Political Representation in France and Germany

Political Representation in France and Germany
Author: Oscar W. Gabriel
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 356
Release: 2018-06-28
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 3319720295

Notwithstanding its contemporary critics, political representation remains at the core of democratic politics. Based on a comparative research project that gathered data from observations, surveys, experiments and expert interviews, this book examines the process and the quality of political representation in France and Germany from a dual perspective. First, it analyzes MPs’ behavior during their district activities. Second, it investigates the perceptions and evaluations of the represented, the French and German citizens. In ten chapters different facets of MPs’ activities as well as citizens’ attitudes are comparatively investigated. The book is relevant for Politics scholars and practitioners at national parliaments to better understand representative democracies, and it may also contribute to improve representation itself.

Political Representation in France

Political Representation in France
Author: Philip E. Converse
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Total Pages: 1024
Release: 1986
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9780674686601

There can scarcely be a greater tribute to the vitality of the Fifth Republic's democracy than this monumental work. A searching analysis of how the will of the voters is translated into authoritative political decision making, this book not only uncovers political truths about contemporary France but also provides a model for the study of other popular forms of government. The authors set out to find an answer to the perplexing question of how representative government operates in France in the seemingly unstable context of multiparties. By interviewing voters as well as legislators in 1967 and in 1968 after the great upheaval, and by monitoring policies of the National Assembly from 1967 to 1973, the authors test relationships between public opinion and decision making. They are able to sort out the abiding political cues that orient the French voter, to establish the normal electoral processes, to gauge the nature of mass perceptions of the political options available to voters, and to interpret the strikes, riots, and demonstrations of 1968 as a channel of communication parallel to the electoral process itself. Lucid in style, methodologically sophisticated, and often comparative in approach, Political Representation in France is a seminal work for political scientists, sociologists, and historians.

Political Actors

Political Actors
Author: Paul Friedland
Publisher: Cornell University Press
Total Pages: 365
Release: 2018-08-06
Genre: History
ISBN: 1501724231

From the start of the French Revolution, contemporary observers were struck by the overwhelming theatricality of political events. Examples of convergence between theater and politics included the election of dramatic actors to powerful political and military positions and reports that deputies to the National Assembly were taking acting lessons and planting paid "claqueurs" in the audience to applaud their employers on demand. Meanwhile, in a mock national assembly that gathered in an enormous circus pavilion in the center of Paris, spectators paid for the privilege of acting the role of political representatives for a day.Paul Friedland argues that politics and theater became virtually indistinguishable during the Revolutionary period because of a parallel evolution in the theories of theatrical and political representation. Prior to the mid-eighteenth century, actors on political and theatrical stages saw their task as embodying a fictional entity—in one case a character in a play, in the other, the corpus mysticum of the French nation. Friedland details the significant ways in which after 1750 the work of both was redefined. Dramatic actors were coached to portray their parts abstractly, in a manner that seemed realistic to the audience. With the creation of the National Assembly, abstract representation also triumphed in the political arena. In a break from the past, this legislature did not claim to be the nation, but rather to speak on its behalf. According to Friedland, this new form of representation brought about a sharp demarcation between actors—on both stages—and their audience, one that relegated spectators to the role of passive observers of a performance that was given for their benefit but without their direct participation. Political Actors, a landmark contribution to eighteenth-century studies, furthers understanding not only of the French Revolution but also of the very nature of modern representative democracy.

Political Participation in France and Germany

Political Participation in France and Germany
Author: Oscar W Gabriel
Publisher: ECPR Press
Total Pages: 330
Release: 2013-07-01
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1907301836

How do France and Germany compare in the world of participatory political communities? This volume sets out an impressive historical, theoretical and institutional framework for a comprehensive, comparative and empirical analysis of the forms, patterns, trends and determinants of citizen participation in two of Europe's largest democracies. Written by an international team of political scientists, it starts with an outline of the participatory traditions in both countries before turning to the theoretical foundations of empirical research regarding the role of political participation in modern democracies. It provides an overview of how the perception of political participation has changed over the years and the forms of both conventional participation, particularly with regard to electoral participation, and unconventional participation like protest and other new forms of citizen involvement are analysed in detail. Exploring new approaches in participation research, social participation is seen as not just correlating with political participation, but as a specific form of civic engagement in itself. A broad range of activities, such as electoral and party related participation, political protest, participation in voluntary associations, voting in referenda and taking part in dialogue-orientated participatory activities is examined and the analysis identifies which societal, institutional and cultural factors account for the differences and similarities between the two countries.

