Populism and Liberal Democracy: Populists in Government in Austria, Italy, Poland and Switzerland

The enduring electoral success of populist parties across Europe and the increasing opportunities they have gained to access government in recent years bring once more into relief the question of whether populism and democracy are fully compatible. In this article we show how, despite playing different roles in government within very different political systems, and despite the numerous constraints placed upon them (for instance, EU membership, international law and domestic checks and balances), populist parties consistently pursued policies that clashed with fundamental tenets of liberal democracy. In particular, the idea that the power of the majority must be limited and restrained, the sanctity of individual rights and the principle of the division of powers have all come under threat in contemporary Europe. This has contributed to the continuing erosion of the liberal consensus, which has provided one of the fundamental foundations of the European project from its start.

Liberal and Radical Democracies: The Swiss Cantons Compared

This article examines the widespread hypothesis that German-speaking Swiss cantons exhibit radical-democratic characteristics, while the Latin cantons possess stronger liberal-representative democratic profiles. Empirical and multi-dimensional measuring of the quality of democracy in the cantons shows that this hypothesis does not do the complexity of cantonal democracy justice. Today’s position of the cantons along the axes of liberal and radical democracy is best explained with reference to the strong liberal and democratic constitutional movements within the cantons during the middle of the 19th century.

Political Sociology of Islam Integration: the Role of Liberal Law

In Europe and North America, migration and integration has become a busy subfield of political sociology. Of particular interest in this respect is the integration of Muslims and Islam, which has dominated the debate in Europe. Broadly conceived «political opportunity structures» have received much attention in this context. But the role of liberal law in the integration of Islam has been largely ignored, not by lawyers of course, but by political sociologists who have thus delivered far too negative and truncated pictures of Muslims and Islam in Europe. This is the deficit we sought to redress in Legal Integration of Islam; A Transatlantic Comparison (2013) (co-authored with John Torpey). Some of this study’s main ideas and findings are presented in the following.

Langfristig sinnvoll: Digitale Nachhaltigkeit fuer die vierte industrielle Revolution

Ende des 18. Jahrhunderts veraenderte die Dampfmaschine den Transportsektor, die Produktion und viele andere Bereiche der Wirtschaft grundlegend. Aufgrund der Erfindung der Spinnmaschinen konnte die Garnproduktion um ein Vielfaches erhoeht werden, mit Wasser und Dampf konnten Webmaschinen betrieben werden, der Wohlstand der Bevoelkerung wuchs. Gleichzeitig verloren viele Arbeiter ihre Jobs als Spinner, Weber oder Faerber, es gab Proteste und Aufstaende. Nach dieser ersten industriellen Revolution folgte mit der Elektrifizierung Ende 19. Jahrhundert die zweite Revolution. Wieder gewann die Gesellschaft als Ganzes an Wohlstand, aber viele Menschen verloren ihr Einkommen. Die dritte industrielle Revolution folgte Ende des 20. Jahrhunderts mit den Informationstechnologien. Und nur wenig spaeter befinden wir uns bereits an der Schwelle zur vierten industriellen Revolution, der Vernetzung physischer und digitaler Systeme.

Revolution to Revolution: Tracing Egyptian Public Art from Saad Zaghloul to January 25

Artists have spent a century claiming Egypt for the Egyptians. Now the powerful murals of January 25 have created a new public space dedicated to every citizen.