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| ADVANCING DEMOCRACY IN SLOVAKIA THROUGH LOCAL SELF-GOVERNANCE : Lessons Learned From Other European Countries On 13 March 2000, International IDEA organised a workshop on public administration reform, which is one of the key issues for the consolidation of democracy in Slovakia. The convening of the workshop was timely not just with regard to the developments in Slovakia but also with regard to persistent and continuous efforts in other parts of the world to advance democracy through local self-government. The objective of the workshop was to provide information about reforms in other European countries and a forum to discuss different views on the proposed reform in Slovakia. This report is a summary of the workshop discussions and experiences of other European countries: Denmark, France, Poland and Spain. { 108pp, 210x300mm, November 2001; PB, £10.00, 9189098579:9789189098572 , International IDEA } |
| BLACK WEDNESDAY [Alan Budd] In Black Wednesday, Alan Budd discusses the contribution of ERM membership to Britain's recent economic performance. Budd suggests that Britain joined the ERM 'in despair' after trying various methods of controlling monetary growth without the success that had been anticipated. Whilst membership of the ERM did not happen at an ideal time, because of serious imbalances within and between member economies in the late 1980s, it did provide a discipline to reduce inflation that might have been difficult to maintain without membership. The author discusses how membership of the ERM was a necessary precondition for the adoption of the stable and successful monetary arrangements that Britain has today. Samuel Brittan, Tim Congdon and Derek Scott provide commentaries on Budd's analysis. Congdon and Scott in particular have reservations about the case that Budd makes. This collection provides an important contribution to the analysis of a very significant event in Britain's recent economic and political history. { April 2005; PB, £7.50, 0255365667:9780255365666 , Institute of Economic Affairs } |
| CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY : Challenging the Activists [Colin Robinson (ed)] There is currently a consensus amongst the political establishment -- and amongst the intellectual communities that feed into it -- that detailed and wide-ranging government intervention is necessary to combat the effects of climate change. This monograph challenges that consensus. The authors look in detail at a number of the underlying, assumptions and proposals of the policy activists and find that there is enormous uncertainty relating both to the economics and to the science of climate change. As one author shows, the policy activists have form: alarmists have been wrong, time and time again, about ecological disasters. However, the authors of this monograph have more humility than their critics. They do not argue that there is no threat from climate change, merely that the level of uncertainty is huge. Given this uncertainty, and the historic failure of central planning to do anything other than undermine economic welfare, the editor, Colin Robinson, one of the country's leading energy economists, argues that it is prudent to proceed with caution. The flexibility of the market economy will deal better than central planning with any problems arising from man-made climate change. The wide ranging array of regulations, taxes, subsidies and artificially created incentives proposed by climate change activists should be rejected. { 170pp, 130x200mm, September 2008; PB, £10.00, 0255365950:9780255365956 , Institute of Economic Affairs } |
| DANGERS OF BUS RE-REGULATION [John Hibbs] The bus industry receives much less attention from politicians and economists than the rail industry, despite the fact that the former is more important in most areas of the country. In this important historical and economic analysis, John Hibbs shows how the bus industry gradually had its commercial freedom restrained by politicians until it became totally accountable to them, leading to what Hibbs terms the 'strange suicide of the British bus industry'. Hibbs developed much of the intellectual case for the 1985 Transport Act, which, as he shows, liberated the bus industry to serve passengers rather than politicians. Huge benefits flowed from that Act, but the current government, backed up by the European Union, is allowing local authorities to pursue, by stealth, a policy of promoting franchise - or competition for a monopoly. Hibbs's economic and historical analysis is compelling and should be of interest to all involved with transport policy. { October 2005; PB, £10.00, 0255365721:9780255365727 , Institute of Economic Affairs } |
