Local Civic Groups Research Articles

Centralizing Decentralized Governance in Brazil

Contrary to the once-popular notion of the central bureaucracy withering away as an outcome of decentralization, scholars have shown that in cases of local policy success, national bureaucrats have instead redefined their roles, strengthening their focus on monitoring and accountability. Yet building national capacity for effective oversight presents a challenge within a context of strong subnational autonomy such as Brazil. Comparing the dynamics of decentralization across two areas of health policy, AIDS and tuberculosis, this article presents one strategy utilized by federal bureaucrats to increase their regulatory capacity: seeking resources located outside the formal political arena. Specifically, national bureaucrats utilize international resources to mobilize local civic groups as policy watchdogs, thus increasing the accountability of subnational politicians both to the center and to the public.

Researching Oregon Initiatives and Referendums

SUMMARY Oregon voters are heavy users of the initiative and referendum, and they were pioneers of this form of democracy. This means that there is a good deal of information to be found about past initiatives and referendums, and the government of the State of Oregon and local civic groups have responded by making much of this information available online. This article outlines the sources for finding information on initiatives and referendums in Oregon.

Drilling for Water and Life - The Human Side of Petroleum Engineering

In the 40 years or so that I have worked in the oil and gas industry, I have witnessed an impressive transformation in our industry's performance in protecting people and the environment. There are obvious business and legal drivers, but the success would not have happened without appealing to employees in our industry to be good stewards of the environment and to help others. It is understood that our industry operates by permission of the public: no permission, no permits. Many companies have excellent programs for partnerships with the communities where they operate. Every year, SPE recognizes exceptional service to the public with its Public Service Award. SPE also has an active energy education program with the objective of improving the industry's public image. The Society encourages section members to get involved with local civic groups and to serve as speakers on energy issues. SPE also sponsors speakers to attend teachers' conventions and is starting a fund to help teachers buy teaching materials on energy education for classroom use and to help pay for education events and trips. The vision statement in the Industry Image section of the recently approved SPE Long Range Plan states: "Petroleum professionals are widely regarded as ethical, competent, environmentally sensitive, and providing a vital service to society." It is in keeping with SPE's tradition of community service that I share an opportunity for humanitarian service that requires the special skills of petroleum engineers. In 2002, at the World Summit on Sustainable Development, the Johannesburg Declaration committed the 189 nations who signed it to develop concrete action to reverse the poverty, hunger, and disease affecting billions of people. The declaration endorsed a previous set of goals formulated by world leaders at the U.N. Millennium Summit in September 2000. One of the goals is to "reduce by half the proportion of people without access to safe and affordable drinking water and sanitation by the year 2015." A few years ago, a group of nongovernmental organizations combined to form the Millennium Water Alliance to coordinate efforts to save lives by providing clean water and sanitation to the world's poorest countries, where approximately 1.1 billion people lack access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.

Book Review

Book Review

Children's rights as residual social policy in Nicaragua: State priorities and the Code of Childhood and Adolescence

In enacting a legislative Code of Childhood and Adolescence in 1998, the Nicaraguan state formally endorsed the ideal of children's rights as being a central concern of public policy. Yet, the state has done little to fulfil this commitment. In part this is the result of severe fiscal constraints, which have led to reduced public expenditures and the downsizing of social services, especially those directed towards children and youth. In part, however, there are also indications of state reluctance to actively implement the principles of change as outlined by the Code. This has been reflected in the government's reactionary response to fears of growing youth violence, and its unwillingness to collaborate with local civic groups in dealing with youth crime. We surmise therefore that, while the Code may have served to enhance state legitimacy, the cause of children's rights remains a residual policy issue in Nicaragua.

Civil Society and Peacebuilding in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The concept of civil society has acquired an unprecedented worldwide popularity, especially in development programs. This article investigates the international effort to build civil society in Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to foster peace and democratization, this in response to disappointment with traditional economic, military, and political strategies. The results of this major investment of resources, however, have been unsatisfactory. The international community's lack of a coherent long-term strategy and the adoption of a conception of civil society that is often at odds with Bosnian context and history hinder the transition to genuine reconciliation among the three ethnic groups. Examining two major areas of intervention - facilitating the advocacy role of local civic groups and fostering citizens' participation - I show that the international community has failed to comprehend both the political and the social meaning of its involvement. Although the focus on civil society is meant to overcome the limits of external regulation and to emphasize indigenous and community-based contributions to peacebuilding, the international community's approach is to make local development dependent upon the international presence. The result is a failure to address the structural problems that affect the country and to hinder, rather than foster, the formation of an open and democratic civil society.

Communication Is the Key to Rate‐Hike Acceptance

This article discusses the importance of public relations when a water system is seeking approval of a rate hike. Continuous and active public relations efforts such as bill stuffers, regular contacts with local media, and meetings with local civic groups not only establish a rapport but also build credibility, confidence, trust and support among a system's customers.

Coming out of the celluloid closet

A few months ago, while soliciting students for a gay studies class I planned to teach, I spoke to several local civic groups. After one talk, I was approached by an elderly woman. “How can anyone have a problem with homosexuality?” she asked me, grinning broadly. “Don't they watch ‘Oprah'?”. It was a telling remark. Without doubt, gay rights activism will continue to improve the future of gay Americans. Nonetheless, like it or not, American attitudes toward gays will be influenced even more by how they're portrayed in the mass media.