Refine
Has Fulltext
- yes (74)
Year of publication
- 2005 (74) (remove)
Document Type
- Postprint (74)
Language
- German (74)
Is part of the Bibliography
- no (74) (remove)
Keywords
- Deutschland (14)
- Germany (14)
- Arbeitsmarkt (11)
- Lateinamerika (9)
- Latin America (9)
- USA (9)
- European Union (8)
- Europäische Union (8)
- Internet (7)
- Militär (6)
Institute
- WeltTrends e.V. Potsdam (74) (remove)
The authors argue that the public opinion and the discourse of political elites differ significantly within the Franco-German debate on the Constitutional Treaty of the EU. Moreover, the article shows that the discussion reflects different conceptions of European politics. These differences lead to the claim that the co-operation and the leading role of Germany and France in the EU have to be re-defined. This has to occur in the context of a politicisation of European politics, which is crucial for the future of the enlarged European Union.
The Polish discourse about the European Constitution has one feature in common with the discourses of other member states: it deals with everything but the text of the Constitution Treaty itself. At its core it oscillates between the Polish striving for power in the EU and the toleration for cultural difference in Europe. The opposite of the latter has been particularly significant during the referendum debates in France and the Netherlands, which let to the rejection of the constitutional treaty.
The negative vote of the French population to the European Constitution shocked the European politics. It shifted the power constellations within the Union. By giving historical examples, the author explains that the refusal of the French population is not a new phenomenon. As a result, the article suggests to slow down the European integration process in order to prevent further setbacks.
EU-Verfassung im Härtetest
(2005)
The author discusses the failure of the EU-Constitution plebiscite in France and focuses on the different arguments brought forward in the French debate over the EU-Constitution. The draft of the Convent was a complex volume full of compromises. However, in comparison with the Treaty of Nice, it would have been a starting point for achieving a direct trans-national democracy. According to the author, the referendum only failed due to some unique plebiscite elements that were instrumentalised by governments which had overestimated themselves.
This article compares two theoretical concepts of international relations: the Soft-Powermodel by Joseph S. Nye and the Turbulence-model by James N. Rosenau. They are both trying to study the impact of the revolution in information- and communication-techniques. Although both concepts are far-reaching in their explanations there are questions in both concepts that remain unanswered. The author tries to cover these gaps by turning to the other model, respectively.
The author discusses the issue whether the internet and other electronic sources should be used for elections. Online-elections can make the electoral process not only less complex but also cheaper, thus the analysis faster and more reliable. The lower costs could, in turn, lead to a new impulse on direct-democracy-instruments. Comparing the USA, Great Britain, Germany and Switzerland the article provides information about national strategies, discourses and problems, and shows the different political and cultural settings.
The internet offers citizens new possibilities to participate in political communication by setting topics on the agenda of public discussion that are neglected by the conventional media. The article examines if and how the topics of the new emerging political public on the web differ from the topics generated by traditional media. The empirical analysis reveals that the topics are mostly the same. However, the analysis also shows that a clear separate public sphere exists that deals with topics outside the political mainstream.
Academics have been arguing about the political and social changes initiated by communication technologies for more than hundred years. Internet-politics does not have the potential to form a new digital culture of deliberation. The existing background of communication culture is a very important variable which has not been incorporated before. The author suggests five different concepts of politics based on the internet. The model of digital democracy provides a basis for exploring the interconnection between internetbased politics and change in political and communication culture. Digital democracy has the potential to make a difference in public deliberation; however, it needs concerned elites and prudent governance.
Editorial
(2005)
Internet, Macht, Politik
(2005)
Vor Jahren haben wir, die Politikwissenschaftler, politischen Wandel, der durch das Internet vermittelt wurde, meist nicht ernst genommen: Entweder schoben wir ihn in den Bereich der Kommunikationsforschung ab oder betrachteten ihn als virtuellen Annex des öffentlichen Lebens. Inzwischen gehört die Internet-und-Politik-Forschung zum „Pflicht“-Bereich der Regierungslehre und der Vergleichenden Politikwissenschaft. Politik findet heutzutage auch in der digitalen Arena statt. Das beschränkt sich keineswegs nur auf die Herstellung von Öffentlichkeit und das Abwägen von Standpunkten. Mitunter schlägt sich cyberweltlicher Schlagabtausch bereits direkt auf die politische Wirklichkeit nieder. In diesem Sinne bietet das Thema dieses WeltTrends-Heftes eine tour d’horizon digitaler Demokratie.