| DEMOCRACY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL : The International IDEA Handbook on Participation, Representation, Conflict, Management & Governance [Timothy D Sisk et al] In today's globalising world, there is growing emphasis on local democracy. More than ever, cities need new ideas for ways of managing the political challenges and opportunities that arise from increased urbanisation and globalisation. Governing effectively at the local level is all the more urgent as vigorous local civic engagement builds the foundation for a strong and more enduring national-level democracy. Organised into six chapters and written by experts from around the world this handbook offers: practical suggestions for designing systems of local governance; principles and policies for managing culturally diverse cities; choices for enhancing local elections and representative democracy; options for expanding citizen participation; recommendations for the international community for enhancing local democracy. { 238pp, 175x245mm, May 2001; PB, £20.00, 9189098730:9789189098732 , International IDEA } |
| DEMOCRACY & DEEP-ROOTED CONFLICT : Options For Negotiations [Peter Harrids & Ben Reilly (eds)] This handbook provides practical advice on how to broker peace in countries emerging from deep-rooted conflict and outlines options negotiators can draw upon when trying to build or rebuild democracy. The handbook provides a thorough overview of democratic levers -- such as power-sharing formulas, questions of federalism and autonomy, options for minority rights, constitutional safeguards and many others. It analyses actual negotiated settlements from places like Bosnia, Fiji, Northern Ireland, Guatemala, Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea and South Africa. Written by international experts and experienced negotiators, the handbook is designed as a quick reference tool containing numerous case studies, factsheets and practical examples. { 414pp, 175x245mm, January 1998; PB, £30.00, 9189098226:9789189098220 , International IDEA } |
| DEMOCRACY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL : A Guide for the South Caucaus [Igor Koryakov & Timothy Sisk (eds)] This book is designed to offer insights into the critical elements that shape systems of good local governance in the South Caucasus region. It also serves as a tool for local decision makers and practioners as they seek to learn more about models and practices of local democracy, particularly from an international comparative perspective. The book is divided into three main themes: local elections, political parties and citizens' participation. These themes are explored along with an analysis of new local governance systems by independent experts from the region. { 68pp, 190x270mm, December 2003; PB, £10.00, 9189098978:9789189098978 , International IDEA } |
| DEMOCRACY IN BURKINA FASO : Assessment Mission Report, Dialogue for Democratic Development This report was written following extensive consultations with leading democratic actors in Burkina Faso and regional experts. The report offers a comprehensive analysis of the political system in Burkina Faso, and identifies key stumbling-blocks to political development, including the monopoly of power by the majority party, the administration of the judicial system, the organisation of elections, and the lack of a strong opposition. The report recommends change in six areas such as state reform, including decentralisation of government authority; consolidation of the rule of law, particularly in the constitution and the administration of the judicial system; and expansion of the democratic culture in civil society, especially among women. The report also gives an analysis and makes recommendations about the electoral system. { 168pp, 175x245mm, January 1998; PB, £30.00, 9189098242:9789189098244 , International IDEA } |
| DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA : Continuing Dialogue(s) For Nation-Building This report is the product of an elaborate consultative process conducted by 42 Nigerian resource persons representing the diverse texture of Nigerian society in hundreds of meetings throughout the country. The assessment is the outcome of this consultative process and contains concrete recommendations to strengthen the process towards establishing lasting democracy in Nigeria. The report is the first comprehensive publication on the current transition process to democracy in Nigeria. It is an attempt to capture and contribute to the ongoing debates, discussions and overall search for solutions that can heal and build a nation, and thereby deepen and consolidate democracy in Nigeria. Nigeria is at a crossroad. The country faces an opportunity -- more than at any other time in its history -- to build a society that can guarantee justice, human dignity and civil liberties to all Nigerians. { 379pp, 175x245mm, March 2001; PB, £30.00, 9189098447:9789189098442 , International IDEA } |
