Political Will, Leadership, and the Importance of Decolonization

This chapter explores political will. While political will is often cited as a critical component of health programs around the world, it is a poorly defined concept. Using the framework of the late Dr. Julius Richmond, former U.S. Surgeon General, political will is interrogated through the interconnected factors of social strategy and science to advance policy. The COVID-19 pandemic is used as an example of this framework. The chapter also discusses the impact of colonialism and capitalism on the actualization of political will and leadership of impoverished countries. Challenges to sovereignty are addressed through the framework of necropolitics and social theories and practices that can improve responses. The chapter gives examples of regional and national leadership in the COVID-19 pandemic that have fought to decolonize the locus of power.

Federalism During the Trump Era and Beyond

This chapter explains how liberal states, with the enthusiastic support of progressives across the country, repeatedly exercised their authority as sovereigns to oppose and challenge some of the Trump administration’s most misguided, harmful, and discriminatory policies. State-based resistance to the Trump administration was particularly robust in matters related to immigration and environmental regulations. State-based policies were also crucial in filling the void left by the Trump administration’s failure to provide effective national leadership on issues that desperately demanded it, including the stemming of gun violence and controlling the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The chapter argues that if progressives going forward embrace federalism only situationally—defending it when there is a conservative in the White House, but dismissing its relevance or appropriateness when there is a liberal in that position—then it is less likely that the principle will remain a viable and effective tool in resisting the policies of a future right-wing administration in the Trumpian mold. In contrast, if progressives after the Trump era defend federalism as a matter of principle, then it is more likely that the concept will retain its constitutional and political legitimacy, making it available to progressives in future years when confronting another right-wing and potentially autocratic federal administration.

The Characteristics of National Leadership for an Islamic State in the Light of Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

Allah sent a chain of Prophets with revelations to transfer humanity from a state of jāhiliyya to one of Islam. Allah says in the noble Qur’ān: "I have not created the Jinn and Ins (human beings) except to worship me" (Al-Qur'ān 51:56). Human beings must, therefore, live according to the laws of Allah. This can best be done in the framework of the Islamic state, the natural habitat of Muslims. Strengthen of a state depends upon best qualities of prime leaders. The purpose of this study is to determine the key attributes of the leaders and administrators in the light of the life of Holy Prophet (SAW), The paper has analyzed the concept of leadership as observed through literature survey about the leadership qualities of our beloved Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SAW), his Sahāba (R.A) by citing Qur’ānic verses and giving the examples from the life of Holy Prophet (SAW). The study has proposed a conceptual framework for an effective leader based upon the characteristics such as firmness, truthfulness, reliability, selflessness, ethics, loyalty to the organization, passion, moderation, humility, fairness and mercy which can be set as a role model for day’s administrators etc.

Germany’s Energiewende at a Crossroads

This article examines Germany’s current climate and energy policies. Nearly two decades on, Germany’s Energiewende—the transition to a less carbonintensive economy—is at a crossroads. While remarkable advances have been made, the technical difficulties of expanding the energy transition beyond the electricity sector, the mounting costs of the transition itself, and now the covid-19 pandemic are slowing further progress. Maintaining the momentum of the Energiewende would require collaborative action, yet the principal political players have different agendas, making it difficult to reach decisions. In this article, we consider three of those actors: the German public, the opposition parties, and the government. We find that agreements on German climate policy have been diluted in political compromises and that real progress is being blocked. These problems will only increase as Germany deals with the consequences of the pandemic and faces a transition in national leadership in 2021.

Photograph Paper Sample Books : A Reference Collection and Web Presentation At George Eastman House

This thesis proposes a model for the cataloging, evaluation, and description of photographic paper sample books in the George Eastman House collection. The model is implemented as a reference resource on Notes - on Photographs, a collaborative website in development at George Eastman House with the support of a National Leadership Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Notes - on Photographs is built on a wiki platform, which is characterized by capabilities for dynamic updating and collaborative editing by a group of users. The model implemented to describe the contents of the paper sample books utilizes these capabilities to further enrich the information resource. Manufacturer paper sample books are invaluable resources in developing a better understanding of the materials of photography; they reveal the evolution of the dominant image-making support for over a century of silver halide photography. This project seeks to do a better job of explaining what they are, why they are valuable, and of promoting a standardized language to facilitate description and communication among professionals engaged in the care, display, and study of photographs. The ability to articulate the technological and material aspects of any medium contributes to better discernment and has implications for establishing authenticity, being conscious of an image maker's aesthetic decisions, dating works, and for understanding the condition and preservation of the object. In most cases photographic paper sample books in the George Eastman House collection are undated, and catalogue records treat the books as single entries rather than complex bound material where each sample has unique characteristics. The work accomplished in this thesis will inform and enrich the object information in the current cataloging system, The Museum System (TMS) at George Eastman House.