scholarly journals Research in Religion on the Political Agenda A Swiss National Research Programme on Religion and Its Implications

2011 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph Morgenthaler ◽  
David Plüss ◽  
Carl Sterkens
Keyword(s):  
Research Programme ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
The Political ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Religious Plurality ◽  
Introductory Article ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approaches ◽  
Research Programmes ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
National Research Programme

Abstract This introductory article for this special issue of the Journal of Empirical Theology, sketches the political and societal context in which the Swiss National Research Programme on “Religion, State, and Society” was developed and gives a general overview of this research programme. First, it introduces recent developments in Switzerland’s religious landscape and illustrates their relevance for the development of a broad state-funded research programme on religion. The authors reflect on Switzerland’s understanding of religious neutrality which has been both questioned and reactivated due to increased religious plurality in Switzerland. While interdisciplinary approaches open new possibilities for research on religion, theology seems to be perceived as manifesting an ‘ecclesiastical captivity’. Consequently, theology clearly plays a secondary role in interdisciplinary research programmes. The impending marginalisation of theology, even in the realm of its main research competence, is forcing theological disciplines to position themselves in a new way.

Generating evidence on interventions to reduce inequalities in health: the Dutch case

2002 ◽  
Vol 30 (59_suppl) ◽  
pp. 20-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karien Stronks
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Research Programme ◽  
Socioeconomic Inequalities ◽  
The Political ◽  
Inequalities In Health ◽  
Socioeconomic Groups ◽  
Political Feasibility ◽  
Research Programmes ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Policy Measures

The aim of this paper is to refl ect on the type of evidence that is required to design policy measures and interventions to reduce inequalities in health. This issue will be discussed in the context of the Dutch national research programmes on inequalities in health. The fi rst type of evidence relates to the background of socioeconomic inequalities in health. From a very simple conceptual scheme, four policy options can be derived: (1) reducing inequalities in socioeconomic goods; (2) changing the distribution of specifi c risk factors across socioeconomic groups; (3) diminishing the effect of health on socioeconomic status; (4) offering extra healthcare for people in lower socioeconomic groups. Whereas the evidence on the background of socioeconomic inequalities in health has increased enormously, there is clearly a lack of evidence on the effectiveness of interventions to tackle inequalities in health, which is the second type of evidence that is required. The Dutch fi ve-year programme, including 12 (quasi) experimental studies on specifi c interventions in different policy fi elds, showed that this second type of evidence is more difficult to collect, partly because of the methodological complexity of these studies. The third type of evidence relates to the political feasibility of policy measures. It is not enough to know that a specifi c determinant of socioeconomic inequalities in health might be effectively addressed by a specifi c intervention. The political will to implement that intervention is obviously a necessary prerequisite for actually reducing inequalities in health. Within the Dutch research programme, the political feasibility of policy measures was explored during a number of conferences, for several policy fi elds. The lack of evidence on, in particular, the effectiveness of interventions to reduce inequalities in health is clearly an obstacle to tackling inequalities in health. On the other hand, it should be ensured that the lack of evidence is not used as an excuse for not taking policy measures at all.

22. Environment and Climate

2020 ◽  
pp. 414-430
Author(s):  
Simon Bulmer ◽  
Owen Parker ◽  
Ian Bache ◽  
Stephen George ◽  
Charlotte Burns
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Environmental Policy ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
The Political ◽  
Legal Basis ◽  
Policy Sector ◽  
Single European Act ◽  
Environmental Diplomacy ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
The Eu

This chapter examines the evolution of the European Union’s (EU) environmental policy. The environment is a relatively new policy area of the EU. It was not officially created until 1973 and acquired a sound legal basis in the Treaties only with the passage of the Single European Act (SEA) in 1987. When the EU was established, environmental issues were low on the political agenda. However, they have become increasingly important at both national and European levels, and there is now a comprehensive environmental policy at the EU level and the EU has developed a reputation as an environmental leader in international environmental diplomacy, especially on climate change. The chapter first explains the main drivers for the development of the EU’s environmental policy, before discussing recent developments, and some of the major issues of current concern. It concludes by evaluating the theoretical leverage of the key integration theories for explaining and critiquing this policy sector.

