1,721,007 research outputs found
Isaiah Berlin's value pluralism. Redifining theory to improve democratic practice
No full textIsaiah Berlins humanistic liberalism is still an influential theory and an implacable antidote against extremism and fanaticism in all their guises. The author of this article notes that one of the main contributions of this theoretician born 100 years ago consists in gaining awareness that there is a multiplicity of values in plural societies which cannot be reduced to a single principle, or a universal permanent combination of values applicable to all individuals and all practical cases. However, Berlins defence of value pluralism is in no way a gratuitous concession to relativism or scepticism. Without a doubt, there is a role reserved for reason in moral conflicts. However, reasonable discrimination between values is much more contextdependent,
even on an individual scale, than what moral, political or religious rationalist conceptions assume
Why language(s) matter to people: a theoretical and comparative approach to linguistic justice in western democracies : the case of mixed societies
No full textThis dissertation examines two ideological clashes underlying contemporary political theories of linguistic justice (instrumentalism/constitutivism; monism/pluralism) with the aim to elucidate (a) why languages matter to people, in terms of communication and identity-related interests, and (b) how these interests work in mixed societies, where members of different language groups live intermingled. It combines theoretical analysis and empirical evidence obtained through the study of 112 linguistic regulations adopted in western democracies. First, it critically analyzes current theories. Second, it contributes a typology of valued ends for language policies and a comparison of their uses in language acts. Finally, it develops the concept of mixed society, identifies and characterizes some cases and suggests lines of suitable language policies for them. The thesis concludes that linguistically plural societies require pluralist solutions, grounded both on communicative and identity interests, and argues that in mixed societies policies should foster a reciprocal bilingualism, sustainable over time, to favor fair conditions of choice.Aquesta tesi examina dos conflictes ideològics subjacents en les teories polítiques contemporànies de la justícia lingüística (instrumentalisme/constitutivisme; monisme/pluralisme) amb l’objectiu d’elucidar (a) per què les llengües importen les persones, en termes d’interessos de comunicació i identitat; (b) com aquests interessos funcionen en societats mixtes, on conviuen membres de diferents grups lingüístics. La tesi combina l’anàlisi teòrica amb l’evidència empírica obtinguda de l’estudi de 112 lleis lingüístiques adoptades en les democràcies occidentals. Primer, fa una anàlisi crítica de les teories actuals. Després, aporta una tipologia d’objectius valuosos per a les polítiques lingüístiques i compara com els utilitzen les lleis. Finalment, desenvolupa el concepte de societat mixta, n’identifica i en caracteritza casos i hi suggereix línies de polítiques lingüístiques adequades. Conclou que les societats lingüísticament plurals requereixen solucions pluralistes, basades tant en interessos comunicatius com d’identitat, i argumenta que en les societats mixtes convé promoure un bilingüisme recíproc, sostenible en el temps, per afavorir condicions equitatives de tria.Programa de doctorat en Ciències Polítiques i Social
Republicanism and secession: a normative analysis
No full textThis dissertation, structured as a collection of three articles, aims to answer the following question: which kind of right to secede from a modern democratic state, if any, can be acknowledged from a democratic republican point of view? The first article shows that secession conflicts pose threats for democratic republican principles (particularly, freedom and inclusion), which no current theory of right of secession (TRS) overcomes. The second article finds that a constitutional right of secession, like Quebec's one, could minimize those threats because of its non-unilateral nature, but that its limitation to constitutional law undermines this potentiality. Finally, the third article develops a democratic republican TRS based on a multilateral right of secession for any democratic secessionist community, coupled with a multilateral right to unity for its democratic host state. The international democratic community would arbitrate and monitor any secession conflict according to this framework.Aquesta tesi, estructurada en tres articles, mira de respondre la següent pregunta: quin tipus de dret a la secessió respecte d'un estat democràtic modern, si algun, es pot reconèixer des d'un punt de vista republicano-democràtic? El primer article mostra que els conflictes de secessió comporten amenaces pels principis republicano-democràtics (particularment, llibertat i inclusió), que cap de les actuals teories del dret de secessió (TRS) confronta amb èxit. El segon article argumenta que un dret constitucional de secessió, com el del Quebec, podria minimitzar, pel seu caràcter no-unilateral, aquestes amenaces; però que la seva limitació al dret constitucional mina aquesta potencialitat. Finalment, el tercer article desenvolupa una TRS republicano-democràtica, basada en un dret multilateral de secessió per a qualsevol comunitat secessionista democràtica, juntament amb un dret multilateral a la unitat per al seu Estat matriu democràtic. La comunitat democràtica internacional arbitraria i controlaria qualsevol conflicte de secessió d'acord amb aquest marc.Programa de doctorat en Ciències Polítiques i Social
The political transnationalism of immigrant associations in Barcelona
