Democratic Federation Research Articles

Multinational Democratic Federations: Comparing India with Multi-level Systems from the Global North

In this article, we compare the Indian experience with that of some of the multinational and multi-level polities from the Global North, namely Belgium, Canada, Spain and the United Kingdom. We first summarize the essence of multinationalism. Drawing from our comparative examples of the Global North we then show how dominant narratives of state nationalism condition the extent to which the state can accommodate plurinational difference through self-rule, shared rule and ethno-symbolic recognition within these states, and then compare and contrast this with the Indian experience. Despite the stickiness of elite narratives on the meaning of the state during state formation and democratization, we highlight the ability of electoral competition to push multi-level politics into a more accommodative or majoritarian direction. We illustrate this with reference to India including the 2024 General Election Outcome.

A Geometric Model of Elections in Five Federal Democracies

Abstract In an analysis of 1,825 state or provincial election outcomes in five federal democracies the rate of decay of incumbency (K) serves to partition the distribution of the vote for the incumbent party, the party of the head of government, between those who win a subsequent term and those who do not. In conjunction with the mean and standard deviation of the distribution, the weighted mean of the vote in re-election and defeat is identified. The model’s predictions are generally within 2–3 percentage points of the actual outcome.

Democratic Federalism: The Economics, Politics, and Law of Federal Governance, by Robert P. Inman and Daniel L. Rubinfeld

Democratic Federalism: The Economics, Politics, and Law of Federal Governance, by Robert P. Inman and Daniel L. Rubinfeld

A Comparative Analysis of The Doctrine of Judicial Review in India, US And UK

The present work undertakes a comprehensive investigation and comparative assessment of the doctrine of judicial review in the nation of India, the US, and the United Kingdom. Judicial review is a legal principle that empowers the judiciary to scrutinise and invalidate actions undertaken by both the legislative and executive wings of government which are inconsistent with the constitution and violate fundamental rights. The study begins by examining the historical evolution of the doctrine of judicial review in each country, highlighting the differences and similarities in the legal framework and constitutional provisions that underpin the doctrine. The study thereafter evaluates the implementation of the doctrine of judicial review in every country, with a specific emphasis on the judiciary's role, the extent of review, and the criteria for review. This study will provide a thorough examination of judicial review within India, including the necessary procedures, in order to offer a clear and concise understanding of the concept. This analysis will include the historical background, aim, and extent of judicial review within the Indian legal system. The study also examines the influence of the doctrine of judicial review in each country on the division of powers, democratic governance, and the safeguarding of basic rights. The text examines the difficulties and constraints associated with the notion of judicial review in different countries and proposes suggestions for enhancing its effectiveness. In addition, the study will analyse the present condition of judicial review within each of the three nations, and will investigate the challenges and issues now confronting the idea in each country. The paper concludes by doing a comparative examination of the idea of judicial review within India, the United States of America, and the UK, emphasising both the similarities and differences. The study emphasises that while the three countries are committed to upholding the rule of law and protecting fundamental rights, the implementation and interpretation of the concept of judicial review differ in each jurisdiction. The chapter also mention some suggestions like courts must analyse the constitutionality of cooperative federalism in conflicts involving federal legislation, such as power distribution and interstate trade. This will enhance the cohesion of federal democracies. Judicial review is designed to interpret and enforce current laws. Furthermore, the autonomous nature of the judiciary is a crucial factor whenever the court possesses the power to examine any statute. A judiciary that lacks dependence is unable to deliver a just and impartial verdict.

