Volume 29, Issue 2, March-April 2024
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Seen but not partisan: Changing expectations of public servants in Westminster systems
International Review of Administrative Sciences, Ahead of Print.
Much has been written about the changing role of unelected public servants in Westminster systems of government and their relationship with elected officials and the public. However, there are no studies comparing how these three groups perceive the role, and what they expect from public servants. This article provides the findings from three surveys of public servants, politicians and the public in Canada to assess how they view the role of the public servant and how this compares to different conceptions in the academic literature. The study finds that all three groups support the principles of ministerial responsibility and non-partisanship but do not believe that public servants should be anonymous and free from public scrutiny. This raises the question of whether some aspects of the traditional public servant role can be altered while keeping others in place and suggests that advocates for altering the role of the public servant will be most successful if they focus on certain aspects while preserving others.Points for PractitionersThe principles of ministerial responsibility and public service non-partisanship are supported by the public, politicians, and public servants themselves.There is a desire among these three groups for public servants to become less anonymous, face more public scrutiny and engage more with external actors.The public and politicians’ expectations surrounding public servants’ political activities are still unclear, although a large majority of public servants believe they can be politically active outside of work.
Much has been written about the changing role of unelected public servants in Westminster systems of government and their relationship with elected officials and the public. However, there are no studies comparing how these three groups perceive the role, and what they expect from public servants. This article provides the findings from three surveys of public servants, politicians and the public in Canada to assess how they view the role of the public servant and how this compares to different conceptions in the academic literature. The study finds that all three groups support the principles of ministerial responsibility and non-partisanship but do not believe that public servants should be anonymous and free from public scrutiny. This raises the question of whether some aspects of the traditional public servant role can be altered while keeping others in place and suggests that advocates for altering the role of the public servant will be most successful if they focus on certain aspects while preserving others.Points for PractitionersThe principles of ministerial responsibility and public service non-partisanship are supported by the public, politicians, and public servants themselves.There is a desire among these three groups for public servants to become less anonymous, face more public scrutiny and engage more with external actors.The public and politicians’ expectations surrounding public servants’ political activities are still unclear, although a large majority of public servants believe they can be politically active outside of work.
‘Mind the board!’: Board efficacy, managerial role dilemmas and performance in municipally owned corporations
International Review of Administrative Sciences, Ahead of Print.
Globally, the corporatisation of local public services has gained substantive momentum over the past decades. However, there is a research gap concerning the functioning of governance bodies, particularly boards, in municipally owned corporations as hybrid organisations. In this study, analysing German municipally owned corporations, we investigate the relationship between supervisory board efficacy, as attributed by chief executive officers, and perceived organisational performance. We do not find a direct relationship; instead, we find evidence for a ‘catalyser’ relationship: board efficacy alleviates managerial role dilemmas, thus removing obstacles to organisational performance. The results imply that particular attention needs to be paid to the enhancement of competencies of board members and their collaboration. Limitations are outlined.Points for practitioners• ‘Good governance’ of hybrid organisations requires effective boards, which – albeit indirectly – ultimately result in better corporate performance.• Board efficacy alleviates managerial role dilemmas, thus removing obstacles to performance.• The results imply that particular attention needs to be paid to the enhancement of competencies of board members and their collaboration.
Globally, the corporatisation of local public services has gained substantive momentum over the past decades. However, there is a research gap concerning the functioning of governance bodies, particularly boards, in municipally owned corporations as hybrid organisations. In this study, analysing German municipally owned corporations, we investigate the relationship between supervisory board efficacy, as attributed by chief executive officers, and perceived organisational performance. We do not find a direct relationship; instead, we find evidence for a ‘catalyser’ relationship: board efficacy alleviates managerial role dilemmas, thus removing obstacles to organisational performance. The results imply that particular attention needs to be paid to the enhancement of competencies of board members and their collaboration. Limitations are outlined.Points for practitioners• ‘Good governance’ of hybrid organisations requires effective boards, which – albeit indirectly – ultimately result in better corporate performance.• Board efficacy alleviates managerial role dilemmas, thus removing obstacles to performance.• The results imply that particular attention needs to be paid to the enhancement of competencies of board members and their collaboration.
Fiscal transparency and tax morale: is the relationship shaped by perceptions of government performance and corruption?
International Review of Administrative Sciences, Ahead of Print.
