scholarly journals Politicians Gone Wild: A Comparative Analysis of Political Scandals in New Zealand, The United States and France

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Elizabeth Argyle
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Theory ◽  
The United States ◽  
Liberal Democracies ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
The Social ◽  
Functionalist Theory ◽  
Year 2000 ◽  
Political Scandals

<p>The place of political scandals in the academic literature is contentious; scandals are commonly dismissed as distractions from the ‘real issues’ in a society. This thesis challenges that notion, instead arguing that political scandals are an important phenomenon in functioning democracies. Through a comparative lens, political transgressions since the year 2000 that have occurred in three liberal democracies, New Zealand, the United States and France, have been analysed. Transgressions by political actors in these jurisdictions of a sexual, financial and power nature have been applied to previously established frameworks. Observations about the political culture of these countries have been made as a result of this analysis. Four existing theories on the significance of political scandal – the functionalist theory of scandal, the no consequence theory, the trivialisation theory and social theory – were also tested. The social theory of scandal is concluded to be the most applicable to the case studies assessed. The social theory of scandal argues that political scandals can foster cultures of debate and criticism which is important to functioning democracies; however, political scandals of a large magnitude or high frequency can damage the public’s perception of political actors and institutions. This analysis therefore serves as evidence that political scandals are not frivolous occurrences but instead are important indicators of societal values and can have important and lasting consequences. This thesis also considers political scandals in broader historical and cultural contexts, drawing attention to the pervasiveness of scandal as a topic of academic and public interest.</p>

scholarly journals Politicians Gone Wild: A Comparative Analysis of Political Scandals in New Zealand, The United States and France

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Elizabeth Argyle
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Theory ◽  
The United States ◽  
Liberal Democracies ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
The Social ◽  
Functionalist Theory ◽  
Year 2000 ◽  
Political Scandals

<p>The place of political scandals in the academic literature is contentious; scandals are commonly dismissed as distractions from the ‘real issues’ in a society. This thesis challenges that notion, instead arguing that political scandals are an important phenomenon in functioning democracies. Through a comparative lens, political transgressions since the year 2000 that have occurred in three liberal democracies, New Zealand, the United States and France, have been analysed. Transgressions by political actors in these jurisdictions of a sexual, financial and power nature have been applied to previously established frameworks. Observations about the political culture of these countries have been made as a result of this analysis. Four existing theories on the significance of political scandal – the functionalist theory of scandal, the no consequence theory, the trivialisation theory and social theory – were also tested. The social theory of scandal is concluded to be the most applicable to the case studies assessed. The social theory of scandal argues that political scandals can foster cultures of debate and criticism which is important to functioning democracies; however, political scandals of a large magnitude or high frequency can damage the public’s perception of political actors and institutions. This analysis therefore serves as evidence that political scandals are not frivolous occurrences but instead are important indicators of societal values and can have important and lasting consequences. This thesis also considers political scandals in broader historical and cultural contexts, drawing attention to the pervasiveness of scandal as a topic of academic and public interest.</p>

Canada voting system will hinder right-wing populism

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Democratic Party ◽  
The United States ◽  
Right Wing ◽  
Business Leadership ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
The Social ◽  
Voting System ◽  
Right Wing Populism

Significance Trudeau’s government has been held up as a bulwark of liberalism given the surge of anti-immigration populist candidates and parties in Europe and the United States. However, two leadership candidates in the Conservative race have sought to ape the political style and policy agenda that brought Donald Trump to power in the United States. Mainstream Canadian political actors are seeking to either counter or benefit electorally from rising distrust in government, fears over immigration and integration, and communitarian focus on Islam within right-wing politics. Impacts Opposition to the Trump presidency may help unify fractious left-leaning Canadian voters behind the Liberals. However, the social-democratic New Democratic Party will cite Trudeau-Trump cooperation to peel off progressive voters. Alienation of anti-immigration Conservatives will increase under libertarian or pro-business leadership.

America, Germany, Israel: Three Modes of Citizenship and Incorporation

2010 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. 123-128
Author(s):  
David Abraham
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Welfare State ◽  
Social Welfare ◽  
The United States ◽  
Liberal Democracies ◽  
Social Community ◽  
Social Question ◽  
Free Mobility ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact

AbstractIn today's liberal democracies, the “social question” and the “immigration question” have become entwined as rarely before. Elites and citizens alike ask who belongs to the national political and social community of the “we” and what belonging entails in the way of rights and obligations. Under the impact of unprecedented free mobility for both capital and labor and the crises of the social welfare state, the borders and bonds of citizenship have been changing, mostly weakening. This essay takes a preliminary look at how these two questions are intertwined in the United States, Germany, and Israel.

South Pacific Commission

1947 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 368-370
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
The United States ◽  
The South ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
Pacific Area

Experience gained from the functioning of the Caribbean Commission provided a working basis for the creation of the South Pacific Commission, since four of the six participating governments at the South Seas Conference were already members of the Caribbean Commission, a similar regional organization. Delegations representing the governments which administer non-self-governing territories in the South Pacific area (Australia, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States) met at the South Seas Conference at Canberra from January 28 to February 6, 1947, to prepare an agreement for the establishment of a regional commission which might aid in promoting the social and economic advancement of 2,000,000 peoples in the South Pacific. The Conference was called by the Australian and New Zealand governments in fulfilment of the Canberra Pact of January, 1944.

Secularism and Myth

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 202-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randall Reed
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Social Theory ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Bible ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Interests ◽  
Cultural Turn

Abstract The problem of secularism is amply raised by Burton Mack in his paper; it is clear that the term secular is problematic. However, in this response I would like to take a cultural turn. Using the social theory developed by Burton Mack in other writings, I will argue that the secular criticism of the Bible can be understood as a new mythology (as all criticism of the Bible are) that is a part of a growing secular wave within the United States found in a variety of cultural corners and particularly among the younger demographics. As such secular criticism—and secular movements like it—constitute one response to a particular set of social interests at this particular juncture in time.

Election intereference can undermine democracies

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Political Parties ◽  
Ground Truth ◽  
The United States ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
The Social ◽  
Electoral Strategies ◽  
External Actors ◽  
Social Level

Subject The security of electoral systems. Significance The United States is one of many countries due to hold elections this year, amid concern over foreign interference. Although interference by domestic or foreign actors through social media has attracted most attention, hacking is a broader phenomenon that can take place at the technical level (voting machines, counting mechanisms), the infrastructure level (electoral rolls, election officials) and the social level (news organisations, political parties). Attacks are more commonplace at the infrastructure level than the technical one. Impacts Beyond external actors, domestic political actors will also engage in disinformation as electoral strategies. Voters may be put off voting or question the outcome of the vote. Societal rifts are likely to widen due to lack of shared ground truth.

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