Who is the state? Infrastructural power and everyday water governance in Delhi

2020 ◽  
pp. 239965441989792 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaffa Truelove
Keyword(s):  
Water Governance ◽  
Urban Infrastructure ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
The State ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
The Everyday ◽  
State Infrastructural Power ◽  
Indian Cities ◽  
Infrastructural Power

In Indian cities, a variety of state and non-state political actors and institutions play a role in regulating infrastructures in the everyday. Anthropological approaches to the everyday state have demonstrated how residents experience and discursively construct the state in relation to key services and amenities. However, less is known and theorized regarding how city-dwellers and public authorities understand and experience political space and power related to urban infrastructure that includes a variety of actors operating in tandem with, or even outside the bureaucracies and purview of, the state. This article partially addresses this lacuna through ethnographic research on (1) residents’ experiences and narrations of the everyday infrastructural governance of water and (2) the practices of key political actors who engage in regulating urban water infrastructures in Delhi’s neighborhoods. This research demonstrates that political actors’ and residents’ narratives and practices related to the infrastructural governance of water sharply contest both singular and dichotomous (state/non-state) readings of state power, instead revealing nuanced and situated understandings of hybrid and negotiated forms of “infrastructural power.” In particular, the practices and narratives of both residents and political authorities bring attention to the ways social and political power is decentered in the everyday and the porosity of the institutions of everyday infrastructural governance. My findings show the complex ways that infrastructures are tied to differing experiences, understandings, and articulations of power in relation to urban environments.

De la gestión local a la gobernanza global: actores e interacciones multiniveles en la gestión del agua en la ciudad de México

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 34-66
Author(s):  
Joyce Valdovinos
Keyword(s):  
Private Sector ◽  
Water Governance ◽  
The State ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
Service Contracts ◽  
Governance Model ◽  
Role Of The State ◽  
The One

The provision of water services has traditionally been considered a responsibility of the state. During the late 1980s, the private sector emerged as a key actor in the provision of public services. Mexico City was no exception to this trend and public authorities awarded service contracts to four private consortia in 1993. Through consideration of this case study, two main questions arise: First, why do public authorities establish partnerships with the private sector? Second, what are the implications of these partnerships for water governance? This article focuses, on the one hand, on the conceptual debate of water as a public and/or private good, while identifying new trends and strategies carried out by private operators. On the other hand, it analyzes the role of the state and its relationships with other actors through a governance model characterized by partnerships and multilevel networks.Spanish La provisión del servicio del agua ha sido tradicionalmente considerada como una responsabilidad del Estado. A finales de la década de 1980, el sector privado emerge como un actor clave en el suministro de servicios públicos. La ciudad de México no escapa a esta tendencia y en 1993 las autoridades públicas firman contratos de servicios con cuatro consorcios privados. A través de este estudio de caso, dos preguntas son planteadas: ¿Por qué las autoridades públicas establecen partenariados con el sector privado? ¿Cuáles son las implicaciones de dichos partenariados en la gobernanza del agua? Este artículo aborda por una parte, el debate conceptual del agua como bien público y/o privado, identificando nuevas tendencias y estrategias de los operadores privados. Por otra parte, se analizan el rol y las relaciones del Estado con otros actores a través de un modelo de gobernanza, definido en términos de partenariados y redes multi-niveles.French Les services de l'eau ont été traditionnellement considérés comme une responsabilité de l'État. À la fin des années 1980, le secteur privé est apparu comme un acteur clé dans la fourniture de certains services publics. La ville de Mexico n'a pas échappé à cette tendance et en 1993, les autorités publiques ont signé des contrats de services avec quatre consortiums privés. À travers cette étude de cas, nous nous interrogerons sur deux aspects : pourquoi les autorités publiques établissentelles des partenariats avec le secteur privé ? Quelles sont les implications de ces partenariats sur la gouvernance de l'eau ? Cet article s'intéresse, d'une part, au débat conceptuel sur l'eau en tant que bien public et/ou privé, en identifiant les tendances nouvelles et les stratégies menées par les opérateurs privés. D'autre part y sont analysés le rôle de l'État et ses relations avec d'autres acteurs à travers un modèle de gouvernance, défini en termes de partenariats, et des réseaux multi-niveaux.