Concept of Federalism and Decentralization of Administrative Powers: Reflection of ‘Manusmriti’ in Modern Governance of the Republic of India

The democratic federalism of India has earned wide appreciation across the globe as one of the best models of modern administration. But the root of this model is found much before India gained independence in the middle of the 20th century in an ancient holy book, ‘Manusanhita’, created several thousand years ago by a well-known intellectual sage Manu. Manu’s idea of federalism, decentralization of administrative power, rational tax administration, realistic foreign policy and his concept of law-making have similarity with the administrative frame work and long-cherished policy of India. Suresh Chandra Bandopadhyay in his translated, explanatory and edited version entitled ‘Manusanhita’ from Manu’s real text book has discussed how Manu’s concept had influenced the legislators of Indonesia, Philippines, Cambodia, Japan, Germany etc. in carving their administrative and legislative framework. In this paper, we’ll evaluate the impact of ‘Manusmriti’ or ‘Manusanhita’ on the governance and legislation of India and also assess the perceptions of Manu on the issues of casteism and women-independence.

International cooperation despite Cold War? Approaches between the Women’s International Democratic Federation the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (1945-1963)

International cooperation despite Cold War? Approaches between the Women’s International Democratic Federation the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (1945-1963)

Cooperação Internacional apesar da Guerra Fria? Aproximações entre a Federação Democrática Internacional de Mulheres e a Liga Internacional de Mulheres Pró-Paz e Liberdade (1945-1963)

After the Second World War, international women’s organizations that already existed before the War, such as the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), began to coexist with new actors. One of them argues that women’s issues could not be separated from themes such as colonialism, imperialism and protection of motherhood and childhood: the Women’s International Democratic Federation (WIDF). Although there were moments of conflicts and disputes typical of the period, the main goal of this article is to explore the attempt at cooperation, as well as the circulation of these women through countries and organizations that had the Cold War not only as a limiter, but also a field that enabled new channels and ways of communication. In this process, women in Latin America played an important role in trying to overcome the Cold War obstacles, especially through initiatives related to motherhood in the 1950s.

Voice, access, and ownership: enabling environments for nutrition advocacy in India and Nigeria

What constitutes an enabling environment for nutrition advocacy in low- and middle-income countries? While a sizeable body of scholarship considers the enabling environment for nutrition policy, we focus specifically on the necessary conditions for advocacy. We argue that three factors—voice, access, and ownership—provide a useful lens into the advocacy enabling environment. These are operationalized, respectively, as the space to articulate and frame policy positions, entry points to interact with policy decision makers, and the existence of committed decision makers rather than those responding to pressures from external actors. These three factors are explored vis-à-vis a comparative analysis of two federal democracies—India and Nigeria—that each have vibrant advocacy communities confronting persistent malnutrition. Drawing on more than 100 structured interviews with nutrition advocates, government actors, donors, and researchers in the two countries, we highlight the ways in which voice, access, and ownership interactively shape advocacy efforts. In doing so, we find that Nigeria has a less ideological approach to certain nutrition issues than in India but also perceived to be more beholden to external actors in defining its nutrition actions. Recent restrictions on freedom of speech and association shrunk the civic space in India but these were less problematic in Nigeria. In both countries, the multi-tiered, multi-party system offers many different points of access into the policy arena, with sometimes negative implications for coordination. Overall, the paper contributes more broadly to the literature on enabling environments by highlighting potential indicators to guide nutrition advocates in other settings.

The Governance of Internal Migration: Learning from the Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Policy Responses of Indian States

While the governance of global migration is a growing conversation in policy and academia, internal migration has remained under-researched and under-represented as an area of focus. The increased policy attention on internal migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic provides an opportunity for examining the governance of internal migration. Drawing on a review of literature and two consequent rounds of an ex ante policy indexing tool—the Interstate Migrant Policy Index (IMPEX) 2019 and IMPEX 2021—this article focuses on policies formulated by Indian state governments that are prominent recipients of internal migrants in the pre- and post-pandemic period. We find that while the COVID-19 pandemic revealed the vulnerability of low-income internal migrants in India, it only partially translated into long-term policy measures. This article demonstrates that the complexity of migration policymaking governance in federal democracies like India is an important aspect of global migration governance. It argues that such a focus will enable a number of developing economies to refine labour and social protection policies toward sustainable economics and human development. The article motivates a research and policy agenda that can especially help developing countries improve labour mobility patterns for economic development as well as ensure fuller coverage of social welfare measures in response to climate migration.

