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Much of the research on ethnicity, development and conflict implicitly assumes that ethnic groups act collectively in pursuit of their interests. Collective political action is typically facilitated by political parties able to make credible commitments to pursue group interests. Other work, however, emphasizes the lack of political credibility as a source of adverse development outcomes. Evidence presented here uses partisan preferences across 16 Sub-Saharan African countries to distinguish these positions. The evidence is inconsistent with the credibility of party commitments to pursue collective ethnic interests: ethnic clustering of political support is less widespread than expected; members of clustered ethnic groups exhibit high rates of partisan disinterest and are only slightly more likely to express a partisan preference; and partisan preferences are more affected by factors, such as gift-giving, often associated with low political credibility. These findings emphasize the importance of looking beyond ethnicity in analyses of economic development.

Candidates --- Constituencies --- Constituency --- Decision making --- Democracies --- Democracy --- Democratic development --- Democratic process --- Democratic regimes --- Education --- Education and Society --- Educational Sciences --- Election --- Elections --- Electorate --- Governance --- Health --- Nutrition and Population --- Parliamentary Government --- Policy issues --- Political campaigns --- Political parties --- Political party --- Political systems --- Population Policies --- Public good --- Public interest --- Public services --- Social Development --- Social Inclusion & Institutions

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The Horn of Africa (HOA) is one of the most underdeveloped regions on earth. It is also one of the most conflict-ridden, insecure regions in the world. While Africa as a whole has enjoyed a trend in recent years toward reduction and termination of many of its civil wars, the HOA is the exception to the rule. Indeed, the region's prolonged armed conflicts have spread, engulfing several neighboring states in warfare and partial state collapse. While aspects of the HOA case are obviously unique, and sensitivity to context and complexity must be privileged in both analysis of and policy toward the Horn, the region's crises are not so distinct that they preclude useful comparative analysis. This paper considers conflict dynamics across the entire Horn of Africa, but devotes special attention to the case of Somalia which, because of the depth, length, and significance of its crisis, is a source of particular international concern. Because Somalia's crisis has been so protracted and has gone through several very distinct phases, it provides an opportunity to compare conflict dynamics in a single country over time.

Alliances --- Conflict --- Conflict and Development --- Conflict Resolution --- Constituencies --- Corruption --- Corruption & anticorruption Law --- Economic Development --- Economy --- Elections --- Extortion --- Foreign Aid --- Free Press --- Gangs --- Governance --- Human Rights --- Judiciary --- Law and Development --- Leadership --- National Governance --- Observers --- Organized Crime --- Patronage --- Peace & Peacekeeping --- Peacebuilding --- Piracy --- Polarization --- Political Elites --- Politics --- Post Conflict Reconstruction --- Refugees --- Risk Management --- Rule of Law --- Social Development --- Terrorism --- Violence

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"This book is an expanded version of the Clark Kerr Lectures of 2012, delivered by Neil Smelser at the University of California at Berkeley in January and February of that year. The initial exposition is of a theory of change--labeled structural accretion--that has characterized the history of American higher education, mainly (but not exclusively) of universities. The essence of the theory is that institutions of higher education progressively add functions, structures, and constituencies as they grow, but seldom shed them, yielding increasingly complex structures. The first two lectures trace the multiple ramifications of this principle into other arenas, including the essence of complexity in the academic setting, the solidification of academic disciplines and departments, changes in faculty roles and the academic community, the growth of political constituencies, academic administration and governance, and academic stratification by prestige. In closing, Smelser analyzes a number of contemporary trends and problems that are superimposed on the already-complex structures of higher education, such as the diminishing public support without alterations of governance and accountability, the increasing pattern of commercialization in higher education, the growth of distance-learning and for-profit institutions, and the spectacular growth of temporary and part-time faculty"--

HISTORY / United States / General --- Educational change --- Universities and colleges --- Administration --- Universities and colleges -- United States.. --- Universities and colleges -- Administration -- United States.. --- Educational change -- United States. --- academic administration. --- academic community. --- academic department. --- academic disciplines. --- academic freedom. --- academic stratification. --- academic. --- accountability. --- clark kerr. --- complex structures. --- contemporary trends. --- education history. --- education policy. --- education reform. --- education. --- engaging. --- higher ed leadership. --- higher education. --- history. --- part time faculty. --- political constituencies. --- public support. --- structural accretion. --- teachers and faculty. --- theory of change. --- universities. --- Administration.

