scholarly journals Strengthening Local Democracy or Neo-Liberal Conversions? New Local Governmental Legislation in Turkey

2011 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-38
Author(s):  
Ayten Alkan
Keyword(s):  
Local Governments ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Local Democracy ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Local Identities ◽  
Local Citizenship ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
The One ◽  
Transformation Processes

Among numerous transformation processes of the globalized neo-liberal era, governmental restructuring and decentralisation of the State have been distinctive and prevalent features, particularly in the countries characterized by highly centralised traditions. This transformation has resulted in rather complex and contradictory reforms at the local level: On the one hand, local community members have begun to be seen as ‘customers’ instead of citizens. But on the other hand, local autonomy and subsidiarity have gained more importance than before. In parallel with the redefinition of local identities, differences, local potentials and decision-making processes, the emphasis on local citizenship and local democracy has become sharper. After coming into force, the new Turkish (local) governmental legislation (2004-2006) has cloven these paradoxical processes and relations. This paper aims to question how far these paradoxes are embedded in the new legislation, and whether, in these circumstances, ‘governmental decentralisation’ directly connotes ‘the empowerment of local governments and local communities’. Keywords: • Turkish Local Governmental System • (Local) Governmental Restructuring • Local Democracy • Neo-liberalism

scholarly journals Disaster management strategies and relation of good governance for the coastal Bangladesh

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-279
Author(s):  
Prabal Barua ◽  
◽  
Abhijit Mitra ◽  
Saeid Eslamian ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disaster Management ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
National Policy ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Management Policies

Although Bangladesh’s immense steps in preparing the disaster management policies following the values of good governance issue, the quantity to which these policies have productively been executing at the local level remnants mostly unknown. The objectives of this investigation were dual: firstly, to inspect the roles and efficiency of the local-level governance and disaster management organization, and lastly, to recognize the obstacles to the execution of national the policies and Disaster-Risk-Reduction guidelines at the local community level. The authors applied qualitative research and case Study approach, using techniques from the Participatory Rural Appraisal toolbox to collect data from local community members as well as government and NGO officials. From the finding of the study, it was revealed that interactive disaster governance, decentralization of disaster management, and compliance by local-level institutions with good governance principles and national policy guidelines can be extremely effective in reducing disaster-loss and damages. According to coastal community members, the local governments have generally failed to uphold good governance principles, and triangulated data confirm that the region at large suffers from rampant corruption, political favoritism, lack of transparency and accountability and minimal inclusion of local inhabitants in decision-making – all of which have severely impeded the successful implementation of national disaster-management policies. This study contributes to these research gaps, with identification of further research agenda in these areas. The paper deals with International Sendai Framework that called for enhancement of local level community resilience to disasters. Thus, it contributes to numerous policy and practice areas relating to good disaster governance. The study identified the specific manifestations of these failures in coastal communities in Bangladesh. These results underscore the vital need to address the wide gap between national DRR goals and the on-the-ground realities of policy implementation to successfully enhance the country’s resilience to climate change-induced disasters.

Evolution of e-participation in Greek local government

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Constantina Costopoulou ◽  
Maria Ntaliani ◽  
Filotheos Ntalianis
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Big Data ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Local Community ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
The Impact

Local governments are increasingly developing electronic participation initiatives, expecting citizen involvement in local community affairs. Our objective was to assess e-participation and the extent of its change in local government in Greece. Using content analysis for 325 Greek municipal websites, we assessed e-participation status in 2017 and 2018 and examined the impact of change between these years. The assessment regards two consecutive years since the adoption of digital technologies by municipalities has been rapid. The main findings show that Greek local governments have made significant small- to medium-scale changes, in order to engage citizens and local societies electronically. We conclude that the integration of advanced digital technologies in municipalities remains underdeveloped. We propose that Greek municipalities need to consider incorporating new technologies, such as mobile apps, social media and big data, as well as e-decision making processes, in order to eliminate those obstacles that hinder citizen engagement in local government. Moreover, the COVID-19 outbreak has highlighted the need for enhancing e-participation and policymakers’ coordination through advanced digital technologies.

