Permanent Campaign Research Articles

A pilot station using renewable resources to rehabilitate the inefficient small-hydro power plants

In Romania, based on a complex plan elaborated during 1980-1990 were built over 600 SHP-Small Hydropower Plant to assure the power supply in isolated localities. After 30 years, less than 200 are still functional, mainly due to a lack of investments or improper utilization. Nowadays a permanent campaign concerning intensive use of renewable resources is implemented. Firstly is mentioned the economically favorable solution from the selected zone to achieve the photovoltaic power plant connected to an existent SHP, which needs to be rehabilitated. The paper presents such a pilot plant realized between 2015 and 2017, built near an SHP decommissioned in 1998. Firstly was implemented a wind turbine which starts immediately producing energy. After two months, the photovoltaic power plant was interconnected. The main steps of the hydropower plant rehabilitation are presented, beginning with the selection of the necessary parameters to establish the opportunity and the pilot station efficiency. The theoretical model and the physical realization in coupling these power plants based on three different energy resources are mentioned. Some obtained results for six months are illustrated. Finally, some of the appeared problems during the execution are mentioned, considering that similar projects in the other four sites will be developed.

“Deliverology” and Evaluation: A Tale of Two Worlds

Abstract: In recent years, the new political governance, a partisan model that contributes to a permanent campaign, gained ground in public organizations. In this new context, “deliverology” is portrayed as an innovative method to help governments implement new policies and deliver on election promises. This article presents the similarities and differences that exist between “deliverology” and evaluation. Is deliverology really something new or is it another case of old wine in a new bottle? Is deliverology a substitute for or, instead, a complement to institutionalized evaluation? To what extent does new political governance (exemplified by deliverology and performance measurement) undermine evidence-based decision making? What is the value-added of deliverology? These questions are addressed through a critical reflection on deliverology and its value-added in Canada, where evaluation became institutionalized in many departments and agencies under the influence of results-based management, promoted by the advocates of new public management over four decades.

A permanent campaign? Tweeting differences among members of Congress between campaign and routine periods

ABSTRACTThis article investigates whether the notion of a “permanent campaign” characterizes politicians’ Twitter use by analyzing 285,456 tweets by Members of Congress during and after the 2016 US elections. We distinguished a campaign period, a lame duck period, and a routine period. The inclusion of a lame duck period is novel in studies on social networking sites and allows for more precise conclusions. In the routine period, politicians focused more on hard news, put more emphasis on domestic than foreign content on the country level, had a higher level of negative sentiment and published more tweets, whereas in the campaign period positive sentiment was higher. Additionally, we found large differences in politicians’ tweeting behavior between the lame duck and routine period. We conclude that the notion of a ‘permanent campaign’ does not appropriately describe political campaigning on Twitter, but that the exact differences are still poorly understood, as empirical findings do not align well with previous literature.

Analysis of Permanent Mold Distortion in Aluminum Casting

Mold distortion in permanent mold casting campaigns results in loss of mold productivity and shorter mold life, and can result in out-of-dimensional tolerance castings. Remedies to avoiding distortion during a casting campaign include back face mold machining, bolting, and clamping, but permanent deformation occurs when these restraints are removed. An AFS research program was undertaken using finite element thermal and stress analysis to better understand the causes of permanent mold distortion. Phase 1 of this research, using a simple mold geometry, indicated mold–metal interface thermal shock, and continued mold cycling resulted in cumulative permanent plastic strain. Phase 2 work using a commercial mold insert resulted in good agreement reached between the model plastic strain and the actual measured mold insert distortion. The study showed that mold material properties are significant, with higher mold thermal conductivity (better heat diffusivity beyond the mold–metal interface); and higher creep strength results in less plastic strain per casting cycle and less distortion of the permanent mold.

From “Leftist” To “President”: Journalism and Editorial Coverage of Brazil’s Lula in Five Elections

ABSTRACTThe article analyzes the image that O Estado de S. Paulo (one of the main Brazilian newspapers) constructed of the presidential candidate Lula da Silva over the course of five electoral campaigns: 1989, 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006. Our hypothesis is that OESP editorials have an adversarial positioning towards Lula da Silva in all presidential races, despite slight variations brought on by the newspaper's perception of his chances of victory. The study uses a quanti-qualitative methodology supported by Iramuteq (lexicometric analysis) to examine 181 OESP editorials. We found out that OESP features Lula in different ways, adapting its position-taking over time: the characterization of the candidate ranges from “the leftist” (1989 elections) to “the president in permanent campaign” (2006 elections). Notwithstanding, OESP editorials are repeatedly willing to consider him as unsuitable for office. The longitudinal study highlights OESP's political positioning and allows us to discuss journalism and political interests in the Brazilian case.