Integrating Knowledge and Democracy for Practical Reform to Overcome Political Crisis in Bangladesh

It is crucial to integrate knowledge and democracy into Bangladesh's government to establish a fair and effective system for future leaders. Let us implement this new system to ensure our government serves citizens' needs fairly and justly. This research paper proposes a new method for selecting administrative and state councils at different levels of government based on the Integration/Islamization of Knowledge and Democracy. The study includes interviews with political leaders and experts from Bangladesh and extensive research on politics in the country. The theories involved in this research are from Prof. Emeritus Dato' Dr. Abdulhamid Abusulayman, Profesor Emeritus Tan Sri Dr. Mohd. Kamal bin Hassan, Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Mohamed Zein, and former colleagues and students of al-Faruqi and al-Attas. The two pathways to introduce IoK and modern democracy in Bangladesh and other states with political crises are: 1) Education reform to emphasize interdisciplinary learning, practical applications, and critical thinking, and 2) Government support for policies and funding to promote IoK initiatives, collaboration, and evaluations. Thus, the Integrated Knowledge of Federal Democracy System (IKOFDS) is a proposed governmental structure that aims to empower citizens, enhance governance efficiency, and foster collaborative decision-making. By combining Federalism with the Integration of Knowledge (IoK) and a robust democratic method, the (IKOFDS) seeks to create a balanced and responsive governance model that capitalizes on the strengths of Federalism, knowledge integration, and democratic principles.

Strange Bedfellows or Trusted Comrades? Digital Solidarity Building among Myanmar’s Revolutionaries

The shock and anger felt by the Myanmar public as they witnessed their democratically elected government deposed in an illegal military coup in early 2021 has led to a revolutionary break in Burmese politics. The Bamar Buddhist political elites, formerly silent on the Rohingya Muslim crisis, apologised for failing to administer justice for the Rohingya victims; the coup breathed new life and possibilities into the formation of a federal democracy; and young students and strike leaders dared to challenge the dominance of the elites. However, little is known about whether this struggling together against military dictatorship might enable a broad-based development of solidarity among Myanmar’s traditionally divided ethnic communities. Since many revolutionary communities across Myanmar took to social media to mobilise resistance, studying these groups’ online interactions can provide critical insights to this question. By analysing conversations over the year following the coup on three of the most popular resistance Facebook groups from Bamar and non-Bamar communities, this article finds a two-step process of inter-ethnic solidarity building, driven by both instrumentalist interest and organic empathy. The findings deepen understanding on solidarity building among diverse anti-dictatorship forces, revolution dynamics in post-coup Myanmar, and the role of social media on forging inter-communal empathy.

‘Work locally but think globally’: The Alliance Against Women's Oppression and transnational multiracial grassroots activism in the 1980s

AbstractThis article examines the transnational history of the Alliance Against Women's Oppression (AAWO), a multiracial and Marxist US women's organisation founded in California in 1979. By focusing on the political connection between the AAWO, the so‐called ‘Third World’ and other international organisations such as the Women International Democratic Federation, the article intends to delve into the relationship between global far‐left, non‐White women's organisations in the United States and the Global South. Using extensive archival sources internal to the organisation, this work highlights the 1980s as a central period for anti‐imperialist women's activism against the Reagan administration and for the formation of international grassroots connections.

The Same Completely Inclusive Faith with Its Principium of Natural Laws of the Compounding-Corresponding-Trinity Presents and Unfolds Through Different Ways and Methods in Science, Philosophy, Religion…..