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Kenya's new constitution marks a critical juncture in the nation's history. It is widely perceived, by Kenyans from all walks of life, as a new beginning. Indeed, many feel that post- independence Kenya has been characterized by centralization of political and economic power in the hands of a few, resulting in an uneven and unfair distribution of resources and corresponding access to social services; the opposite of an inclusive state. Born of the political opportunity created by the 2008 post-election violence, the constitution finally adopted, after almost a decade of unsuccessful reform attempts, presages far-reaching changes. Its vision encompasses a dramatic transformation of the Kenyan state through new accountable and transparent institutions, inclusive approaches to government and a firm focus on equitable service delivery for all Kenyans through the newly established county governments. Devolution is at the heart of the new constitution and a key vehicle for addressing spatial inequities. A more decentralized government makes eminent sense, given Kenya's diversity and experience with political use of central power. Decentralization has been increasingly seen and adopted worldwide as a guarantee against discretionary use of power by central elites as well as a way to enhance the efficiency of social service provision, by allowing for a closer match between public policies and the desires and needs of local constituencies. Kenya's constitution entrenches devolved government by guaranteeing a minimum unconditional transfer to counties under the new dispensation. The devolution train has already left the station: the challenge is to make sure it arrives at destination, safely and on time. The politics of devolution explain the high intensity of hopes and expectations that have been pinned to it. It also means there are high risks if they are disappointed. There are great opportunities and enormous challenges waiting for Kenya, in a critical election year, which will determine the fate of the country, politically and economically for years to come. This report takes a snapshot look at the critical issues facing Kenya's policy makers today. It does not argue for or against devolution (a decision that belongs solely to Kenyans), but presents suggestions and recommendations on how best to navigate the tough choices ahead. It's main focus in on helping Kenya manage a delicate transition.

Accountability --- Accounting --- Autonomy --- Capacity Building --- Cities --- Civil Service --- Constituencies --- Corruption --- Corruption & anticorruption Law --- Decentralization --- Decision Making --- Elections --- Electricity --- Employment --- Financial Management --- Governance --- Housing --- Intergovernmental Relations --- Law and Development --- Leadership --- Legal Framework --- Legislation --- Municipal Financial Management --- Municipalities --- Natural Resources --- Parliamentary Government --- Patronage --- Penalties --- Property Taxes --- Public Health --- Public Sector Development --- Public Sector Management and Reform --- Roads --- Tax Administration --- Transparency --- Transport --- Urban Areas --- Urban Development --- Urbanization --- Violence --- Wages

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This paper deals with the effect of constitutional rules on agricultural policy outcomes in a panel of observations for more than 70 developing and developed countries in the 1955-2005 period. Testable hypotheses are drawn from recent developments in the comparative politics literature that see political institutions as key elements in shaping public policies. Using differences-in-differences regressions we find a positive effect of a transition into democracy on agricultural protection. However, this average effect masks substantial heterogeneities across different forms of democracy. Indeed, what matters are transitions to proportional democracies, as well as to permanent democracies. Moreover, while the author does not detect significant differences across alternative forms of government (presidential versus parliamentary systems), there is some evidence that the effect of proportional election is exacerbated under parliamentary regimes, and diminished under presidential ones.

Accountability --- Agricultural Sector Economics --- Agriculture --- Civil Liberties --- Constituencies --- Corruption & anticorruption Law --- Democracies --- Economic Liberalization --- Economics --- Elections --- Employment --- Fiscal Policy --- Gdp --- Governance --- Interest Groups --- Labor Market --- Labor Policies --- Law and Development --- Leadership --- Legislation --- Legislative Process --- Macroeconomics and Economic Growth --- Political Economy --- Political Institutions --- Political Science --- Politics and Government --- Poverty and Trade --- Property Rights --- Protectionism --- Public Policy --- Separation of Powers --- Social Protections and Labor --- Trade Liberalization --- Trade Policy --- Voting