Politics

About: Politics is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 263762 publications have been published within this topic receiving 5388913 citations.

Globalization and Religious Nationalism: Self, Identity and the Search for Ontological Security

Abstract: The globalization of economics, politics, and human affairs has made individuals and groups more ontologically insecure and existentially uncertain. One main response to such insecurity is to seek reaffirmation of one's self identity by drawing closer to any collective that is perceived as being able to reduce insecurity and existential anxiety. The combination of religion and nationalism is a particularly powerful response ("identity-signifier") in times of rapid change and uncertain futures, and is therefore more likely than other identity constructions to arise during crises of ontological insecurity. The aftermath of 9/11 continues to play a defining role in world politics. The bombs over Afghanistan have been replaced by fragile attempts to keep the country together as funds are drying up and the Afghan regions are again becoming increasingly divided. The people of Iraq continue to live in fear and uncertainty of their livelihood as international forces struggle to set up an interim regime contested by many. Australians, who had felt largely untouched by world conflict, have seen themselves being forced onto the stage of world politics as a result of the terrorist assault in Bali. Palestinians continue to lose the battle of the occupied territories, and the headquarters of the Palestinian authorities are under constant siege in response to yet another deadly raid on Israeli civilians. Heightened tension at international airports is affecting all travelers, but some more than others as non-Westerners come under constant scrutiny. Those risking their lives to escape the economic and political hardship of their countries in search of a better life for themselves and their children are increasingly denied access to Western societies. And national governments are responding to their citizens' concern for tightened security and the closing of borders to immigrants and

A Virtuous Circle: Political Communications in Postindustrial Societies

Abstract: A Virtuous Circle: Political Communications in Postindustrial Societies. Pippa Norris. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2000. 398 pp. $59.95 hbk. $21.95 pbk. The main finding of Pippa Norris's study is that exposure to the news media is positively related to citizens' levels of political knowledge, trust, and participation, even after controlling for demographics, attitudinal factors, and cultural differences. Although various positive contributions of exposure to news media already have been documented in other research, never was the amount of evidence as monumental as in this book. Norris analyzed European Community, Eurobarometer, European Election and Post-election, British Campaign Panel, U.S. National Election, and Pew Center for the People and the Press surveys, providing individual and aggregate level, over-time and cross-sectional evidence supporting her virtuous media thesis. The book is set up as a challenge to "conventional wisdom" or "unquestioned orthodoxy" of media malaise theories that argue that "exposure to the news media discourages learning about politics, erodes trust in political leaders and government institutions, and dampens political mobilization." The problem is that there is a huge gap between the abundance of glib charges and the scarcity of empirical evidence of negative effects of news media. Consequently, Norris mostly relies on Michael Robinson's long ago retracted videomalaise claim and strays away from her main line of theorizing by reviewing studies that deal with the issues well outside the scope of her own study, such as effects of framing news stories, political advertising, and television entertainment. Findings of negative media effects in contexts other than elections and those tapping more specific types of media content and their particular features remain unchallenged by the Norris study. Norris acknowledges that "we need to compare the effects of variance in the media messages so that we can see whether people who consistently use one distinctive source (such as crime-focused local TV news) differ from those who use others (such as rightwing talk radio)" and that "our measures of media habits are often diffuse and imprecise," but she is still restricted in her research to measures of frequency of general newspaper and television news use. Nevertheless, Norris urges us to stopblaming the news media for political problems and instead to direct our attention to "the problems themselves." This call, without showing that media in many of their specific content characteristics or structures are not a part of problems that extend beyond voting and political campaigning, seems premature at best. However, Norris's study makes a significant contribution to communication research by most convincingly showing that the news media may be an important part of solutions to some of the social ills. …

Economic Sanctions Reconsidered

Abstract: Analyzing the utility of sanctions -- Political variables -- Economic variables -- Sanctions after the Cold War -- Conclusions and policy recommendations.

Divided we govern : party control, lawmaking, and investigations, 1946-1990

Abstract: In this prize-winning book, which analyzes data from a 44-year period, Mayhew refutes the commonly held myth that the American national government functions effectively only when one political party controls the presidency and Congress. This edition has a new epilogue covering 1991-1992.

From cultural to creative industries

Abstract: This article analyses the cultural policy implications in the United Kingdom of a shift in terminology from cultural to creative industries. It argues that the use of the term “creative industries” can only be understood in the context of information society policy. It draws its political and ideological power from the prestige and economic importance attached to concepts of innovation, information, information workers and the impact of information and communication technologies drawn from information society theory. This sustains the unjustified claim of the cultural sector as a key economic growth sector within the global economy and creates a coalition of disparate interests around the extension of intellectual property rights. In the final analysis, it legitimates a return to an artist‐centred, supply side defence of state cultural subsidies that is in contradiction to the other major aim of cultural policy – wider access.