Blockchain technologies and their application in governmentadministration

2019 ◽  
pp. 182-190
Author(s):  
Myroslav Kosіak ◽  
Inna Kosіak
Keyword(s):  
The State ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
Property Insurance ◽  
Data Registration ◽  
State Management ◽  
Digital World ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
The Government ◽  
Historical Comparative ◽  
Methods Analytical

The purpose of the article. The article considers the Blockchain technology asan innovative tool. In particular, the essence and background of the developmentof blocks, the principles and specifics of the functioning of the system, as well asthe scheme of its work, are determined. The article presents the prospects forusingdistributed registry technologies (blockchain) in various socioeconomic spheresrelated to state administration. Provided examples and forecasts of the use ofblockchain technologies in the provision of state and municipal services forindividuals and legal entities in the following areas: formation of a unified registercontaining the history of the placement of the state, municipal order, as well asprocurement of corporations with state participation and / or control; registers ofdocuments (diplomas, certificates, lost and disavowed passports, policies for movableand immovable property insurance, health, etc.); database of court decisions andexecutive proceedings; public participation portals for citizens of Ukraine district- city – country. The fact that the blockchain technology is, first of all, theprinciples, and not the only possible way of implementing them, allows us to counton maximum openness and multivariate application in a dynamically changingchanging«digital world». Methodology. The research methodology is to use a combinationof methods: analytical, historical, comparative. The scientific novelty. The priorityof state blockchain systems introduction in stationary and distant voting, distributeddocument circulation, medical data registration, land resources registration,electronic auctions (auctions) in Ukraine was grounded. Conclusions. Already today,blockchain systems can change the role and participation of citizens in the conductof the state-management process, by raising the responsibility level, from thetransparent will expression in the elections to regulating the government serviceactivity in the society’s digitization conditions. The main advantages blockchainsystems using by public authorities that will increase the level of citizens trust todigital technologies using in general, namely: reliability and reliability of datastorage, transparency of transactions and virtually absolute protection of informationfrom distortion and unauthorized removal (relocation), are determined. In furtherscientific research it is proposed to consider the promising areas of the blockchaindigital technology usage: service activities of public authorities, legal proceedings,property rights management, implementation of migration control, verification ofgoods and services, registration of data on passing qualifying tests, patenting,intellectual property, digital identification, logistics , taxation, accounting ofbudget funds movement.

Water Governance and Management in Indus Basin - Challenges & Threats

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marium Sara Minhas Bandeali
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
Water Governance ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Water Security ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
The State ◽  
Indus Basin

Water governance and management are important challenges for the River Indus Basin in Pakistan. Water governance refers to social, political and economic factors that influence water management. The water scarcity and water security are a major concern for the state to control its water resources. The study aims to give Sindh water policy by exploring the challenges to Indus Basin in managing water resources and to identify opportunities Indus Basin can look to improve water management. Interviews were conducted from water experts and analysts having 5 years’ experience or more in the water sector of Pakistan through a semi-structured self-developed questionnaire using purposive sampling technique and transcripts were analyzed using thematic content analysis. The findings show that increasing population, climatic change and rising demand of water are major challenges Indus is facing and Indus with time is getting water-scarce therefore need strong institutions, civil society and legislatures to ensure equitable distribution of water and maintain the ecosystem. The study emphasizes that water governance and management are necessary for sustainable use of water. Pakistan, the water stress country needs to address ‘governance’ at a wider scale to solve problems in the Indus Basin for the livelihood of people. The research will benefit the state, water experts, institutions as well as civil society to promote efficient use of water in Indus Basin.

Documents from the State Archive of the Orel Region as a Source for Studying Peasant Legal Sense in Early 20th Century

2018 ◽  
pp. 98-108
Author(s):  
Vadim V. Kulachkov ◽  
Keyword(s):  
20Th Century ◽  
Comparative Method ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
The State ◽  
Early 20Th Century ◽  
State Archive ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
Agrarian Question ◽  
Archival Documents ◽  
Legal Sense

The article studies documents from the State Archive of the Orel Region (GAOO) as an important source for studying the sense of justice of the Oryol gubernia peasants in early 20th century. Introduction of new archival materials allows to flesh out our knowledge and to produce a true-to-life picture of the Oryol peasants’ way of life. The peasant origins of the majority of the population necessitate a comprehensive study of peasant legal consciousness. Historical legacy is pertinent to present day, and forgetting its lessons is fraught with consequences. Evolution of modern Russian statehood hedges on its historical and legal traditions. The article studies documents in the fonds of public authorities, police, gendarmerie, courts, and prosecution offices. Introduction of new materials of public authorities, police, gendarmerie, courts, and prosecution offices into the scholarship promotes the analysis of the evolution of peasant legal sense in early 20th century. The chronological framework of the article is limited to the period from 1900 to 1917, its territorial framework is limited to the Oryol gubernia in its pre-revolutionary borders. The article studies reports, dispatches, and circular letters using the comparative method. The intensification of peasant protest was incidental to the first Russian revolution of 1905-1907 – the peasants hoped to force the government to settle the agrarian question, wherein lay the crux of their interests. As peasants of the Oryol gubernia suffered from shortage of arable land, antimonarchical sentiments gained momentum and translated a growing number of trials for contempt of the Emperor. Illegal literature spreading among the peasants, further radicalized them, and the authorities grew more and more hesitant in their assessment of peasant loyalty, which is quite intelligible in the archival documents. Thus, the use of new archival documents in addition to published materials promotes the scholarship on the peasant legal sense.

