scholarly journals Human rights in presidential democracies : does a runoff rule reduce repression?

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Joshua Holzer
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Large Distance ◽  
Presidential Elections ◽  
Median Voter ◽  
Ideological Position ◽  
Negatively Associated ◽  
High Government ◽  
Presidential Democracies

I argue that within a democratic context the presence of a presidential runoff rule leads to the following outcomes: a reduced distance between the ideological position of the president and the median voter, a reduced percent of the cabinet in the same party as the president, and a reduced likelihood that the president is elected without a majority. Additionally, I argue that a large distance between the ideological position of the president and the median voter, cabinets comprised of a high percent of members in the same party as the president, and presidents elected without a majority are all negatively associated with high government respect for human rights. Since the presence of a runoff rule reduces determinants that are in turn negatively associated with high government respect for human rights, the presence of a runoff rule is likely positively associated with high government respect for human rights. Ultimately, I find that democratic presidential elections held using a runoff rule produce presidents that are less likely to be associated with lower government respect for human rights, and more likely to be associated with greater government respect for human rights. In order to promote government respect for human rights, I suggest that constitutional designers embrace the idea of instituting a presidential runoff rule. Simply put: a relatively easy way to reduce repression is to add the possibility of a runoff round to all democratic presidential elections.

scholarly journals The effect of two-round presidential elections on human rights

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. e0243094
Author(s):  
Joshua Holzer
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Presidential Elections ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Plurality Rule ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
High Government ◽  
Presidential Democracies

Recent research suggests that democratic presidential elections held using a runoff rule produce presidents that are more likely to protect human rights, in comparison to those elected under plurality rule; with this follow-up article, I seek to highlight the importance of advancing to a runoff round for those elections held using a runoff rule. I find that for presidential democracies that already have a runoff rule in place, country-years where the president has been elected after a runoff round are more likely to be associated with high government respect for human rights, in comparison to country-years where the president has been elected after only one round (that could have advanced to a runoff round, but did not). This article provides decision-makers with more information regarding the human rights consequences of runoff rounds, so that the costs and benefits of adopting (or retaining) variations of a runoff rule can be better weighed.

scholarly journals Free Trade, Yes; Ideology, Not So Much: The UK’s Shifting China Policy 2010-16

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-126
Author(s):  
Scott A. W. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
British Journal ◽  
Free Trade ◽  
Conservative Party ◽  
Policy Agenda ◽  
China Policy ◽  
Ideological Position ◽  
Chinese Studies ◽  
Ideological Dimension ◽  
The Uk

Fox and Godement’s (2009) Power Audit of EU-China Relations grouped the EU’s member states into four categories based on their national approaches to relations with, as well as their preferences for, the EU’s policies towards China. In this typology, the UK, at the time governed by New Labour, was deigned an “Ideological Free Trader”—seeking to facilitate greater free trade while continuing to assert its ideological position, namely in the areas of democracy and human rights. Since the Conservative Party took the reins of power in 2010 (in coalition with the Liberal Democrats until 2015), China’s prominence on the UK’s foreign policy agenda has arguably increased. This paper examines the direction of the UK’s China policy since 2010, and asks whether the label “Ideological Free Trader” remains applicable. Through qualitative analysis of the evolving policy approach, it argues that while early policy stances appeared consistent with the descriptor, the emphasis on free trade has grown considerably whilst the normative (ideological) dimension has diminished. Consequently, the UK should be redefined as an “Accommodating Free Trader” (an amalgamation of two of Fox and Godement’s original groups—“Accommodating Mercantilist” and “Ideological Free Trader”). At time of publication, the journal operated under the old name. When quoting please refer to the citation on the left using British Journal of Chinese Studies. The pdf of the article still reflects the old journal name; issue number and page range are consistent. Picture credit: Georgina Coupe

scholarly journals EU’s human rights dialogues with Belarus and the developments around presidential elections

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 378-390
Author(s):  
Madalin-Catalin Blidaru
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Human Rights ◽  
Presidential Elections ◽  
Historical Analysis ◽  
Policy Instrument ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Human Right ◽  
Policy Tool ◽  
Additional Support

. The 2020 presidential elections in Belarus were characterised by widely recognised human rights violations. The European Union decided not to recognise the results after important declarations and consultations among its leaders. However, the European Union and Belarus were engaged in a structured human rights dialogue. The author discusses the links between the human rights dialogue as a foreign policy instrument and the dynamics around the 2020 presidential elections in Belarus. The hypothesis stresses that the evolution of the bilateral dialogues provides information on the developments within the relations between the European Union and Belarus. The case study, based on extensive analysis of official documents, finds additional support for the claim against the effectiveness of the human right s dialogues with third parties. Apart from a better understanding and a channel of dialogue with the country, the human rights topics recreated an environment in which it justified the return to restrictions and sanctions against individuals involved in illegitimate actions. The historical analysis of the presidential elections, particularly the climate around their organisation, the assessment of the human rights dialogues as a policy tool, and the analysis of the official dialogues on the thematic areas of concerns from the human rights dialogues support this hypothesis. 