The text inherits from the history of human civilization of "The same completely inclusive faith with its laws of the Trinity" that expressed in various ways across civilization and cultures. Examples of this inheritance include the Trinity of Greek and Roman philosophy; the representation of "Faith in God and Its Trinity Laws" through the "Cross" in the Bible; the Quran's representation of "Faith in Allah and Its Laws of Allah's Star and Moon"; the Buddhist scriptures' representation of "Faith in Buddha and Its Laws of Trilakāya" through "The Revolving Cross"; and Chinese philosophy in Tao Te Ching and The Book of Change, which shares the concept of "Faith in Tao and (Entailment of The) One Yin, (Presenting of The) One Yang, called The Tao (Laws)" symbolized by "Yin Yang Ball". Additionally, various faiths represent their Trinity-Laws using symbols such as “Hermaphrodite Baphomet” or “Pentagram and circle compounded together as one", facilitating communication between Christianity and Islam. However, human societies, groups, and individuals often fail to integrate human knowledge and experiences fully, resulting in a partial understanding of these concepts (even if Awakened monks and hermits exist, they might face interdisciplinary or language barriers hindering the spread of truth).Start open “The Same Completely Inclusive Scientific Faith with Its Principium of Natural Laws of The Compounding-Corresponding-Trinity”which relies on “The Three Major Natural Complementary Principles” that build up by “Laws of Personality” which also is “Principium of Commonality”. And are fundamentally compounding and corresponding, clarifying the existing ways and existing relationships of the trinity of all things. Lay the foundation for humanity to achieve reconciliation, reach consensus, and jointly building "The Everbright Era of Earth Human Democratic Federation’s Scientific Social Public Morality Mature Self-Consistent Guarantee Node-System". And escorting human beings to advance to the ranks of intelligent life in the universe that consciously abides by the laws of the universe.

One Nation, One Election In Federal Democracies: A Comparative Study Of Global Experiences

The concept of "One Nation, One Election" has garnered significant attention and debate in recent years, especially within the framework of federal democracies. This research paper conducts a comprehensive comparative analysis of the global experiences surrounding the implementation or discussion of synchronized elections in countries with federal systems of governance. The primary objective of this study is to examine the practicality, challenges, and implications of harmonizing electoral cycles at various levels of government in federal democracies. It delves into the political, constitutional, and logistical considerations that influence the decision to pursue such electoral reforms. By focusing on a diverse set of countries, including India, the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, and South Africa, this research aims to provide a nuanced understanding of the concept's feasibility and impact in distinct federal contexts. The paper explores the historical development and current status of discussions or implementations related to "One Nation, One Election" in each country, taking into account the unique features of their federal systems. It assesses the potential benefits of synchronized elections, such as cost reduction and improved policy continuity, while also considering the potential drawbacks and concerns related to voter fatigue, constitutional constraints, and political strategies.

Propaganda Narratives of the Polish Feminist Press on the Functioning of International Women’s Movement (1946–1949)

The Social and Civic Women’s League operated in communist Poland in the years 1945–1949. Its first official publication, Praca Kobiet, appeared in 1946. Periodicals were published by the Warsaw Regional Board of the association. The national magazine Nasza Praca, an organ of the General Board, reached the readers just before the start of 1947. The published texts provided information concerning the activity of international women’s movements and organizations such as the Women’s International Democratic Federation (WIDF). The cognitive values of such publications greatly varied. This was significantly influenced by the language journalists used to communicate (‘newspeak’), and the propaganda (non-substantive) choice of recorded and omitted facts. Their analysis, however, helped to reveal the mechanisms of the functioning (interaction) of leftist women’s movements on the international arena in the second half of the 1940s.

Staging emancipation and its limits: East German cultural diplomacy, the German Democratic Women’s League, and the 1975 World Congress of Women in East Berlin

ABSTRACT This article explores the cultural diplomacy of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) at the World Congress of Women in October 1975 in East Berlin. Organized by the Women’s International Democratic Federation to celebrate the UN International Women’s Year, the congress provided a space for communist and leftist advocates from across the globe to discuss women’s rights in connection with issues like global economic justice, anti-colonialism, and peace. But it also gave its host, the GDR, a platform to promote its emancipatory policies to women from the Global South. For weeks, delegates from Africa, Asia, and Latin America visited concerts, museums, and art exhibitions on women’s lives and took trips to neighbourhoods, kindergartens, schools, women’s advice centres, and hospitals across the GDR. Building on research on the performative dimensions of international diplomacy, this article discusses how the socialist regime transformed the congress halls, the city of East Berlin, and public institutions into ‘diplomatic stages’. It argues that while this performance was challenged by audiences like foreign journalists, Western delegates, and citizens, its success depended on the Demokratische Frauenbund Deutschlands (German Democratic Women’s League), the GDR's mass women’s organisation, and its networks to the international women’s movement.