| DEMOCRACY, CONFLICT & HUMAN SECURITY : Further Readings [Reginald Austin et al] For many across the world, democracy is in a crisis of legitimacy and credibility. The idea that people have the right to control their government and that a government is legitimate only if and when it is controlled by the people has won almost global recognition, hardly matched by any other world view in modern history. It transcends cultures, religions and languages; it takes multiple forms and survives in the most inhospitable environments. However, the way in which the idea of democracy is translated into practice can leave much to be desired. In a world characterised by rising inequality, democratic systems will be judged on how they include and deliver to constituent populations. This book, a companion volume to 'Democracy, Conflict and Human Security: Pursuing Peace in the 21st Century', addresses the nexus between democracy, conflict and human security in a way which recognises that this is highly political, not technical, terrain. It places at centre stage the fundamental need for democratic practice, and reminds us that in every society, North and South, the democratic project is a long-term, ongoing one. This book is part of IDEA's efforts to contribute to a major ongoing debate and, hopefully, to the strengthening of a democratic practice that responds to the quests for human dignity and development. This publication contains specific studies which were contributed to the debate, from diverse experiences and contexts. The volume complements and enriches the first volume in two ways: by providing perspectives by leading scholars, analysts and policy-makers, and by offering a more in-depth look at critical themes and case studies. { 254pp, 180x260mm, January 2007; PB, £30.00, 9185391751:9789185391752 , International IDEA } |
| DEMOCRACY IN THE ARAB WORLD : Challenges, Achievements & Prospects Since its foundation in 1995 by states from different parts of the world, International IDEA (the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance) has been working towards assisting democracy world-wide. The Institute's main objective is to promote and facilitate national and international dialogue, enhancing and strengthening democratic development. After a series of exploratory missions to various parts of the Arab Region, in 1999 International IDEA organised a round table gathering together experts from six Arab countries: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and Yemen. The objective of the round table was to analyse the perspective on democratic development in the Arab region, and to identify challenges facing such development on the eve of the twenty-first century. The round table provided International IDEA with guidance for its comprehensive framework of programmes in the Arab region. This report is a summary of the round table discussions. { 36pp, 210x300mm, November 2001; PB, £8.00, 9189098528:9789189098527 , International IDEA } |
| DEMOCRACY, CONFLICT & HUMAN SECURITY : Pursuing Peace in the 21st Century [Judith Large & Timothy D Sisk] This publication explores ways in which democratic practice can contribute to the management of conflicts and promote the realization of security and development objectives. { 243pp, 180x260mm, October 2006; PB, £30.00, 9185391743:9789185391745 , International IDEA } |
| DESIGNING FOR EQUALITY : Best-Fit, Medium-Fit & Non-Favourable Combinations of Electoral Systems & Gender Quotas [Stina Larserud & Rita Taphorn] Today, the average proportion of women members of parliaments stands at a mere 17.2 per cent. Only 19 countries in the world have achieved the goal of 30+ per cent women's representation in national legislatures, a goal which was adopted by the Beijing Process in 1995. There are two important variables that affect women's political representation: the electoral system and the use of quotas for women. Combined in different ways, these variables have different results on women's participation. 'Designing for Equality' provides an overview of how electoral systems function with different kinds of quotas for women. It assesses how women's representation can be increased under different combinations of electoral systems and quotas. This publication aims to serve as a reference tool for all those who work to increase women's representation in politics. { 24pp, 165x240mm, March 2007; PB, £4.00, 9185391964:9789185391967 , International IDEA } |
| DIALOGUE FOR DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT : Policy Options for a Renewed ACP-EU Partnership This book outlines eighty practical options on how to promote democratic development. These proposals were generated during discussions with more than 100 politicians, policy-makers, academics and civil society representatives from ACP and EU in late 1998. Options included range from how to enhance local capacity to democratic reform, to how the international dialogue between the two groups should be structured. Written in an easy-to-use manner, this book is intended to provide options for the on-going negotiations and the shape of future co-operation between the EU and ACP countries. Written for policy-makers, politicians and parliamentarians, this is also an excellent resource for students and the media. { 106pp, 175x245mm, January 1999; PB, £10.00, 9189098323:9789189098329 , International IDEA } |