Islamists between revolution and the state: an epilogue

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 283-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdul Ghani Imad
Keyword(s):  
Political System ◽  
Arab World ◽  
The State ◽  
Social Needs ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Face ◽  
Heavy Burden ◽  
New Type ◽  
Political Realities

The problematic addressed in this article is the challenge initiated by the Arab revolutions to reform the Arab political system in such a way as to facilitate the incorporation of ‘democracy’ at the core of its structure. Given the profound repercussions, this issue has become the most serious matter facing the forces of change in the Arab world today; meanwhile, it forms the most prominent challenge and the most difficult test confronting Islamists. The Islamist phenomenon is not an alien implant that descended upon us from another planet beyond the social context or manifestations of history. Thus it cannot but be an expression of political, cultural, and social needs and crises. Over the years this phenomenon has presented, through its discourse, an ideological logic that falls within the context of ‘advocacy’; however, today Islamists find themselves in office, and in a new context that requires them to produce a new type of discourse that pertains to the context of a ‘state’. Political participation ‘tames’ ideology and pushes political actors to rationalize their discourse in the face of daily political realities and the necessity of achievement. The logic of advocacy differs from that of the state: in the case of advocacy, ideology represents an enriching asset, whereas in the case of the state, it constitutes a heavy burden. This is one reason why so much discourse exists within religious jurisprudence related to interest or necessity or balancing outcomes. This article forms an epilogue to the series of articles on religion and the state published in previous issues of this journal. It adopts the methodologies of ‘discourse analysis’ and ‘case studies’ in an attempt to examine the arguments presented by Islamists under pressure from the opposition. It analyses the experiences, and the constraints, that inhibit the production of a ‘model’, and monitors the development of the discourse, its structure, and transformations between advocacy, revolution and the state.

Critical Heritage “From Below”: (E)valu(at)ing Informal War Pasts in Perak, Malaysia

2021 ◽  
pp. 120633122199769
Author(s):  
Hamzah Muzaini
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Scales ◽  
Second World War ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
The State ◽  
World War ◽  
Public Recognition ◽  
Critical Heritage ◽  
Second World

This article concerns how heritage pertaining to the Second World War (1941–1945), as this has been made manifest in the urban environments of Perak, Malaysia, is (de)valued and (mis) assessed over multiple scales within the state. After foregrounding the biases associated with official depictions of the event, it excavates the ways informal actors have sought to overturn the collective amnesia of the state by creating heritages “in the shadows” and/or pushing for public recognition of formally occluded pasts. In doing so, the article argues for the salience of academics and policymakers alike, taking more seriously these non-state efforts, while also evidencing informal heritage-making as itself prone to limits and (not always altruistic) motives, which render their valuation as incomplete as formal efforts at remembering. More broadly, the article argues for the need to pay more attention to heritage-making “from below” in valuations of urban environments, but it cautions against treating them as more than what they are, that is, pasts as presenced by someone else.

scholarly journals State of the Art in Open Platforms for Collaborative Urban Design and Sharing of Resources in Districts and Cities

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 4875
Author(s):  
Barry Hayes ◽  
Dorota Kamrowska-Zaluska ◽  
Aleksandar Petrovski ◽  
Cristina Jiménez-Pulido
Keyword(s):  
Urban Design ◽  
Local Community ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Sharing Economy ◽  
Peer To Peer ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
The State ◽  
Smart Technology ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Technology Platforms

This work discusses recent developments in sharing economy concepts and collaborative co-design technology platforms applied in districts and cities. These developments are being driven both by new technological advances and by increased environmental awareness. The paper begins by outlining the state of the art in smart technology platforms for collaborative urban design, highlighting a number of recent examples. The case of peer-to-peer trading platforms applied in the energy sector is then used to illustrate how sharing economy concepts and their enabling technologies can accelerate efforts towards more sustainable urban environments. It was found that smart technology platforms can encourage peer-to-peer and collaborative activity, and may have a profound influence on the future development of cities. Many of the research and development projects in this area to date have focused on demonstrations at the building, neighbourhood, and local community scales. Scaling these sharing economy platforms up to the city scale and beyond has the potential to provide a number of positive environment impacts. However, significant technical and regulatory barriers to wider implementation exist, and realising this potential will require radical new approaches to the ownership and governance of urban infrastructure. This paper provides a concise overview of the state of the art in this emerging field, with the aim of identifying the most promising areas for further research.

