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Who Wants to Deliberate with Politicians? More than Some Expected, Study Finds

By Guest PostApril 8, 2011Culture, Politicsamerican public, citizens hate politics, congress, conventional wisdom, david lazer, deeply misleading, deliberative democracy, democrats, digital government program, michael neblo, political corruption, political discourse, republicans, stealth democracy

Conventional wisdom suggests that average citizens hate politics, loathe hyper-partisan gridlock, balk at voting even in presidential election years and are, incidentally, woefully ill-informed.

Given that, the thinking goes, it’s reasonable to conclude that citizens want less, not more, involvement in politics.

But that widely accepted theory does not survive empirical scrutiny, a team of researchers that includes a University of Colorado Boulder political scientist found. (more…)

Did Obama’s Election Kill the Antiwar Movement?

By Guest PostApril 6, 2011Politicsafghanistan, americans, anti-obama attitudes, anti-republican, anti-republican sentiments, antiwar movement, antiwar protests, capitol hill, Chicago, congress, critical mass, d c, democratic party, democrats, election, fabio rojas, Iraq, libya, michael heaney, new york, Obama, political system, presidency, pro-war decisions, radical political attitudes, republicans, united states, war, Washington

ANN ARBOR, Mich.— Since 2003, the antiwar movement in the United States has had much to protest with Americans fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan and now Libya, but the movement—which has dropped off sharply the past two years—may be more anti-Republican than antiwar, says a University of Michigan researcher.

A new study by U-M’s Michael Heaney and colleague Fabio Rojas of Indiana University shows that the antiwar movement in the United States demobilized as Democrats, who had been motivated to participate by anti-Republican sentiments, withdrew from antiwar protests when the Democratic Party achieved electoral success, first with Congress in 2006 and then with the presidency in 2008. (more…)

Web Use Doesn’t Encourage Belief in Poltical Rumors, But E-mail Does

By Guest PostMarch 9, 2011Culture, Politics, Technologyalaska, Barack Obama, e mail, Facebook, factcheck, harmful consequences, internet communication, kelly garrett, mayor, mccain-palin, muslim, obama-biden, online sources, political information, political rumors, presidential election, rumor-mongering, Sarah Palin, telephone survey, Twitter, use of the internet, vicious feedback loop, wasilla

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Despite the fears of some, a new study suggests that use of the internet in general does not make people more likely to believe political rumors.

However, one form of internet communication – e-mail – does seem to have troubling consequences for the spread and belief of rumors.

“I think a lot of people will be surprised to learn that using the internet doesn’t necessarily promote belief in rumors. Many people seem to think that’s self-evident,” said R. Kelly Garrett, author of the study and assistant professor of communication at Ohio State University. (more…)

Brazil Continues to Celebrate After Carnival

By Guest PostMarch 8, 20112 commentsPoliticsArgentina, brazil, brazil and the united states, brazilian steel industry, bridge, carnivals, coffee trade, cold war, cultural difference, diamonds, Economy, Europe, footballers, Germany, joseph smith, language barriers, major global power, popular world view, portuguese, president roosevelt, rio branco, russia, south america, spanish speaking countries, sugar industry, superpower, united states, usa, world war two

The popular world view of Brazil may be triggered by thoughts of spectacular Carnivals and skilled footballers, yet the country is also determined to be regarded as a major global power.

The most comprehensive historical review of Brazilian relations with superpower USA has been written by a University of Exeter historian and identifies how the relationship has developed over the last 200 years. (more…)

Political Narratives On Race, Southern Identity Influence National Elections

By Guest PostMarch 8, 2011Politicsafrican american, american south, americans, christina moss, democratic party, democrats, factor, god fearing, Obama, political power, President Obama, racial prejudice, regionalism, republicans, southern states, white voters, zell miller

New research from North Carolina State University shows how attempts to define the South by Republicans and Democrats may have set the stage for President Obama’s victories in Southern states – and shaped the way Americans view themselves.

“Every presidential election is a chance to discuss what it means to be American,” says Dr. Christina Moss, teaching assistant professor of communication at NC State and author of a paper on the research. “The South garnered a great deal of attention in the 2004 election season, and the narratives from that election may provide clues to Obama’s success in 2008.” (more…)

Harmful Illusions Bedevil Ideas About Free Markets and Imprisonment, UChicago Professor Writes

By Guest PostMarch 5, 2011Economy, Politicsbernard harcourt, civic values, economic exchange, economic transgressions, free market system, free markets, freedom, french thinkers, friedrich hayek, government interference, hyper regulated grain market, incarceration, jeremy bentham, julius kreeger professor, logic of neoliberal penality, notion, Paris, penitentiary, philadelphia, physiocrats, political sphere, prison, ronald reagan, the rule of nature, united states

The United States prizes freedom above most other civic values, yet Bernard Harcourt believes the notion is widely misunderstood and inconsistently applied.

Freedom from government interference is a key tenet of the free market system that the United States champions, but Harcourt notes that Americans expect vigorous government action in imprisoning criminals. The result is a deep inconsistency, he argues, for even as the United States preaches freedom in the marketplace, it maintains the world’s highest incarceration rate. (more…)

What is Going to Happen to Cuba After Fidel?

By PravdaMarch 3, 2011Politicsamerican hegemony, anti american, arab world, brain hemorrhage, colon cancer, comandante, communist party of cuba, Cuba, cuban revolution, egyptian people, evo morales, Fidel Castro, fulgencio batista, granma, historic event, hosni mubarak, Hugo Chavez, marcelo fernandes, raul castro, rumors

In the coming days a historic event can happen in Cuba. The leader of the revolution, 84-year-old Fidel Castro is likely to leave the last of his posts as the leader of the Communist Party of Cuba.

According to a source in the Cuban party elite, the organization will be headed by the 79-year-old brother of the Comandante Raul Castro. So far, he served as the second secretary of the party. It is assumed that the legal registration of the changes in the party leadership will occur in April. At the same time it is not clear who will be the second secretary in place of Raul. There are no candidates among the relatives of the legendary brothers. (more…)

Egypt Slaps Ban on Mubarak, His Family and Freezes His Assets

By PravdaFebruary 28, 2011Politicsala, egypt, gamal, hosni mubarak, middle east, popular revolt, suzanne

Egypt on Monday slapped a ban on ousted president Hosni Mubarak and his family travelling abroad, and also imposed a freeze on their assets, judicial officials said.

Besides Mubarak, who resigned on February 11 following weeks of protests, the decision also applied for his wife Suzanne, his two sons Ala and Gamal, and their wives, according to the same source, AFP reports. (more…)

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