| EDUCATION ENTITLEMENTS : How to Reverse the Destruction of Adult & Vocational Education [Alison Wolf] { March 2009; 0255365861:9780255365864 , Institute of Economic Affairs } |
| ELECTORAL MANAGEMENT DESIGN [Ayman Ayoub et al] Building trust and professionalism in the management of electoral processes remains a major challenge for Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs), institutions and/or bodies responsible for managing elections. The 'credibility gap' -- the diminished public confidence in the integrity and diligence for many electoral institutions and their activities -- is a common problem for EMBs around the world. Many EMBs face basic design questions as they seek to work better: how should EMBs be structured to ensure that they can act independently? How do EMBs relate to stakeholders such as the media, political parties and donors? How can EMBs evaluate their performance and use experience to build sustainable elections? "The Electoral Management Design Handbook" is written for electoral administrators, electoral administration designers and other practitioners involved in building professional, sustainable and cost-effective electoral administrations which can deliver legitimate and credible free and fair elections. It is a comparative study that shares best practices and know-how from around the world on financing, structuring and evaluation of Electoral Management Bodies. { 374pp, 215x280mm, December 2006; PB, £20.00, 9185391654:9789185391653 , International IDEA } |
| ELECTORAL SYSTEM DESIGN : The New International IDEA Handbook [Andrew Reynolds, Ben Reilly, Andrew Allis et al] An overview of the electoral systems in use in more than 200 states and territories. It discusses the advantages and disadvantages of different electoral systems, the factors to consider when modifying or designing an electoral system and provides insights into why certain countries choose particular systems. It also describes which electoral systems have proven advantageous for specific cultural, social and economic conditions and how electoral systems can increase participation, reach out to minorities and facilitate representation of women. { 224pp, 165x240mm, June 2005; PB, £20.00, 9185391182:9789185391189 , International IDEA } |
| ENGAGING THE ELECTORATE : Initiatives to Promote Voter Turnout from Around the World [Andrew Ellis l] The past several decades have witnessed a general decline in voter turnout throughout the world, and, while there is little agreement as to what specifically constitutes a good level of turnout, recent declines in many countries have raised concern among governments, non-governmental organisations, and citizens. The intention of this publication is to examine some of the efforts made throughout the world to stem and/or reverse the decline in voter turnout, and to attempt to maximise turnout at electoral events of all types, including elections, referendums and citizens’ initiatives. All electoral events involve many factors operating at different levels, which have varying effects on voter turnout. Some cannot be easily manipulated, requiring vast social transformation or even alterations to a country’s election laws. Other elements, however, are more malleable, and it is at this practical level that this inventory intends to present a selection of ideas used throughout the world that may work to encourage voter turnout in suitable contexts. There is an enormous range of activity world-wide on which to draw for case studies and examples that illustrate effective practice and/or imaginative initiatives. Some of these are presented here under a categorisation framework defined by: Information campaigns; Advertising campaigns; Grass-roots movements; School/mock elections and other special-purpose programmes; Entertainment; Inducements. { 139pp, 210x300mm, October 2006; PB, £10.00, 9185391913:9789185391912 , International IDEA } |
| FUNDING OF PARTIES & ELECTION CAMPAIGNS : A Handbook [Reginald Austin & Maja Tjernstrom] This handbook provides a general description of the different models of political finance regulations and analyses the relationship between party funding and effective democracy. The most important part of the book is an extensive matrix on political finance laws and regulations for about 100 countries. Public funding regulations, ceilings on campaign expenditure, bans on foreign donations and enforcing an agency are some of the issues covered in the study. Includes regional studies and discusses how political funding can affect women and men differently, and the delicate issue of monitoring, control and enforcement of political finance laws. { 246pp, 215x280mm, September 2003; PB, £20.00, 9189098927:9789189098923 , International IDEA } |
