Political Science

"Climate change is a major political concern in the Philippines and on top of the agenda for bi- and multilateral donors. For mitigation efforts, support for renewable energies (RE) is a focal point of current activities. Donors focus either on advice for policy and implementation or on demonstration projects for RE technologies. Within these categories similar projects are currently being implemented by a variety of donor agencies (such as GIZ, USAID, the EU or ADB). These activities run parallel with only little coordination. Furthermore, not only the donor landscape itself, but even single donor countries’ strategies become fragmented: The German GIZ conducts RE support activities with funding from the German Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) as well as from the Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi).
This paper takes RE support in the Philippines as an example to discuss a fundamental research questions: What are the positive and negative effects of a diversified development cooperation landscape in the case of renewable energy support in the Philippines? This paper will show that the process diversification has both positive and negative effects on the projects’ overall effects: On the one hand, the Philippines benefit from competition with regard to national policy advice, but need to decide what is best to be adapted to their country-specific context. On the other hand, parallel small scale demonstration projects suffer from the same mistakes that should already be known among donors. These activities could be more effective with a stronger Philippine coordination. New actors (such as the BMU) enter the field of development cooperation and need additional communication, but they can also fill gaps, that will otherwise not be covered.
This qualitative research will be based on document analysis and semi-structured expert interviews with development cooperation experts and partners in the Philippines. It aims not only to draw a detailed empirical picture of RE support in the Philippines, but also discuss the broader lines of a diversified development cooperation landscape with its negative and positive effects."

"Since 2011, at the latest, the issue of “Energiewende” has become a major political topic in Germany. The promotion of renewable energies, nuclear phase-out, grid expansion and other issues are related to an “Energiewende” that summarizes a normative concept of the transition towards a sustainable energy system.  Although  the  term  Energiewende  exists  since  the  early  1980s,  it  has  become  increasingly important and of higher public concern over the last years – with actions for sustainable energy systems all over the world.

What do these energy transitions look like? What are the driving forces behind? What are the barriers to be overcome? Which actors play a role? What are their instruments? Who is pursuing which interests?

This seminar takes  these questions as  a  starting  point  to  explore  the  current status of  Energiewende around the world – focusing on Europe and selected countries around the world. The course will start with the German Energiewende setting and theoretical implications from political science. We will then have a closer look at case studies from European and other countries. Differences and similarities will be discussed to provide an outlook at the end of the seminar.

This seminar aims to tackle the topic of Energiewende in a comparative way, raise awareness for the complexity  of  the  issues  and  demonstrate  best  practices  as  well  as  barriers  for  its  political implementation. We will also look at the Energiewende in the context of a sustainability transition of the society. "

"This article aims to assess the genuine engagement of Sistani and Sadr with democratic principles and the ways they have negotiated these alongside their Shia religiosity. Building on
earlier work by the author, this paper aims to address this lacuna by closely examining Iraqi democracy.18 It also seeks to examine the consequences that the actions of Sistani and Sadr have had for the wider political situation across the nation, especially in the wake of the current political impasse that has emerged in Iraq since the March 2010 elections. In order to achieve these goals, this paper will examine in detail the political rhetoric, campaigns, media, religious edicts and political jockeying of these two critical Shia religio-political figures. It seeks to address whether such moves are indicative of a genuine shift towards democracy or a cynical use of majoritarianism to seize power; are they despots or democrats?"

This book traces the history of the Political Studies Association since its foundation in 1950, drawing on archival sources and interviews.  It places the story of the Association within the context of the development of the discipline of politics in UK.  In turn this is related to developments on higher education policy.

The European Court of Human Rights is the people's institution of last resort when their rights and liberties have been violated by State Parties. Any change in its structure and operation must therefore be sanctioned by the people by referendum. The following is the people's view of how the Court must be reformed so it can remain effective in the face of an onslaught of applications, an increase that gives clear indication of deteriorating conditions in the social and legal fabric of Europe.