The potential of fiscal transparency to improve tax morale (or the willingness to pay taxes) has been widely studied. However, the strength of the fiscal transparency-tax morale relationship may depend on how citizens perceive government performance and corruption. To probe these questions, this study draws on data from the World Values Survey Wave 7 (2017–2022), comprising 70,203 respondents from 48 countries, as well as various international governance indicators. The findings suggest that when individuals perceive more government corruption, fiscal transparency is associated with lower tax morale. In contrast, when individuals perceive better government performance, fiscal transparency has limited influence on tax morale. The results imply that the effect of fiscal transparency on tax morale is context dependent and, moreover, may backfire in countries with high levels of perceived corruption. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.Points for practitionersCitizens’ perceptions of government may influence their reactions to fiscal transparency. Efforts to boost willingness to pay taxes through greater fiscal transparency should also consider citizens’ views on government corruption.
The potential of fiscal transparency to improve tax morale (or the willingness to pay taxes) has been widely studied. However, the strength of the fiscal transparency-tax morale relationship may depend on how citizens perceive government performance and corruption. To probe these questions, this study draws on data from the World Values Survey Wave 7 (2017–2022), comprising 70,203 respondents from 48 countries, as well as various international governance indicators. The findings suggest that when individuals perceive more government corruption, fiscal transparency is associated with lower tax morale. In contrast, when individuals perceive better government performance, fiscal transparency has limited influence on tax morale. The results imply that the effect of fiscal transparency on tax morale is context dependent and, moreover, may backfire in countries with high levels of perceived corruption. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.Points for practitionersCitizens’ perceptions of government may influence their reactions to fiscal transparency. Efforts to boost willingness to pay taxes through greater fiscal transparency should also consider citizens’ views on government corruption.
Understanding and explaining populist radical right parties’ commitment to animal welfare in Western Europe
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Common sense, populism, and reactionary politics on Twitter: An analysis of populist far-right common sense narratives between 2008 and 2022
Party Politics, Ahead of Print.
Far-right parties often depict their ideas as ‘common sense’ and as self-evident, natural, just, and proper. This article examines the extent to which there is a uniform ‘far-right common sense’. Using a mixed-methods computational approach, we analysed Twitter posts mentioning ‘common sense’ from the accounts of far-right parties in the UK, France, Italy, and the USA between 2008 and 2022. Results from our comparative study suggest that uniformity in far-right constructions of common sense is limited by varying socio-economic/political contexts. Meanwhile, our analysis also opens the door for future research on the role of mainstream actors in the legitimisation of reactionary common sense narratives.
Far-right parties often depict their ideas as ‘common sense’ and as self-evident, natural, just, and proper. This article examines the extent to which there is a uniform ‘far-right common sense’. Using a mixed-methods computational approach, we analysed Twitter posts mentioning ‘common sense’ from the accounts of far-right parties in the UK, France, Italy, and the USA between 2008 and 2022. Results from our comparative study suggest that uniformity in far-right constructions of common sense is limited by varying socio-economic/political contexts. Meanwhile, our analysis also opens the door for future research on the role of mainstream actors in the legitimisation of reactionary common sense narratives.
The peace/violence nexus: Fundamental, multiple, contingent
Journal of International Political Theory, Ahead of Print.
This paper finds its point of departure in Murad Idris’s argument about peace being a fundamentally violent ideal marked by an overarching logic of constitutive aggression. It responds to this categorical statement by reconstructing four distinct variants of the peace/violence nexus, each of which involves a different type of violence, performed by a different type of agent, with a different demeanor, at different times and intervals, and in relation to a different conception of peace. There is not one peace/violence nexus but at least four. What is more, a detailed examination of these peace/violence nexuses puts into doubt their fundamental nature, if by fundamental is meant intrinsic and inescapable. It draws attention to the contingency of their becoming a social and political reality, and thereby confirms that the imbrication of peace and violence may at least theoretically—and temporarily—be avoided.
This paper finds its point of departure in Murad Idris’s argument about peace being a fundamentally violent ideal marked by an overarching logic of constitutive aggression. It responds to this categorical statement by reconstructing four distinct variants of the peace/violence nexus, each of which involves a different type of violence, performed by a different type of agent, with a different demeanor, at different times and intervals, and in relation to a different conception of peace. There is not one peace/violence nexus but at least four. What is more, a detailed examination of these peace/violence nexuses puts into doubt their fundamental nature, if by fundamental is meant intrinsic and inescapable. It draws attention to the contingency of their becoming a social and political reality, and thereby confirms that the imbrication of peace and violence may at least theoretically—and temporarily—be avoided.
Book Review: Religious Voting in Western Democracies
Party Politics, Ahead of Print.
Multilevel governance and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic literature review
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Consolidating a political dynasty: Abhishek Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress, and the 2023 panchayat elections in West Bengal
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