| GUIDE TO REFORM : How Policymakers Can Pursue Real Change, Achieve Great Results & Win Re-Election [Johnny Munkhammar] Progress and wealth creation are crucial for society. For when economies fail to prosper, stagnation and social malaise soon follow. Success demands change -- and change demands reform. The lessons are all around us. Countries that embrace free-market reforms experience rapid improvements in living standards This raises the question: Why don't more nations follow their example? Johnny Munkhammar examines the political obstacles to reform and identifies ways round them. He shows why reforms are needed and which direction they should take, drawing on the experiences of more than a dozen reformist countries. Munkhammar also dispels the myth that reform is invariably politically hazardous. Indeed, reform governments have almost always been re-elected -- at least once. This book offers hands-on advice to policymakers, and shows them how to turn words into action. { 280pp, 140x215mm, November 2007; PB, £15.00, 0255366183:9780255366182 , Institute of Economic Affairs (in association with TIMBRO) } |
| IMPLEMENTATION OF QUOTAS : Latin American Experiences [Karen Fogg] { 140pp, 210x300mm, February 2003; PB, £10.00, 9185391018:9789185391011 , International IDEA } |
| IMPLEMENTATION OF QUOTAS : European Expriences [Julie Ballington & Francesca Binda] This report examines women's political representation in Europe. Although the overall representation of women in European Parliaments (including the Commonwealth of Independent States' nations) stands at approximately 18 percent, the differences among the many countries are staggering; from a low of three percent in Kyrgyzstan to a high of 45 percent in Sweden. In all of Europe, only eight countries have legislated quotas at the national or sub-national level. In 27 countries, political parties have voluntarily adopted some form of quotas. Gender quotas are increasingly viewed as an important policy measure for boosting women's access to decision-making bodies throughout the world. The proponents of quotas in many European countries face an unusual dilemma compared to other regions -- rejection and scepticism based on previous experience with quotas. In many communist states of the 20th Century, quotas were employed as a way of paying lip-service to equality declarations made by state-sponsored socialism. Thus in several, modern European democracies of the 21st Century, quotas are not regarded as positive measures but rather negative reminders of non-democratic practices. This report looks in depth at this particular impediment and compares strategies and ways of overcoming the stereotypes. There are 11 country case studies included in the report: Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Serbia and Montenegro and Slovenia. { 164pp, 210x295mm, September 2006; PB, £10.00, 9185391638:9789185391639 , International IDEA } |
| IMPLEMENTATION OF QUOTAS : African Experiences [Julie Ballington (ed)] Increasing women's representation and participation in decision-making bodies requires well-developed strategies and information about which measures have worked successfully in different countries with different political systems. This report examines, through comparing the use and under what conditions, quotas can be successfully implemented. It aims to raise awareness about the use of gender quotas as an instrument to increase women's political representation and to show that they can and are being applied successfully. This workshop report, the third in a series of reports on regional experiences with quota implementation, examines quotas used in 17 African countries. { 133pp, 210x300mm, January 2005; PB, £10.00, 9185391174:9789185391172 , International IDEA } |
| IMPLEMENTATION OF QUOTAS : Asian Experiences This workshop report provides information about the use of gender quotas as an instrument to increase women's political representation in Asia, and to show that they can and are being applied successfully. It addresses key issues such as the type of quotas in use in some parts of Asia (including legislated and political party quotas); when, where and how quotas have worked; the challenges of implementation and enforcement and the consequences of the use of quotas. The report includes case studies from India, East Timor, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia. It documents the discussion and findings from a workshop on the implementation of quotas held in Jakarta, Indonesia in September 2002. { 72pp, 210x300mm, December 2003; PB, £10.00, 9189098994:9789189098992 , International IDEA } |