W(h)ither the Human Rights of Indigenous Australians (From Wik to Wickedness?)

1998 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 393-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Indigenous Rights ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
The Political ◽  
Indigenous Australians ◽  
Political Debate ◽  
Cultural Economic ◽  
Native Title ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
The Government

AbstractThe international community is increasingly concerned with indigenous rights. The essence of the claims that international law seeks to accommodate involves the ability of indigenous people to make decisions about social, cultural, economic and environmental matters in their region. This paper looks at some aspects of the human rights of indigenous Australians from that perspective. It contains three interlocking sections. The first section outlines the background to the Australian High Court decision in Wik Peoples v. Queensland in which the majority of the Court said that aboriginal native title to land could co-exist with pastoral lease activity. The second part looks at the furore provoked by this decision, advancing arguments about the media and political treatment of the issue. Here we contend, doubtless rhetorically ourselves, that the Australian government has moved from Wik to Wickedness in dealing with this issue. The third part looks at recent developments and offers some conclusions as to where the legal resolution of native title to land in Australia might have emerged. In our conclusion we also consider the direction of the political and legal debate since the Australian Labor Party led by Paul Keating lost the 1996 election in a landslide, and the increasing narrowness of an economically conservative political agenda. Our overall theme, which stems directly from that, is the paucity of the political debate over Australian indigenous human rights. Rhetoric has abounded and could prompt many questions about the political debate in Australia over this issue, and the obligations of politicians. Law has formed a vital background to this: at time lauded, at times rejected vehemently by the Government.

scholarly journals Let us sow the seed of awareness: ideals vs ideologies

2021 ◽  
pp. 279-285
Author(s):  
Antonella Violano ◽  
Filippo De Rossi
Keyword(s):  
Research Programme ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
The Political ◽  
Historical Period ◽  
Effective Strategy ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Political World ◽  
The World ◽  
National Research Programme ◽  
Ecological Transition

This contingent historical period is characterized by a strong dichotomy: the difficulty of programming and planning the future due to the immanence of the pandemic crisis and the impetus towards innovation in the political world that offers effective instruments to think about production sectors in an eco-oriented key. We will ask Filippo de Rossi, responsible for editing the National Research Programme – NRP 2021-2027 of the Ministry of University and Research about his point of view, his recipe, his secret ingredient so that the world of Research in the construction sector can make a real ecological transition thanks to which an effective strategy for the development of new paradigms, a multi-perspective of Research can be implemented.

Euratom Research and Related Strategy in the Field of Nuclear Systems and Its Support to V/HTR as Part of the Contribution to GIF

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Panagiotis Manolatos ◽  
Georges Van Goethem ◽  
Marc Deffrennes ◽  
Michel Hugon ◽  
Simon Webster
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Nuclear Research ◽  
Research Programme ◽  
Present Situation ◽  
Nuclear Fission ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
The Political ◽  
Energy Technology ◽  
Nuclear Systems ◽  
European Nuclear

Energy is at the top of the political agenda. Energy technology, including nuclear, has a role to play in addressing the associated challenges. The Euratom research programme in the area of nuclear fission is contributing to the development of innovative reactor concepts that are more sustainable, intrinsically safe and proliferation resistant, economic and capable of co-generating both electricity and process heat. The need for such Generation-IV reactors is also stressed in the EU’s recently published Strategic Energy Technology Plan, and the development of these advanced systems is the focus of the Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform established in September 2007, which is at the cornerstone of the EU’s strategy in nuclear R&D and brings together all the key European nuclear research and industrial players in this field. The paper provides a summary of the present situation and prospects in these areas, with an emphasis on V/HTR technology.

scholarly journals Increasing the relevance of science for practice and practice for science: Quantitative empirical insights

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia R Binder ◽  
Livia Fritz ◽  
Ralph Hansmann ◽  
Andreas Balthasaar ◽  
Zilla Roose
Keyword(s):  
Collaborative Research ◽  
Research Programme ◽  
Shared Understanding ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Proposal Writing ◽  
Research Programmes ◽  
Project Phases ◽  
National Research Programme ◽  
Key Driver ◽  
Successful Collaboration

Abstract We present results of a survey conducted with researchers and practitioners involved in a Swiss National Research Programme on steering energy consumption. We analyse what motivates practitioners and researchers to engage in a collaborative research project, their perception of the collaboration intensity in different project phases, and the extent to which the research project provided useful results for practitioners. Our analyses demonstrate that the intensity of collaboration is a key driver of successful collaboration as it fosters trust between researchers and practitioners. Thereby, it increases the usefulness of the research project for practitioners and their perceived contribution to the success of the research project. Research programmes should thus (1) foster trust through incentivising collaboration between research and practice; (2) facilitate the development of a shared understanding of researchers’ and practitioners’ respective roles; and (3) support the inclusion of practitioners in the project development phase through financial support during the proposal-writing phase.

