46622 research outputs found
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Deep Contestations of the Liberal International Order
No full textThe book analyses the contested nature of the Liberal International Order (LIO) by distinguishing between ‘normal’ contestations, which constitute routine engagement with norms, and ‘deep’ contestations, which challenge the order’s core principles and institutions. It identifies deep contestations in recent events, such as Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and Trump’s attacks on the rule-based international economic system, revealing the LIO’s vulnerabilities. The volume argues that these challenges stem from inherent contradictions and unfulfilled promises, including intrusiveness without inclusiveness, persistent inequalities, and incapacity to address global governance crises such as climate change. It further highlights the role of the ‘axis of autocracies’, notably Russia and China, and their alliances with right-wing populism within liberal democracies, in destabilising the order. Ultimately, the book assesses the LIO’s resilience, projecting scenarios for its future and stressing its survival as contingent on its ability to adapt and reform
Critical Political Theory
No full textHow can political theory strengthen democracy and emancipatory social change while remaining critical of its own norms and foundations? How can it confront populist movements that claim to defend democracy but in fact advance authoritarian agendas? Oliver Flügel-Martinsen engages with key thinkers of the political – among them M. Foucault, J. Derrida, C. Lefort, C. Mouffe, I. M. Young, J. Rancière, W. Brown, R. Geuss, A. Mbembe, and J. Butler – to address these challenges. Revisiting truth-skeptical approaches, neoliberal hegemony, exclusions in the name of an essentialist understanding of the people, and global injustices, he explores how critical theory can help us escape the present in working toward a different future
African Livestock Genetic Resources and Sustainable Breeding Strategies
No full textThis open access book is a rich resource that chronicles the abundant livestock genetic resources in Africa. Organized in five sections, the chapters trace special productive and adaptive attributes of African livestock breeds, past breed improvement efforts, capacity building and strategies to effective utilization of available genetic resources in the era of modern technologies. The authors cover major farm animal groups as well as dromedaries, rabbits and grasscutters. In view of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (in particular SDG 2, Zero Hunger, and SDG 15, Life on Land), the purpose of this volume is to catalogue opportunities that can be leveraged with available technologies and technical knowhow for achieving rapid genetic gain and improved livestock productivity in Africa. It fosters the utilization of genetic resources and the protection of indigenous livestock biodiversity. Natural selection and humans have generated genetically diverse breeds of domesticated farm animals which can significantly contribute to the livelihoods of millions of Africans today. Africa’s indigenous livestock are particularly hardy and well-adapted to local production contexts, having evolved adaptations to the continent’s diverse climatic conditions and environmental pressures. In spite of the wealth of desirable genetic traits, however, some of Africa’s iconic and lesser-known livestock are disappearing at an alarming rate. Moreover, despite increasing recognition of what this diversity portends, little has been done to understand and optimally harness the full potential of these genetic resources. By combining scientific basis and practical instructions, this work is a valuable manual for a diverse readership, including students, researchers, livestock farmers, livestock and non-governmental organizations, policy makers and business professionals who want to understand the uniqueness of African livestock genetic resources, production systems and strategies for sustainable improvement for the African environment
Trust, Responsibility, and Digital Governance
No full textNumerous ethical guidelines and regulatory frameworks have been developed to assess and shape digital systems. However, these efforts often rest on the dubious assumption that individuals and organisations possess the necessary capacities to assess such systems in terms of justice, reliability, and other normative standards – especially given the growing complexity and corresponding opacity of many digital models. This issue is therefore of central importance to both legal and ethical debates surrounding AI and digital systems in general. The contributors to this volume propose a new approach to digital governance to enhance the capacity to evaluate and shape digital systems
Connecting Philosophy and Public Administration
No full textThis open access book provides a novel framework for understanding the connections between philosophy and public administration. It proposes four key directions of inquiry to help better understand the relationship between these two areas of research and practice: philosophy for public administration, mapping backwards, aligning philosophy and public administration, and philosophy of public administration. Each of these directions of inquiry are analyzed in turn, underlining the functions that philosophy applied to public administration perform, and the ways in which philosophy and philosophical thinking can benefit the development of public administration and governance. A research program outlining the features of a philosophy of public administration for the 21st century is delineated. An essential read for both academics and practitioners, the book will appeal to all those interested in public administration, public management, governance, and philosophy