| INTERNATIONAL ELECTORAL STANDARDS : Guidelines for Reviewing the Legal Framework of Elections What constitutes a fair electoral system and a fair election? What are the guiding principles for reviewing electoral legislation? This book sets out the basic legal components governing elections for the purpose of reviewing, drafting or amending electoral legislation. It aims to contribute to the uniformity, reliability, consistency as well as professionalism in elections. These are internationally recognised standards necessary for a country's legal framework to ensure democratic elections. { 116pp, 145x210mm, September 2002; PB, £10.00, 9189098889:9789189098886 , International IDEA } |
| LA APLICACION DE LAS CUOTAS : experiencias latinoamericanas [Informe del taller] Spanish edition of Implementation of Quotas: Latin American Experiences (Quota Workshops Report Series, No.2) ISBN: 9185391018. { 156pp, 210x300mm, July 2004; PB, £10.00, 9185391026:9789185391028 , International IDEA } |
| MONEY & ASSET PRICES IN BOOM & BUST [Tim Congdon] By considering recent and historical events such as the Great Depression, episodes of boom and bust in the UK, and the malaise in Japan in the 1990s and the early 21st century, monetary economist Tim Congdon is able to show how monetary policy affects both financial markets and the real economy. In all these episodes, fluctuations in money supply growth led to booms or busts in financial markets and were associated with turbulence in the price level and in output and employment. The crucial linkages between monetary policy and financial markets, argues the author, involve broad money, not narrow money. Non-bank financial institutions, such as pension funds and insurance companies, play a critical role in transmitting fluctuations in money growth to asset prices. This monograph is an important contribution to the crucial debate on the role of monetary aggregates in setting monetary policy. Congdon's argument, that ignoring monetary aggregates can lead to profound instability in the real economy, is compelling. { August 2005; PB, £10.00, 0255365705:9780255365703 , Institute of Economic Affairs } |
| POLITICAL PARTIES IN AFRICA : Challenges for Sustained Multiparty Democracy [M A Mohamed Salih] Provides a broad, comparative analysis of 27 African countries and 75 political parties. The data was assembled during 2004-06 and was followed by national and sub-regional dialogue workshops between political parties, researchers and civil society. The agenda for reform that emanated from the research and dialogue process is reflected and discussed in the report. Legislative regulation of parties, women's' participation, funding of political parties, party democracy and party programmes and policies that represent and reflect the preferences of the people are high on the agenda for the process ahead. { 144pp, 165x240mm, March 2007; PB, £10.00, 9185391972:9789185391974 , International IDEA } |
| POLITICAL PARTIES IN SOUTH ASIA : The Challenge of Change [K C Suri] Provides a comparative view of the conditions, roles and functioning of political parties in five countries of the South Asian region -- Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The publication builds on empirical information collected from 49 parties and addresses the challenges of politics as experienced by the key political actors themselves: the political parties. In addition, it includes practical recommendations for reforms in the party domain. { 144pp, 165x240mm, March 2007; PB, £10.00, 918539193X:9789185391936 , International IDEA } |
| PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING WITHOUT THE BBC [Alan Peacock] Eighteen years ago Professor Sir Alan Peacock made radical proposals in a report commissioned by the then Government on the future funding of the BBC. These proposals involved making subscription to the BBC voluntary but providing a fund that would finance public service broadcasting on a competitive basis. The report was widely acclaimed, as its proposals would help ensure quality programming within the context of a competitive broadcasting market. It is widely recognised that the technology is now available to make Peacock's vision a reality. In the context of the Government's review of the BBC's charter and the broadcasting regulator's review of public service broadcasting, this timely contribution once again puts the existing model of broadcasting to the test. Peacock shows how his radical ideas can now be implemented in practice. He also proposes a new corporate model for the BBC that will make it independent of the state but not fully commercial. { September 2004; PB, £10.00, 0255365659:9780255365659 , Institute of Economic Affairs } |
| RECONCILIATION AFTER VIOLENT CONFLICT : A Handbook [David Bloomfield et al (eds)] This handbook presents a range of tools that can be, and have been, employed in the design and implementation of reconciliation processes. Most of them draw on the experience of people grappling with the problems of past violence and injustice. There is no 'right answer' to the challenge of reconciliation, and so the handbook prescribes no single approach. Instead, it presents the options and methods, with their strengths and weaknesses evaluated, so that practitioners and policy-makers can adopt or adapt them, as best suits each specific context. { 177pp, 155x230mm, March 2003; PB, £20.00, 9189098919:9789189098916 , International IDEA } |