Sustainability as a measure of tourism success: the Portuguese Promotional Tourism Boards' view

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Costa ◽  
Mónica Montenegro ◽  
João Gomes
Keyword(s):  
Local Community ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Important Variable ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Local Identities ◽  
Heritage Culture ◽  
Level Of Satisfaction ◽  
Tourism Destinations ◽  
The One

PurposeThe study explores the concept of sustainability as a measure of tourism success from the perspectives of the Portuguese Promotional Tourism Boards.Design/methodology/approachThe study reviews current approaches to defining sustainability and explores how this can contribute to measuring success in tourism destinations using the case of the Portuguese Promotional Tourism Boards to shed light on the theme issue question.FindingsThe evidence that the impacts of tourism are not all beneficial to destinations and their residents is mounting and well addressed by the main world tourism agencies who are now promoting alternative ways for the industry to adopt a more holistic approach to measure the success of tourism destinations. This approach is also being adopted and promoted by some of the world's best tourism destinations.Originality/valueBased on contributions from the Portuguese Regional Promotional Tourism Entities (ERTs), it was possible to define a successful tourism destination as the one that creates income for the local community and ensures the quality of life of the population; values and preserves local identities, heritage, culture and traditions; and promotes the sustainable use of ecosystems and the preservation of natural resources, while practising a circular economy approach. Based on the same source, it was possible to identify the most important variable in evaluating the success of a tourist destination: the level of satisfaction of residents with tourism.

Territorial Changes to Municipalities and Inter-Municipal Cooperation: A Comparative Overview and Orientations for Slovenia

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 731-748 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iztok Rakar ◽  
Bojan Tičar ◽  
Maja Klun
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Democratic Legitimacy ◽  
Local Democracy ◽  
The Past ◽  
The People ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Public Decision

Local self-government has faced a number of challenges over the past decade. The financial crisis has revealed new dimensions of the eternal question of financing self-governing local communities, while distrust and a lack of interest in participation in local democracy among the people have led to considerations of different approaches to public decision-making concerning local issues. A comparative overview shows that the question of the “perfect size” of municipalities is currently very relevant and aimed at finding dimensions that would enable the municipality to ensure both local-level democracy and identity and economic efficiency in the delivery of public services. The most popular tool for achieving this goal is the merger of municipalities, although other approaches also exist, including various forms of inter-municipal cooperation. Some forms of inter-municipal cooperation have already taken firm hold in Slovenia, although the question of the potential impacts of alternative forms of inter-municipal cooperation on the democratic legitimacy of decision-making processes and the potential of these processes for the developmental breakthrough of Slovenian municipalities has yet to receive adequate attention.

Administrative Capacity of Local Governments: Political Dimensions

2013 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 387-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomaž Rožen
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Social Factors ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Local Democracy ◽  
Empirical Testing ◽  
Administrative Capacity ◽  
Political Group ◽  
Political Dimensions ◽  
State And Local

Local self government units fulfill their existence with providing participation, autonomy and efficiency as three main principles of local democracy. They can achieve these principles only with adequate and sufficient administrative capacity. We acknowledge four groups of factors for building administrative capacity. These factors are on state and local level. In article and through research we present a conceptual model of factors for building administrative capacity. Four groups are political, economical, administrative-organizational and social factors that influence capacity. In article we put in focus political group of factors on local level. Article gives a lot of directions for further explorations and empirical testing.

Resisting Displacement amid Armed Conflict: Community-Level Conditions that Make People More Likely to Stay

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 68-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Krakowski
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Social Resources ◽  
Collective Decision ◽  
Collective Decision Making ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Dual Effect ◽  
Post Conflict ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Game Theoretic

The paper examines conditions under which communities threatened by armed groups amid the Colombian civil war are most likely to resist displacement. Using a game-theoretic framework and quantitative data, the paper shows that the threatened communities which expect rescue from an armed actor are more likely to resist displacement than those communities which expect no help. Community cohesion has a dual effect on displacement. The amount of peer support among community members reduces their chances to resist displacement, but the extent to which community members are involved in collective decision-making processes makes them less likely to displace. These findings reveal that both displaced communities and those that resisted displacement possess crucial social resources for their post-conflict recovery and development, such as cohesion and strong bonds of solidarity. The paper stresses the importance of local-level organisation coordinating collective decision-making to guarantee the most efficient use of these resources.

The Making and Unmaking of Local Democracy in an Indian Village

2012 ◽  
Vol 642 (1) ◽  
pp. 152-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vani S. Kulkarni
Keyword(s):  
Local Community ◽  
Democratic Governance ◽  
Local Democracy ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Sociological Inquiry ◽  
Indian Village ◽  
Multiple Meanings ◽  
Informal Practices ◽  
Deliberative Processes ◽  
Shed Light