No full textAquesta tesi vol respondre a dos preguntes fonamentals en l'àrea de recerca de la migració transnacional: s'impliquen els immigrants en el transnacionalisme polític? I, quins són els factors determinants del seu activisme polític transnacional ? Per respondre a la primera qüestió, comparo el nivell d'activisme polític transnacional d'una mostra d'associacions de diferents orígens immigrants a Barcelona. Per contestar a la segona, centro l'atenció en possibles factors determinants a dos nivells, meso i macro. La tesis demostra que l'activisme polític transnacional no està generalitzat entre totes les associacions a Barcelona, que presenta un nivell relativament baix de regularitat, i que generalment es desenvolupa al nivell nacional. També demostra que la necessitat d'examinar l'efecte del context de sortida i, més en concret, l'estructura d'oportunitats polítiques del país d'origen sobre el transnacionalisme polític de les associacions d'immigrants. Altres determinants a nivell meso, com les xarxes socials o les fonts de finançament semblen explicar la variació en l'activisme polític transnacional de les associacions d'immigrants.This thesis addresses two fundamental questions in the transnational migration research field: whether or not all immigrants engage in political transnationalism? And which are the main determinants of their transnational political activism? To answer the first research question, I specifically compare different degrees of transnational political engagement of various national/ethnic origin immigrant associations in Barcelona. To answer the second research question, I focus on meso- and macro- levels determinants. The thesis demonstrates that transnational political engagement is not generalised among all immigrant associations in Barcelona, presents a relatively low level of regularity, and is generally nationally based. It also demonstrates the importance of studying the effect of the exit context and, in particular, of the political opportunity structure in home country on the political transnationalism of immigrant associations. Meso- level determinants like social networks and sources of funds also seem to explain the variance in immigrant associations' transnational political engagement.Programa de doctorat en Ciències Polítiques i Social
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
Suïssa: multilingüe però mononacional - Anàlisi i explicació d’un cas singular
Full text linkThis chapter explores how statehood and patterns of collective identity have historically evolved in Switzerland and how they are interacting in the contemporary Swiss system. It shows that a sense of Swiss nationhood emerged before the creation of a Swiss federal state in 1848 and that it survived the pressures of 'linguistic nationalism' in the latter part of the 'long' XIX century to become fully consolidated in the XX century. While many features of the Swiss system today reflect the multi-lingual nature of its society, they also show rather clearly that Switzerland is not a multi-national federation. Subsequently, the chapter offers an explanation of why Switzerland, despite being multi-lingual and multi-cultural, has not become multinational, by arguing that this is best explained by a complex interaction over a long period of time of a unique set of factors, both internal and external. The chapter then considers the challenges likely to face the Swiss system in the mid-term and concludes by arguing that the characteristics of Swiss society and the strengths of its federal political architecture will likely enable it to remain mono-national in the foreseeable future
Multi-lingual but Mono-national: Exploring and Explaining Switzerland’s Exceptionalism
No full textThis chapter explores how statehood and patterns of collective identity have historically evolved in Switzerland and how they are interacting in the contemporary Swiss system. It shows that a sense of Swiss nationhood emerged before the creation of a Swiss federal state in 1848 and that it survived the pressures of 'linguistic nationalism' in the latter part of the 'long' XIX century to become fully consolidated in the XX century. While many features of the Swiss system today reflect the multi-lingual nature of its society, they also show rather clearly that Switzerland is not a multi-national federation. Subsequently, the chapter offers an explanation of why Switzerland, despite being multi-lingual and multi-cultural, has not become multinational, by arguing that this is best explained by a complex interaction over a long period of time of a unique set of factors, both internal and external. The chapter then considers the challenges likely to face the Swiss system in the mid-term and concludes by arguing that the characteristics of Swiss society and the strengths of its federal political architecture will likely enable it to remain mono-national in the foreseeable future
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
La integració supranacional: el repte d'explicar els diferents nivells de transferència de sobirania dels distints continents
Full text linkEn este trabajo se investigan las causas de los diferentes niveles de transferencia de soberanía entre las distintas zonas integradas. Se postula que las teorías tradicionales son capaces de explicar los orígenes de la Unión Europea, pero, estando diversos de los mismos factores "propicios a la integración" presentes en otras uniones, no explican el progreso bastante limitado del resto de las asociaciones. Se propone que existe una gama de obstáculos que contrarresta los efectos de los motores detrás de la integración, definida por medio de siete variables. Tres de ellas pertenecen al ámbito 'nacional': la voluntad popular, consideraciones políticas y la confianza interestatal/legalidad extra-estatal; y cuatro al campo 'individual': la duración media de una vida política, la existencia de dinastías, la corrupción, y la ideología (anti-)federalista. Después de un análisis profundo de susodichas variables, se saca la conclusión que los estorbos en el camino a la integración fueron de poca importancia en Europa en comparación con el resto de las uniones.Programa de doctorat en Ciències Polítiques i Social
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