| TRADITIONAL JUSTICE & RECONCILIATION AFTER VIOLENT CONFLICT : Learning from African Experiences [International IDEA] This book presents the findings of a major comparative study examining the role played by traditional justice mechanisms in dealing with the legacy of violent conflict in Africa. It focuses on case studies of five countries -- Rwanda, Mozambique, Uganda, Sierra Leone and Burundi - that are used as the basis for outlining conclusions and options for future policy development in the related areas of post-conflict reconstruction, democracy building and development. "Traditional Justice & Reconciliation After Violent Conflict" suggests that in some circumstances traditional mechanisms can effectively complement conventional judicial systems and represent a real potential for promoting justice, reconciliation and a culture of democracy. At the same time it cautions against unrealistic expectations of traditional structures and offers a sober, evidence-based assessment of both the strengths and the weaknesses of traditional conflict management mechanisms within the broader framework of post-conflict social reconstruction efforts. The book is intended to serve both as a general knowledge resource and as a practitioner's guide for national bodies seeking to employ traditional justice mechanisms, as well as external agencies aiming to support such processes. { 203pp, 165x240mm, January 2008; PB, £10.00, 9185724289:9789185724284 , International IDEA } |
| VOTER TURNOUT IN WESTERN EUROPE SINCE 1945 : A Regional Report [Rafael Lopez Pintor & Maria Gratschew] Electoral participation is in general falling, at least as measured by voter turnout. Rising levels of public apathy or cynicism are of growing concern in both newer and older democracies, and are a particular focus of concern in Western Europe. At the same time, there are continuing obstacles and disincentives to participation that could be diminished by adapting electoral systems or encouraging easier electoral access for all. Not enough is yet known about which practical measures are effective in encouraging turnout, and which are not. Nor are the factors which breed apathy and discontent with democratic institutions themselves sufficiently understood. There are currently very few tools available to assist the informed consideration of turnout questions. To follow the world-wide Voter Turnout Database, IDEA is pleased to present this Regional Report on Turnout in Western Europe, which is timed to coincide with the 2004 elections to the European Parliament. The Report brings together an unrivalled set of data on parliamentary, presidential and European elections in the region. It amasses the information necessary to analyse the gap between turnout in national elections and European elections, on which further work is planned by IDEA. It analyses the impact of factors affecting voter turnout trends in the region generally, ranging from choice of polling day through electoral system choice to longevity of democracy. It considers the effects of compulsory voting and of the successes and limitations of the use of new technology in encouraging turnout. This Report is designed to provide all those engaged in the turnout debate with the basis for the development of new insights and policy recommendations. It is a step within IDEA's programme of work to develop practical knowledge on voter turnout. It puts forward ideas, poses questions, and tests some answers against the hard data which it provides. I hope that it will make a contribution to the continuing debate on participation and democracy. { 96pp, 210x300mm, September 2004; PB, £10.00, 918539100X:9789185391004 , International IDEA } |
| VOTER TURNOUT SINCE 1945 : A Global Report, 3rd Edition [Rafael Lopez Pintor et al] This is the most comprehensive compilation of voter turnout statistics ever published. The report includes statistics from more than 1,600 parliamentary and presidential elections in over 170 countries. Easy-to-use colour-coded tables give ready access to election turnout percentages from almost every contested national election that has taken place since the end of the Second World War. Graphs, charts and tables highlight trends in voter turnout and compare turnout between old and new democracies. Political participation in different regions is analysed and corresponding information is presented on the potential impact of literacy, a country's wealth and civil liberties on voter turnout. A colour-coded world map, showing turnout percentages from the most recent national elections, is also enclosed. In addition to the voter turnout statistics and analyses, this publication contains a thematic focus on voter registration. Voter registration is the process of exercising the franchise, and as such is a key condition of electoral participation. History shows us that the removal of barriers to registration is essential to the full exercise of a citizen's political rights. Country case studies as well as an analysis of the voter registration methods used today in the world are presented together with graphs and global information on voter registration. { 182pp, 210x295mm, March 2002; PB, £30.00, 9189098617:9789189098619 , International IDEA } |
