direction have their own specific features that need to be identified and enshrined in law. Key words: powers, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, President of Ukraine, National Security Council of Ukraine, Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, local authorities and judicial bodies, Constitution of Ukraine, Law of Ukraine «On the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine».


New Sound ◽  
2015 ◽  
pp. 117-129
Author(s):  
Selena Rakočević

This paper will look at dance practices of Romanian and Serbian villagers along the Danube Gorge which historically functioned as a natural and political boundary. Opportunities for dancing in all villages in the Gorge are still very common and frequented especially during the summer time. Based on my field research, carried out since 2011, the paper examines the contemporary dance practice of this region. My methodological orientation will be based on the ethnochoreological investigation of diverse repertoires, but also diverse dance structures as "predictable" dance texts designated during previous times as Romanian or Serbian, which are interpolated by the villagers. The notion of geographical place considered in the sense of a distinct "culture area", which, according to Bruno Nettl is grounded in the history of ethnomusicology, but also ethnochoreology, will be challenged by applying Martin Stokes' concept of (geographical) place as a social construction which involves notions of difference and social boundary. The following question will be raised: In what way does contemporary village dancing in the Danube Gorge correspond to the idea of establishing Romanian society as a part of the New Europe? In what way does the current (re)positioning of this historically and geographically distinct territory influence its contemporary dance practice? How is the concept of the ethnic dance (Romanian and Serbian) recognized both by insiders (villagers) and outsiders (the State institutions and scholars) and does this correspond to the new social and political context of contemporary Romanian society?


1995 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 323-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
JAMES R. SCARRITT ◽  
SUSAN McMILLAN

This article examines the sub-Saharan African portion of the global Minorities at Risk project. It analyzes the relationships between group characteristics, grievances, mobilization, state characteristics, and nonviolent protest and rebellion in Africa and compares these relationships with those found in a global analysis using the same data set. Mobilization is more important than group characteristics or grievances in explaining nonviolent protest and rebellion in the 1980s globally, and especially in Africa because political action there is taken mainly in response to the dynamics of mobilization and state response over the last 30 years. The state characteristics that are associated with the two forms of political action in Africa and globally differ; in the former case the strongest relationships are between greater—although partial—democracy in the 1960s and nonviolent protest and between competitiveness of participation in the 1960s and rebellion. An interpretive explanation of these differences is presented.


2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-88
Author(s):  
Mohd Faez Mohd Shah ◽  
Norhidayah Pauzi

In the discipline of Islamic law research, strong proofing and clear Istinbat method are key pillars in the construction of Islamic law based on the application of the science of usul al-fiqh and maqasid al-shari'ah. However, what happens at the state of Johor’s fatwa institution is the opposite. The fatwa research methods applied by the Fatwa Committee of Johor in resolving current fatwa issues is not based on the right and true discipline of Islamic law research. In fact, current inputs related to fatwa issues are not explicitly stated in the method of determining the law either in the form of reality or scientifically verified. Therefore, this paper will discuss the fatwa procedures undertaken by the Fatwa Committee of Johor based on the methods applied in resolving current issues. The research methodology adopted is library and interview methods. This study shows that fatwa management and production in the state of Johor is placed under the jurisdiction of the Mufti of Johor’s Department. The methods adopted by the Fatwa Committee of Johor covers two methods, namely: internal research methods including literature review through the application of original source and proofs based on syarak. Second: field research method that includes an external review or going to the location of study such as conducting observation, questionnaires and interviews including referrals to specialists of different fields. Maslahah and mafsdah consideration are also implemented by the Fatwa Committee in every fatwa decision based on the standard that meets the interests of maqasid al-shari'ah. Keywords: Metode, fatwa, istinbat, usul al-fiqh, maqasid al-shari’ah ABSTRAK Dalam disiplin penyelidikan hukum Islam, kekuatan pendalilan dan kaedah istinbat yang jelas merupakan tunggak utama dalam pembinaan hukum Islam berasaskan kepada aplikasi ilmu usul al-fiqh dan maqasid al-shari’ah. Namun begitu, apa yang berlaku di institusi fatwa negeri Johor adalah sebaliknya. Kaedah penyelidikan fatwa yang diaplikasi oleh Jawatankuasa Fatwa Negeri Johor dalam menyelesaikan isu fatwa semasa tidak berasaskan kepada disiplin penyelidikan hukum Islam yang tepat dan sebenar. Malahan input-input semasa yang berkaitan dengan isu fatwa juga tidak dinyatakan secara jelas dalam kaedah penentuan hukum sama ada dalam bentuk realiti yang berlaku atau pembuktian secara saintifik. Justeru, kertas kerja ini akan membincangkan prosedur fatwa Jawatankuasa Fatwa Negeri Johor berdasarkan metode-metode yang diaplikasi dalam menyelesaikan isu-isu yang bersifat semasa. Metodologi kajian yang digunakan dalam kajian ini adalah melalui metode perpustakaan dan metode lapangan. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa pengurusan dan pengeluaran fatwa di negeri Johor hanya terletak di bawah bidang kuasa Jabatan Mufti Johor. Metode fatwa yang diamalkan oleh Jawatankuasa Fatwa Negeri Johor merangkumi dua metode iaitu pertama, kaedah penyelidikan dalaman yang merangkumi kajian kepustakaan menerusi pengaplikasian dari sumber asas dan dalil-dalil syarak. Kedua, kaedah penyelidikan lapangan yang meliputi kajian luaran atau turun ke lokasi kajian seperti observasi, soal selidik dan temubual dan rujukan kepada pakar dalam bidang yang berlainan. Pertimbangan maslahah dan mafsdah juga dimplementasikan oleh Jawatankuasa Fatwa dalam setiap keputusan fatwanya berasaskan standard yang menepati kepentingan maqasid al-shari’ah. Kata kunci: Metode, fatwa, istinbat, usul al-fiqh, maqasid al-shari’ah