This study is an ethnographic investigation of a gram sabha (village assembly), the cornerstone of local democracy, in Soonaghalli, in the Mandya district of Southern Karnataka, India. Observation of the meeting and informal, open-ended conversations with the key actors illuminated how democratic policies that are conceived at the global level are practiced and experienced by local community members. The article speaks to the significance of moving beyond the prevailing politico-institutional framework of democracy that is dominated by concerns about formal regime shifts and focusing on informal practices that contribute to the making and unmaking of democratic governance. The findings shed light on the varied forms that deliberative processes take and on multiple meanings of deliberative cultures, emphasizing the need for a comparative sociological inquiry into democratic practices for a richer formulation of democratic theory.

scholarly journals Cooperation Between Local Government and Non- Governmental Organizations as a Platform for The Development of Social Dialogue

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 12-16
Author(s):  
Agnieszka Smalec ◽  
Agata Niemczyk ◽  
Renata Seweryn
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Social Dialogue ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Local Problems ◽  
The One ◽  
Time And Energy

The independence of territorial self-governments in the process of implementing the tasks imposed on them does not mean that they have to implement them independently. Achieving the assumed goals of action often requires skillful cooperation with other entities, including non- governmental organizations. Local government is the closest partner of non-governmental organizations, not only through action in the local community, but above all through a community of purpose, which is to meet the needs of residents. NGOs represent the local community. The basis for the functioning of the state is social dialogue. The guarantee of successful cooperation between partners is cooperation based, on the one hand, on the awareness of local governments of jointly diagnosing and solving local problems, and on the other ‒ on the awareness of non-governmental organizations to jointly implement their goals. It should be emphasized that territorial self-government ‒ fulfilling statutory tasks and non- governmental organizations (voluntary associations of people devoting their time and energy to achieve social goals) are two different types of entities. Dialogue and cooperation between them should aim to integrate and mobilize entities to improve the quality of life in small homelands. The main goal of the article is therefore to draw attention to the importance of cooperation between territorial self-governments and non-governmental organizations in order to achieve positive results. It emphasizes the principles on which such cooperation should be based. The areas of this cooperation were indicated, giving examples of practices. The work mainly uses the desk research method in the form of literature analysis, reports and exploitation of online resources, as well as case analysis.

scholarly journals Local Government Response to COVID-19: Revitalizing Local Democracy in Bangladesh

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 701-712
Author(s):  
A.N.M. Zakir Hossain
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Public Engagement ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Policy Formulation ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Local Democracy ◽  
Google Docs

The study aims to identify the role of local government and its transformation in response to the COVID-19. It also shows how local governments extended the scope of accountability and transparency to strengthen democracy. The study followed the social survey method and collected data online through Google Docs form. The data were analyzed through descriptive statistics to generate expected results and test the hypothesis by the Spearman correlation coefficient. The study found local governments were positive during COVID-19 to provide services and offered more public engagement in policy formulation, thus more democratic. The health sector has shown the highest priority, with food and environmental services. Inefficient management capacity of leaders and apathy in public engagement hamper resource mobilization at the local level. During COVID-19, ICT intervention and innovation for digital transformation in local governance increased accountability and transparency through easy and effective participation of mass people to strengthen local democracy to respond effectively against COVID-19.

scholarly journals Strengthening Local Democracy (Orientation Study of Political Culture of Coastal Communities in Dulupi District, Boalemo Regency)

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (7) ◽  
pp. 758
Author(s):  
Ramli Mahmud ◽  
Asmun Wantu ◽  
Ruslin Limalo
Keyword(s):  
Political Culture ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Cultural Orientation ◽  
Coastal Communities ◽  
The Political ◽  
Political Rights ◽  
Local Democracy ◽  
Cultural Aspects ◽  
Main Instrument

The political culture of the local community, especially the coastal communities in Dulupi District, Boalemo Regency, is the main instrument in strengthening democracy at the local level of Gorontalo. The composition of voters according to 2019 election data shows 38.4% or 4,418 voters in Dulupi District are in coastal areas including 2,926 people in Dulupi village and 1,492 people in Tabongo village. The figure of 38.4% shows that political participation for coastal communities will determine the direction of development and strengthening democracy at the local level, especially in Boalemo Regency. In fact, the strengthening of local democracy is strengthened through the participant's political culture, but the paternalistic coastal social system tends to direct the political culture of the local community to the parochial aspects and subjects or what is known as kaula politics. Therefore, the tendency of coastal communities to determine their political rights is more on the consideration of parochials and subjects than the participant's cultural aspects. This writing would like to analyze and map the orientation of the political culture of coastal communities in Dulupi District as an agenda for strengthening local democracy in Boalemo District which encompasses: 1) How is the cultural orientation of coastal communities in Dulupi District in strengthening Boalemo local democracy and 2) What factors affect the political cultural orientation of coastal communities in Dulupi District in strengthening Boalemo local democracy.

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