| VOTING FROM ABROAD : The International IDEA Handbook [Andrew Ellis et al] Many constitutions guarantee the right to vote for all citizens. Yet voters who are outside their country when elections take place experience difficulties when trying to exercise this right. This is due to an absence of procedures or practical arrangements to allow for external voting. Increased migration and the spread of democracy have contributed to the growing interest in voting rights for people absent from their own country. This Handbook examines the concept of external voting, existing practices and the challenges that surround this issue. The Handbook includes detailed examples of how external voting is implemented in certain countries. In addition it provides an overview of external voting provisions in 115 countries and territories in the world, and a map illustrating the regional spread. { 278pp, 155x230mm, November 2007; PB, £20.00, 9185391662:9789185391660 , International IDEA } |
| WHEELS OF FORTUNE [Fred Harrison] It is often assumed that government intervention is required to bring to fruition large scale infrastructure projects because the large initial capital outlays such projects require must be funded from the public purse. In Wheels of Fortune, Fred Harrison shows that large scale infrastructure projects can be made self-funding. Infrastructure projects almost always bring about a large increase in the value of adjoining land. For example, it is estimated that the London Underground Jubilee Line extension increased adjoining land values by close to £3 billion. When such infrastructure projects are funded by government, they therefore involve a substantial transfer of wealth from a large number of taxpayers to a small number of property owners. Harrison argues that a fairer and more efficient means to fund infrastructure projects is to capture and use the increases in land values that they bring. { January 2006; PB, £12.50, 0255365896:9780255365895 , Institute of Economic Affairs } |
| WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT, 2ND EDITION : Beyond Numbers [Azza Karam et al] DESCRIPTION FROM 1ST EDITION: Now that women have made some inroads into this political arena, how are they impacting on it? What obstacles impede women from impacting? By what means can women overcome these obstacles? What are the strategies women can and have used to change policies and the political process through parliament? What are some of the changes that have occurred now that women are entering this traditionally male world? This book takes a closer look at these issues. Following extensive consultation with former and present women MPs, this handbook was written with the input of parliamentarians, academics and activists. With a foreword by Frene Ginwala, Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa, and case studies covering Costa Rica, Egypt, India, Jordan, Lebanon, Norway, Russia and South Africa the book gives a global perspective on women's political struggle to impact on parliamentary politics. Also gives a detailed account of ways that the rules of parliaments can be changed to better serve women and to promote issues of concern to women. { 265pp, 175x245mm, June 2006; PB, £20.00, 9185391190:9789185391196 , International IDEA } |
| YOUTH VOTER PARTICIPATION : Involving Today's Young in Tomorrow's Democracy This report is divided into four parts. Part One focuses on the unique role of elections -- and the dangers of abstention -- in a democratic society, with particular emphasis on the importance of the youth vote. Part Two describes various techniques for measuring turnout, documents the scope of the problem with comparative data in national parliamentary elections in fifteen European democracies, and analyses the reasons for low youth turnout. It also expresses the opinions and views of young people themselves through specially commissions interviews that were conducted in several countries world-wide. Part Three proposes a variety of activities on different levels available to governmental and non-governmental actors involved in drawing young citizens into the electoral arena. Finally, Part Four shows some of these strategies in action by outlining specific programmes for increasing youth participation in Chile, Russia, South Africa and the United States. { 104pp, 210x300mm, January 1999; PB, £15.00, 9189098315:9789189098312 , International IDEA } |