e-Finanse ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 67-75
Author(s):  
Adam Mateusz Suchecki

AbstractFollowing the completion of the process of decentralisation of public administration in Poland in 2003, a number of tasks implemented previously by the state authorities were transferred to the local level. One of the most significant changes to the financing and management methods of the local authorities was the transfer of tasks related to culture and national heritage to the set of tasks implemented by local governments. As a result of the decentralisation process, the local government units in Poland were given significant autonomy in determining the purposes of their budgetary expenditures on culture. At the same time, they were obliged to cover these expenses from their own revenues.This paper focuses on the analysis of expenditures on culture covered by the voivodship budgets, taking into consideration the structure of cultural institutions by their types, between 2003-2015. The location quotient (LQ) was applied to two selected years (2006 and 2015) to illustrate the diversity of expenditures on culture in individual voivodships.


Author(s):  
Mona Ali Duaij ◽  
Ahlam Ahmed Issa

All the Iraqi state institutions and civil society organizations should develop a deliberate systematic policy to eliminate terrorism contracted with all parts of the economic, social, civil and political institutions and important question how to eliminate Daash to a terrorist organization hostile and if he country to eliminate the causes of crime and punish criminals and not to justify any type of crime of any kind, because if we stayed in the curriculum of justifying legitimate crime will deepen our continued terrorism, but give it legitimacy formula must also dry up the sources of terrorism media and private channels and newspapers that have abused the Holy Prophet Muhammad (p) and all kinds of any of their source (a sheei or a Sunni or Christians or Sabians) as well as from the religious aspect is not only the media but a meeting there must be cooperation of both parts of the state facilities and most importantly limiting arms possession only state you can not eliminate terrorism and violence, and we see people carrying arms without the name of the state and remains somewhat carefree is sincerity honesty and patriotism the most important motivation for the elimination of violence and terrorism and cooperation between parts of the Iraqi people and not be driven by a regional or global international schemes want to kill nations and kill our bodies of Sunnis, sheei , Christians, Sabean and Yazidi and others.


Author(s):  
Luis Cláudio de Jesus-Silva ◽  
Antônio Luiz Marques ◽  
André Luiz Nunes Zogahib

This article aims to examine the variable compensation program for performance implanted in the Brazilian Judiciary. For this purpose, a survey was conducted with the servers of the Court of Justice of the State of Roraima - Amazon - Brazil. The strategy consisted of field research with quantitative approach, with descriptive and explanatory research and conducting survey using a structured questionnaire, available through the INTERNET. The population surveyed, 37.79% is the sample. The results indicate the effectiveness of the program as a tool of motivation and performance improvement and also the need for some adjustments and improvements, especially on the perception of equity of the program and the distribution of rewards.


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