Dve britanske misije u rudniku Trepča: prilozi za razumevanje politike Velike Britanije prema Jugoslaviji 1944–1945. godine

The paper explores two British missions in Serbia between December 1944 and June 1945, unknown until now. The purpose of both missions was to protect British interests by surveying the state of the Trepča mining complex in Kosovo and Metohija once the war operations were over. A majority stake in the Trepča lead-zinc mines was held by the British company Trepca Mines Limited owned by a mining magnate, Sir Alfred Chester Beatty. The two missions unveiled not only the importance of Trepča for the war effort of the Allies (as the need for lead ore had increased), but also the manner in which the new communist authorities in the Democratic Federative Yugoslavia treated the foreign capital in the country. The documents used in the paper are kept by the U.K. National Archives (TNA) in London.

A Burmese Public Theology of Religions and Reconciliation after the 2021 Coup

Abstract This article is a contextual reflection on the religious dimensions of reconciliation and anti-coup resistance. In doing so, the article addresses some fresh methodological issues and nuanced approaches to religions and public life. It begins by suggesting a paradigm shift in reimagining a public theology of religions and reconciliation that calls for engaging not only with academics, but also with lived practitioners. It critically examines the paradoxical role of religions. It first examines why and how religions play role in the politics of nationalism and tribalism and then suggests how interreligious ethics should be utilized as alternative sources for reconciliation. It shows how the coup creates a kairos for a transformative vision of interreligious solidarity and interethnic reconciliation. It then examines the ongoing stories of interreligious activist everyday resistance to the coup as adharma. Given that resisting the coup in public life is dangerous, the article also argues that public theology is not just about the reflection on public witness, but also about the hidden witness of faiths. It concludes by suggesting how religions shape the moral vision of ethnic reconciliation, federal democracy, mutual embrace of identity and otherness.

The Necessity of a Polycentric Federal Democracy in Myanmar

Abstract The military coup of February 1, 2021 ended Myanmar’s nominal transition to democracy. That transition had begun with the 2010 election under the military-drafted 2008 Constitution. The coup and post-coup Myanmar’s crises are the tip of the iceberg of a long endured political crisis about how to build an inclusive political system that respects the ethnic, cultural, and religious diversity of Burmese society at large. This article argues that the 2021 military coup itself may be a much-needed event for the future history of Burma: the coup has provoked resistance across ethnicity and religion to an unprecedented level.

Constitutions and their foundational discontents: Studying the process of constitution-making in Jammu and Kashmir

AbstractThis article studies the process of constitution-making in Jammu and Kashmir as a hegemonic process dominated by, and an ideological reflection of, the dominant political party of Jammu and Kashmir, the National Conference led by the popular leader Sheikh Abdullah. The Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir emerged as an outcome of their ideas. Though the process itself was punctuated by the exclusionary violence against diverse communities present in the state at that time, very little attention has been paid to the idea of a constitution as an exclusivist text that embeds ‘foundational violence’ within it, and that eliminates dissenting groups and prevents the inclusion of plural conceptions of politics by actualizing a monopolistic discourse in favour of the dominant party. This article locates the violence that went into constitution-making and further employs hermeneutical interpretation of the Constituent Assembly Debates of Jammu and Kashmir to locate the differing viewpoints that existed in the State Constituent Assembly. It also takes the surrounding political and ideological context into account. In doing so, it constructs an alternative and ‘unofficial’ version of the constitution-making process, which helps challenge the dominant historical narrative that the constitution-making in Jammu and Kashmir was a successful experiment in Indian federal democracy.