Women and Politics in France 1958-2000

Women and Politics in France 1958-2000
Author: Dr Gill Allwood
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 292
Release: 2002-01-04
Genre: History
ISBN: 1134667698

An essential guide to the role of women in the political life of France under the Fifth Republic. It shows that the unique political history of France ensures that it remains an important and exceptional example of women's participation in the politics of a Western European country. Its study is essential in order to have a complete understanding of women and politics today. This is the first English language study to capture the new enthusiasm engendered by the campaign for parity in 1992 which produced constitutional reform and a record number of deputies and ministers.

Political Representation in the Ancien Régime

Political Representation in the Ancien Régime
Author: Joaquim Albareda
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 360
Release: 2018-09-03
Genre: History
ISBN: 0429813325

What kind of political representation existed in the Ancien Régime? Which social sectors were given a voice, and how were they represented in the institutions? These are some of the issues addressed by the authors of this book from different institutional angles (monarchies and republics; parliaments and municipalities), from various European territories and finally from a connected and comparative perspective. The aim is twofold: analyse the different mechanisms of political representation before Liberalism, their strengths and limitations; value the processes of oligarchisation and the possible mismatch between a libertarian model and a reality which was far from its idealised image.

French Politics

French Politics
Author: Robert Elgie
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 237
Release: 2013-10-18
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 113622467X

Accessible, up-to-date and comprehensive, this is an essential introduction to the French political system. Featuring detailed analysis of the most important debates and controversies concerning French politics today, the expert authors conclude that study of this subject is being transformed in response to a changing global, European and domestic environment. Includes coverage of: * the relationship between president and prime minister * voting behaviour * European integration * the changing parameters of state intervention.

The French Party System

The French Party System
Author: Jocelyn Evans
Publisher: Manchester University Press
Total Pages: 236
Release: 2003-11-08
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9780719061202

This text provides an overview of political parties in France. The social and ideological profiles of all the major parties are analysed, highlighting their principal functions and dynamics within the system. This examination is complemented by analyses of bloc and system features.

Ukraine's Revolt, Russia's Revenge

Ukraine's Revolt, Russia's Revenge
Author: Christopher M. Smith
Publisher: Brookings Institution Press
Total Pages: 444
Release: 2022-03-15
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0815739257

“This firsthand account of contemporary history is key to understanding Russia's latest assault on its neighbor."—USA Today An eyewitness account by a U.S. diplomat of Russia’s brazen attempt to undo the democratic revolution in Ukraine Told from the perspective of a U.S. diplomat in Kyiv, this book is the true story of Ukraine’s anti-corruption revolution in 2013—14, Russia’s intervention and invasion of that nation, and the limited role played by the United States. It puts into a readable narrative the previously unpublished reporting by seasoned U.S. diplomatic and military professionals, a wealth of information on Ukrainian high-level and street-level politics, a broad analysis of the international context, and vivid descriptions of people and places in Ukraine during the EuroMaidan Revolution. The book also counters Russia’s disinformation narratives about the revolution and America’s role in it. While focusing on a single country during a dramatic three-year period, the book’s universal themes—among them, truth versus lies, democracy versus autocracy—possess a broader urgency for our times. That urgency burns particularly hot for the United States and all other countries that are the targets of Russia's cyber warfare and other forms of political skullduggery. From his posting in U.S. Embassy Kyiv (2012–14), the author observed and reported first-hand on the EuroMaidan Revolution that wrested power from corrupt pro-Kremlin Ukrainian autocrat Viktor Yanukovych. The book also details Russia’s attempt to abort the Ukrainian revolution through threats, economic pressure, lies, and intimidation. When all of that failed, the Kremlin exacted revenge by annexing Ukraine's territory of Crimea and fomenting and sustaining a hybrid war in eastern Ukraine that has killed more than 13,000 people and continues to this day. Ukraine's Revolt, Russia’s Revenge is based on the author’s own observations and the multitude of reports of his Embassy colleagues who were eyewitnesses to a crucial event in contemporary history.