Evaluating Bill C-76: The Elections Modernization Act

Bill C-76, the Elections Modernization Act, was a landmark piece of election law in Canada. It was passed by Parliament in time to be in force for the October 2019 federal election. It is the second major set of amendments to Canadian election law in recent years, after the passage of the controversial Fair Elections Act2 in 2014. C-76 had multiple goals. It was designed to undo many elements of the Fair Elections Act, especially around voter identification and election administration. It was also the primary legislative vehicle for updating election law to account for extensive online political advocacy, the emerging role of social media platforms as conduits for advertising, and new digital threats. It addressed many of the concerns prevalent in democracies globally that arose from the 2016 U.S. presidential election, such as foreign interference and hacking. It also engaged with the realities of the permanent campaign in Canadian politics, by updating the treatment of third parties and introducing for the first time in federal politics a spending limit in a regulated pre-writ period prior to the start of the official election campaign. Any one of these objectives and the accompanying amendments would have been significant in their own right. Collectively, the amendments represent a key moment in the ongoing attempt to ensure electoral integrity in Canada. This article sets out the major elements of C-76, seeks to provide the context for the most significant amendments, and provides critical commentary as to the desirability of the changes and their likelihood of enhancing the values that underpin Canadian election law. The article groups the amendments into five overarching themes, which I address in turn: 1) online politics; 2) the campaign period; 3) voting rights; 4) foreign interference; and 5) election administration.

Partidos políticos y procesos congresuales en España. Una aproximación desde la observación participante y la comunicación política a los Congresos de PSOE y Podemos

El funcionamiento de los partidos políticos, sus asambleas y elecciones internas se han ido adaptando a las nuevas formas de comunicación política y al establecimiento de la campaña permanente. Los procesos congresuales, si bien se conciben como una fórmula para reflexionar sobre el funcionamiento de las organizaciones, también se diseñan como eventos con los que fidelizar lealtades y posibilitar el encuentro entre militantes. Así, y en términos de estrategia, movilización de afiliados y comunicación interna guardan similitudes con los periodos electorales en cuanto a visibilidad mediática e importancia organizativa en parte por su capacidad para condicionar el funcionamiento de las organizaciones en periodos entre elecciones. En el siguiente artículo se presentan los resultados de realizar observación participante en los congresos nacionales para la elección de líderes y programas en dos de los principales partidos políticos en España: PSOE y Podemos. El objetivo reside en comprender e identificar las motivaciones de los participantes compartiendo su medio natural así como el desarrollo de estos eventos desde la perspectiva de la comunicación política. Como conclusión, el artículo expone las dificultades halladas para la aplicación de este tipo de metodología, así como la identificación de estos congresos como eventos culturales, de “ocio político” y mediáticos.

Justin Trudeau and the play of celebrity in the 2015 Canadian federal election campaign

ABSTRACTThis article examines the 2015 Canadian federal election in which the Liberal Party took office under the leadership of Justin Trudeau. Celebrity was a dominant theme during the campaign, applied by the Conservative Party to discredit Trudeau by playing on his youthful good looks and ‘new masculinity’. The Conservative campaign drew attention to Trudeau and its own aggressive tactics and entered into a spiral of negativity that the Liberals would capitalise on with optimistic and progressive themes. We argue that the effects of celebrity politics on elections must be studied within the context of national–cultural attitudes towards celebrity, media characterisation of candidates and political parties prior to the election campaign, previous campaigns, the duration of the official campaign as well as the existence of the ‘permanent campaign’ on the part of governments, and the dynamics of the celebrity theme as the campaign progresses. In the context of Canada, particular state–culture dynamics are at work that legitimate the celebrity politician.

The permanent campaign in social media: A case study of Poland

New media technologies provide new venues for political communication enabling politicians to wage a permanent campaign. Participatory platforms have paved the way for new forms of political communication during non-election period when those seeking or holding office can increase media coverage, create their public image and foster deeper relationships with the public. The purpose of the paper is to contribute to the discussion on permanent campaign; specifically, the study focuses on presenting the method of embracing new media technologies (in particular Twitter) by politicians’ during a non-election period in Poland. The analysis aims to investigate online activity, the design of Twitter profiles and the implementation of campaign-like techniques by the politicians. The findings shed light on the Polish MPs’ application of participatory platforms as a tool of strategic communication used to increase media visibility, and share messages across in a one-way communication.