Support of young studying compatriots abroad: expert assessment

2021 ◽  
pp. 85-90
Author(s):  
E.I. Vasileva ◽  
◽  
T.E. Zerchaninova ◽  
A.S. Nikitina
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Research Study ◽  
The State ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Expert Assessment ◽  
State Support ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
Republic Of Moldova ◽  
Public Figures ◽  
Practical Recommendations

Presented is the research in a large number of studies, devoted to the study of state policy in relation to compatriots living abroad, at the same time, today there are practically no data on the state and assessment of the state and non-state support. In this regard, the authors have classified the forms of support into two groups - state and non-state, investigate the specific features of these forms of support, and analyze their effectiveness. Empirical analysis carried out in this research study includes qualitative data from expert interviews collected in 2021. In total, 31 interviews were conducted with experts from sixteen countries (Russia, Ukraine, Republic of Kazakhstan, Republic of Moldova, Republic of Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Tajikistan, USA, Germany, Czech Republic, Turkey, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Panama, Uganda, New Zealand). Representatives of Russian and foreign public authorities, heads of the Coordination Councils of organizations of Russian compatriots abroad, heads of Russian youth public organizations abroad, heads of higher educational institutions, teachers and educators, and public figures acted as experts. In conclusion, the authors summarize the effectiveness of state and non-state support for young students of compatriots abroad, form a set of practical recommendations for improving these forms of support.

PROBLEMS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY OF UKRAINE

2020 ◽  
pp. 5-13
Author(s):  
Olga Reznikova
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Planning ◽  
National Security ◽  
The State ◽  
Methodological Framework ◽  
Security Strategy ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Security Environment ◽  
National Security Strategy ◽  
Methodological Principles

The article explores the development of methodological principles in the field of strategic planning and management and the development of planning documents in the field of national security, taking into account the peculiarities of the current stage of global development, the variability of the security environment. The purpose of this article is to identify problematic issues in the field of national security planning in Ukraine and ways to improve the process of development and implementation of the National Security Strategy, taking into account the best world practices. The research is based on the analysis of publications by domestic and foreign researchers in the field of strategic planning, appropriate legal acts of Ukraine, as well as the author's experience gained from her involving in development of draft strategic documents of the state. This article is focusing on solving the following scientific and practical problems: identification of the main trends in the development of methodological framework of strategic planning in the field of national security; identification of problems in the field of strategic planning in the field of national security of Ukraine; identification of scientifically substantiated ways to improve the process of strategic planning in the field of national security in Ukraine, taking into account the best international practices. The main research methods are empirical (in particular, observations, descriptions, comparisons) and general scientific (primarily, analysis, synthesis, generalization, explanation, historical and logical methods, etc.). The main results of the study are, in particular, the following: It is determined that in accordance to the best world practices the development of national security strategies take into account the principles of national resilience and the wide expert involvement in the process of preparation of such a document is recommended. The growing role of strategic management and the need to ensure national resilience characterize current trends in the development of methodological framework of strategic planning in the field of national security. It is emphasized that the very fact that the state has a national security strategy based on the scientific ground is not a guarantee of achieving certain goals and results in practice. Therefore, the process of implementation of such a document should be under constant control by the public authorities. The new cycle of planning has been starting after the adoption in 2020 of the new National Security Strategy of Ukraine. The analysis conducted by the author revealed a number of problematic issues, the solution of which requires, in particular, the amendment to the Law of Ukraine "On National Security of Ukraine" in terms of strategic planning. The fundamental differences and innovations of the current National Security Strategy of Ukraine in comparison with its previous editions are determined. It is emphasized that lessons from the experience of implementing strategic planning documents in the field of national security should be learned in Ukraine. It is determined that the low level of implementation of previous national security strategies of Ukraine was caused by the declarative nature of some of their norms, lack and formality of control over the implementation of such documents, lack of reporting procedures, indicators and criteria for evaluating the results, including for their compliance with certain objectives. The lack of attention to the analysis of the security situation in appropriate field, risk assessment, forecasting, threat identification and vulnerability detection are identified as some of the most significant problems during the preparation of strategic planning documents in the field of national security. Based on the results of the study, recommendations for the state authorities of Ukraine were prepared.

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