1,720,990 research outputs found
Trailblazer devolution deals: he next oxymoron in the policy litany of sub-national governance in England?
No full textHere, we examine the continuing UK centralising trend for local government in England and the effects of changing accountabilities through the pathway of devolution narratives. We set out the key characteristics of policy change since 1992 and then analyse the most recently announced model Trailblazer Devolution Deals (TDD) single settlements for Mayoral Combined Authorities announced in the UK Budget 2023. We consider how far these TDD confer more devolution on CAs through the proposed creation of a single settlement for an integrated budget within the context of two previous government initiatives that were focused on the same approach, Government Offices for the Regions (GoRs) (1994–2010) and Total Place (2009–2011). We consider what occurred in practice and reflect on their demise as examples of institutions established by the UK government’s approach to transitional territorialism. We conclude with the view that these initiatives represent devolution in name only (DINO).</p
Falling short? English Devolution Policy, OECD evidence and constitutional change
No full textThe Labour Government’s English Devolution Policy (EDP) as set out in the English Devolution White Paper Power and Partnership: Foundations for Growth (EDWP) and the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (EDCE Bill) adds further complexity to the already asymmetric devolution settlement across the UK. Here, we assess this devolution policy against two key objectives set by the EDWP. First it claims to create a long-term constitutional settlement for England which will address the constitutional gap in sub-national delegation apparent since the 1998 UK devolution settlement. Second, the government objective is for growth, as set out in the Prime Minister’s Growth Mission and Plan for Change. To achieve both objectives, the EDWP purports to rely on evidence from the OECD on the conditions within which sub-national territories can achieve growth and contribute to national GDP. The article examines how far the proposed reforms of sub-national government in England Devolution Policy actually reflect the evidence of the OECD research. It finds the EDP only partially reflects OECD guidance, suggesting that the impact of EDP on both democratic and economic objectives will be limited
Centralised by design: anglocentric constitutionalism, accountability and the failure of English devolution
No full textThe Labour manifesto in this year's election implied a radical restructuring of the UK state, the way in which England is governed and in relations across the United Kingdom. The aim of making English devolution the ‘default option’ is set against fifty years of unsuccessful and partial devolution initiatives which have failed to reverse the accretion of power in the central UK state. Centralisation can be seen as the consequence of an Anglocentric constitutionalism which vests power in the centre, underpins England's fragmented departmental governance and where accountability mechanisms flow to HM Treasury. Labour's success will reflect its willingness to challenge these constitutional assumptions, which are deeply embedded in the culture, practice and structures of Westminster and Whitehall. Successful devolution will require breaking the chains of accountability that tie local spending decisions to the centre and placing devolved English local government on a stronger constitutional basis
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Any more re-centralising actions taken by Boris Johnson in response to the 2021 elections may be the seeds of his downfall
No full textThe Prime Minister’s poll approval ratings improved from a very low point when he introduced local vaccination programmes rather than when he introduced centralised test and trace and PPE approaches. Janice Morphet writes that Boris Johnson should learn from this, and other recent developments, in offering more devolution
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Regionalism, Devolution and Infrastructure
Full text linkThe relationship between devolution, regions and infrastructure is at the core of much of the current discussion about 'levelling up' in the UK. The lack of investment in infrastructure, together with centralised control over project investment, is a longstanding issue that
is causing continuing frustration for sub-national politicians, even those supporting the same political party as the government. This article examines the nature of these relationships over the past and more recent period, considering both the devolved nations and the absence of devolution
in England. It considers the role that infrastructure has in regional development and in centralised state control, and its consequences for economic growth. It highlights that the UK, unlike any other EU member state, has no national development or infrastructure plan. The cultural politics
of 'levelling up', it argues, therefore remain set in a centralised state with no mechanisms for specific interventions to make social, economic and physical differences to localities that are left behind
Beyond Brexit: how the OECD could replace the EU as a driver of UK public policy
No full textThe EU has had a major role in shaping UK public policy since the country’s accession in 1973. Janice Morphet writes that with this influence set to end following Brexit, it is an open question as to how policy will be shaped in the UK in the years to come. She suggests that a different international organisation, the OECD, could help fill the vacuum created
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