23. Environmental Policy

2014 ◽  
pp. 432-450
Author(s):  
Vasilis Leontitsis
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Policy ◽  
Maastricht Treaty ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
The Political ◽  
Historical Evolution ◽  
Historical Overview ◽  
Legal Basis ◽  
Single European Act ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
The Eu

This chapter examines the historical evolution of the European Union’s environmental policy. The environment is a relatively new policy area of the EU. It was not officially created until 1973 and acquired a sound legal basis in the Treaties only with the passage of the Single European Act (SEA) in 1987. When the European Communities were established, environmental issues were low on the political agenda. However, they increasingly became more prominent at both national and European levels, and there is now a comprehensive environmental policy at the EU level. The chapter first provides a historical overview of the EU’s environmental policy, from the SEA to the Maastricht Treaty and the Treaty of Lisbon, before discussing recent developments and some of the major issues of current concern. It also explores the policy’s evolution by drawing on intergovernmentalism, neofunctionalism, and governance theories.

Kämpfe um Bergbau und die Möglichkeiten demokratischer Transformation

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (189) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristina Dietz
Keyword(s):  
Direct Democracy ◽  
Social Power ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
The Political ◽  
Liberal Democratic ◽  
Political Effects ◽  
Mining Project ◽  
National Governments ◽  
The Relationship

The article explores the political effects of popular consultations as a means of direct democracy in struggles over mining. Building on concepts from participatory and materialist democracy theory, it shows the transformative potentials of processes of direct democracy towards democratization and emancipation under, and beyond, capitalist and liberal democratic conditions. Empirically the analysis is based on a case study on the protests against the La Colosa gold mining project in Colombia. The analysis reveals that although processes of direct democracy in conflicts over mining cannot transform existing class inequalities and social power relations fundamentally, they can nevertheless alter elements thereof. These are for example the relationship between local and national governments, changes of the political agenda of mining and the opening of new spaces for political participation, where previously there were none. It is here where it’s emancipatory potential can be found.

“There is such a situation that Comrade Svoboda is under pressure”. The Soviet leadership and the settlement of relations with Czechoslovakia. May 1969

2019 ◽  
pp. 512-519
Author(s):  
Teymur Dzhalilov ◽  
Nikita Pivovarov
Keyword(s):  
Central Committee ◽  
Secretary General ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
The Political ◽  
Soviet Government ◽  
Soviet Leadership ◽  
Policy Issues ◽  
The World ◽  
The Common

The published document is a part of the working record of The Secretariat of the CPSU Central Committee on May 5, 1969. The employees of The Common Department of the CPSU Central Committee started writing such working records from the end of 1965. In contrast to the protocols, the working notes include speeches of the secretaries of the Central Committee, that allow to deeper analyze the reactions of the top party leadership, to understand their position regarding the political agenda. The peculiarity of the published document is that the Secretariat of the Central Committee did not deal with the most important foreign policy issues. It was the responsibility of the Politburo. However, it was at a meeting of the Secretariat of the Central Committee when Brezhnev raised the question of inviting G. Husák to Moscow. The latter replaced A. Dubček as the first Secretary of the Communist party of Czechoslovakia in April 1969. As follows from the document, Leonid Brezhnev tried to solve this issue at a meeting of the Politburo, but failed. However, even at the Secretariat of the Central Committee the Leonid Brezhnev’s initiative at the invitation of G. Husák was not supported. The published document reveals to us not only new facets in the mechanisms of decision-making in the CPSU Central Committee, the role of the Secretary General in this process, but also reflects the acute discussions within the Soviet government about the future of the world socialist systems.

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