scholarly journals The Effects of Mixed Membership in a Deliberative Forum: The Irish Constitutional Convention of 2012–2014

2019 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M Farrell ◽  
Jane Suiter ◽  
Clodagh Harris ◽  
Kevin Cunningham

The Constitutional Convention was established by the Irish government in 2012. It was tasked with making recommendations on a number of constitutional reform proposals. As a mini-public, its membership was a mix of 66 citizens (randomly selected) and 33 politicians (self-selected). Its recommendations were debated on the floor of the Irish parliament with three of them leading to constitutional referendums; other recommendations are in the process of being implemented. This article uses data gathered during and after the operation of the Convention to examine this real-world example of a mixed-membership mini-public. The focus is on how the inclusion of politicians may have impacted on the Convention’s mode of operation and/or its outcomes. We find little impact in terms of its operation (e.g. no evidence that politicians dominated the discussions). There is evidence of a slight liberal bias among the politician membership, but this had little effect on the outcomes.

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 184-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
SILVIA SUTEU

Abstract:This article looks at the continued calls for popular participation in UK constitution-making following the 2014 Scottish independence and 2016 Brexit referendums. In particular, it discusses the prospect of a UK constitutional convention being set up to deliberate upon and make recommendations concerning constitutional reform. The article proceeds by first mapping the arguments in favour of setting up such a body in a country with little but growing experience with direct democracy. It then analyses three difficulties surrounding a UK constitutional convention: deciding on a manageable mandate, identifying the political community or communities it is to represent and the method for selecting its membership, and defining the place of such a convention within the UK’s broader constitution-making mechanisms. The article highlights fundamental unknowns in need of clarification before such an instrument could be used while at the same time admitting the limitations of a constitutional convention as a panacea for all of the UK’s constitutional woes. In exploring these questions, the article shows how constitutional reform debates in the UK are no less complex than were those surrounding Scottish independence and have been further compounded by Brexit.


1981 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 3-24
Author(s):  
Arthur English ◽  
John J. Carroll

Interviews with 80 of the 100 delegates to the 1969-70 Arkansas Constitutional Convention demonstrate that the delegates have remained active on constitutional reform issues and constitute part of the state's attentive elite on these questions. The agenda of the 1979 Constitutional Convention is found to have been framed substantially by the terms of the 1970 debate. The reordering of priorities which does appear is the product of incremental constitutional reform since 1970 and the intrusion of national economic trends on the state. Delegates believe the major obstacles to constitutional change in Arkansas are public suspicion of change and the opposition of entrenched interest groups.


Author(s):  
S Samuel ◽  
L Austin ◽  
D Morrey

The emission levels produced by any vehicle are dependent on the mode of operation of the vehicle and technology behind the vehicle design. The test drive cycles employed to measure the emissions produced by vehicles should adequately represent the real-world driving pattern of the vehicle to provide the most realistic estimation of these levels. However, there is increasing concern about the representative drive cycles used by the various vehicle certification and regulatory authorities. This paper reviews the various drive cycles used for gasoline engine vehicles in Europe and the United States, and the impact of various factors and their influence on real-world emission levels. The proposed new drive cycles of the United States and Europe are considered. From the work reviewed, it can be concluded that the amount of pollutant levels from automotive vehicles are underestimated because of the characteristics of the existing drive cycles. While much work remains to be done with the development of new drive cycles to represent real-world driving patterns, some useful conclusions can be drawn regarding the impacts of the factors reviewed here. The impacts of the factors reviewed in this paper can be characterized to improve estimations and simulations of the real-world emission levels of the vehicle.


2018 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michał Białek

AbstractIf we want psychological science to have a meaningful real-world impact, it has to be trusted by the public. Scientific progress is noisy; accordingly, replications sometimes fail even for true findings. We need to communicate the acceptability of uncertainty to the public and our peers, to prevent psychology from being perceived as having nothing to say about reality.


Author(s):  
L. Gandolfi ◽  
J. Reiffel

Calculations have been performed on the contrast obtainable, using the Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope, in the observation of thick specimens. Recent research indicates a revival of an earlier interest in the observation of thin specimens with the view of comparing the attainable contrast using both types of specimens.Potential for biological applications of scanning transmission electron microscopy has led to a proliferation of the literature concerning specimen preparation methods and the controversy over “to stain or not to stain” in combination with the use of the dark field operating mode and the same choice of technique using bright field mode of operation has not yet been resolved.


Author(s):  
J. M. Cowley

The comparison of scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) with conventional transmission electron microscopy (CTEM) can best be made by means of the Reciprocity Theorem of wave optics. In Fig. 1 the intensity measured at a point A’ in the CTEM image due to emission from a point B’ in the electron source is equated to the intensity at a point of the detector, B, due to emission from a point A In the source In the STEM. On this basis it can be demonstrated that contrast effects In the two types of instrument will be similar. The reciprocity relationship can be carried further to include the Instrument design and experimental procedures required to obtain particular types of information. For any. mode of operation providing particular information with one type of microscope, the analagous type of operation giving the same information can be postulated for the other type of microscope. Then the choice between the two types of instrument depends on the practical convenience for obtaining the required Information.


Author(s):  
H. M. Thieringer

It has repeatedly been show that with conventional electron microscopes very fine electron probes can be produced, therefore allowing various micro-techniques such as micro recording, X-ray microanalysis and convergent beam diffraction. In this paper the function and performance of an SIEMENS ELMISKOP 101 used as a scanning transmission microscope (STEM) is described. This mode of operation has some advantages over the conventional transmission microscopy (CTEM) especially for the observation of thick specimen, in spite of somewhat longer image recording times.Fig.1 shows schematically the ray path and the additional electronics of an ELMISKOP 101 working as a STEM. With a point-cathode, and using condensor I and the objective lens as a demagnifying system, an electron probe with a half-width ob about 25 Å and a typical current of 5.10-11 amp at 100 kV can be obtained in the back focal plane of the objective lens.


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