Ruling party will look inwards ahead of Burundi polls

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Economic Crisis ◽  
Presidential Elections ◽  
Regional Security ◽  
The Political ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Dynamics ◽  
Fourth Term ◽  
The Government ◽  
Ruling Party

Subject Political dynamics ahead of 2020 elections. Significance The government has launched talks with CNARED, a forum of opposition parties, to negotiate the return of its exiled leaders ahead of the 2020 presidential elections. President Pierre Nkurunziza, who has said he will not run for a fourth term, appears to be cautiously reaching out to the opposition in an effort to ease his regime’s diplomatic isolation and deepening economic crisis. Impacts The 2020 elections will likely see continued heavy human rights violations and restrictions on the political space. CNARED’s mooted return might increase tensions, rights violations and repression, especially once they try to campaign outside Bujumbura. Burundi’s crisis weighs heavily on regional security, especially in Congo’s South Kivu Province; the elections might exacerbate this.

The moderating role of life satisfaction in the relationship between burnout and depression among nursing staff: a human rights concern in Pakistan

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Naeem Aslam ◽  
Araib Khan ◽  
Nida Habib ◽  
Ammar Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Nursing Staff ◽  
Private Hospitals ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Negatively Associated ◽  
Female Nurses ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Moderating Role

Purpose This study aims to see the role of life satisfaction in the relationship between burnout and depression among nurses to highlight the human rights norms for institutions, as well as practitioners within the health sector to improve life satisfaction among nurses. Design/methodology/approach This was a survey-based study. Data was collected by using well-established questionnaires. The sample (N = 250) comprising nurses taken from different public and private hospitals of Islamabad. Participants were both male (n = 125) and female nurses (n = 125), with age range 20–51 (M = 29.95, SD = 4.95) years. The data was collected by using the convenient sampling technique from different government and private hospitals of Islamabad from September 2017 to December 2017. Findings Bivariate correlation analysis revealed that burnout was positively associated with depression and negatively associated with life satisfaction. Moreover, depression was negatively associated with life satisfaction. Moderation analysis demonstrated that life satisfaction moderated the relationship between burnout and depression. Female nurses scored high on burnout as compared to male nurses. Research limitations/implications The use of self-report measures and the cross-sectional nature of the study design are the limitations of the study. The findings contribute by recognizing the various factors affecting the performance of nursing staff specifically in developing countries such as Pakistan. Practical implications This study demonstrated the vital implication of factors reducing depression among nursing staff through life satisfaction. Health care organizations should take measures to condense the level of burnout, make and boost a caring and fair working atmosphere to improve the level of life satisfaction, and therefore, reduce the negative emotions associated with burnout. It is concluded that life satisfaction may buffer the effect of burnout and subsequent depression. Originality/value This study has extended the prevailing literature by recognizing the moderating role of life satisfaction in the relationship between burnout and depression among nursing staff specifically highlighting their human rights in the Pakistani context.

For better or worse: Shaming, faming, and human rights abuse

2020 ◽  
pp. 002234332090534
Author(s):  
Sara Kahn-Nisser
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
The Other ◽  
External Costs ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Negatively Associated ◽  
Hr Practices ◽  
Human Rights Abuse ◽  
The One ◽  
The Impact

Does it matter whether human rights (HR) shaming is accompanied by acknowledgments of reforms and progress? Do such acknowledgments weaken or strengthen the impact of shaming? Rulers decide whether to oppress or to comply with HR treaty obligations by considering what compliance entails and by weighing the internal and external costs and benefits of oppression. Research shows that HR shaming alters such considerations and is associated with changes in HR protection levels. Can the same be said of faming? This article examines three forms of HR reporting: faming, which focuses on positive developments; shaming, which focuses on problematic HR practices; and scrutiny, which combines shaming and faming. The article analyzes the association between shaming, faming, and scrutiny by UN treaty bodies, on the one hand, and oppression on the other. The potential associations are conceptualized as mitigation, backsliding, and specification. The analysis finds that shaming with no faming and faming with no shaming are each negatively associated with HR protection. Scrutiny, the combination of shaming and faming, is positively associated with subsequent HR protection levels, and the higher the level of scrutiny the higher the subsequent level of HR protection. The article argues that the reason for this association is that the combination of shaming and faming helps policymakers understand how to properly implement their treaty obligations and how to improve HR protection. The article draws policy and theoretical implications including the need for balanced and detailed HR reporting, and the importance of learning in HR advocacy.

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