Analysis of the perceptual elements in the communications media and the strategies of propagandistic communication of Rafael Correa, president of Ecuador between 2007 and 2017

This research presents a comprehensive analysis of the values and antivalues created through the propaganda and political communication of the President of Ecuador Rafael Correa Delgado in a determined temporality in 10 years of management of the political command. In Latin America from the installation of the political model called Socialism of the XXI Century, communication plays a preponderant role, since it is understood that the correct management of the message generates a close dialogue with the people and therefore generates an ideological affinity. In this paper the elements and analysis of the Ecuadorian president’s communication and how he has exercised the community from the beginning to the end of his mandate are analyzed as the elements of analysis and the analysis and results presented represent the content based on participant analysis of the speech framed in the permanent campaign of ideas and rapprochement with the population.

Crise institucional brasileira e a imagem dos partidos nas Propagandas Partidárias Gratuitas

A eleição presidencial de 2014, apesar de ter sido a sexta polarizada entre PT e PSDB, foi uma das mais acirradas nas últimas décadas, com a vitória apertada de Dilma Rousseff (PT). A presidente reeleita passou a enfrentar resistências, principalmente da base aliada, que, no primeiro ano do seu segundo mandato, ficou reduzida a poucos partidos e congressistas. O PMDB, maior partido do Congresso e da coalizão, uniu-se à oposição para articular o processo de impeachment da presidente. O artigo estuda as ênfases e narrativas construídas pelos três maiores partidos do Brasil (PT, PMDB e PSDB) em suas Propagandas Partidárias Gratuitas (PPG) durante o contexto da crise política. O trabalho toma como base as discussões sobre interface mídia e política, campanha permanente e especificidades da propaganda política.

The Power of Political Image: Justin Trudeau, Instagram, and Celebrity Politics

This article explores dynamics of online image management and its impact on leadership in a context of digital permanent campaigning and celebrity politics in Canada. Recent studies have shown that images can play a critical role when members of the public are evaluating politicians. Specifically, voters are looking for specific qualities in political leaders, including honesty, intelligence, friendliness, sincerity, and trustworthiness, when making electoral decisions. Image management techniques can help create the impression that politicians possess these qualities. Heads of governments using social media to capture attention through impactful images or videos on an almost daily basis seems like a new norm. Specifically, this article takes interest in Justin Trudeau’s use of Instagram during the first year immediately following his election on October 19, 2015. Through a hybrid quantitative and qualitative approach, we examine how Trudeau and his party convey a specific image to voters in a context of permanent and increasingly personalized campaigning. We do so through an analysis of his Instagram feed focusing on different elements, including how he frames his governing style visually, how his personal life is used on his Instagram to support the Liberal Party of Canada’s values and ideas, and how celebrity culture codes are mobilized to discuss policy issues such as environment, youth, and technology. This analysis sheds light on the effects and implications of image management in Canada. More generally, it offers a much-needed look at image-based e-politicking and contributes to the academic literature on social media, permanent campaigning, as well as celebrity and politics in Canada.

Measuring the boundaries of America's permanent campaign

This research measures the boundaries of the “permanent campaign” practiced by spokespeople for the United States government.Scholars have accused modern White House communications staff of conducting a permanent campaign by prioritizing presidential public opinion ratings over good governance. However, researchers have not previously measured whether this campaign is conducted exclusively from the White House, or if government agencies are also involved—dramatically increasing the potential scale and scope of the campaign.The researcher conducted a rare set of interviews with public affairs officers who worked for the Treasury Department during the administrations of Presidents Obama and George W. Bush to find out whether they utilize public opinion ratings in their work and whether they attempt to play to the emotions, rather than the reason, of the American people.This study finds that the Treasury is not conducting a permanent campaign.The results demonstrate that the campaign is not practiced in a cabinet agency critical to presidential political fortunes and reelection prospects, suggesting that it is likely confined to the White House.

Líderes políticos en YouTube: información y politainment en las elecciones generales de 2016 (26J) en España

This research addresses the study of YouTube in the electoral campaign of the General Election on June 26th, 2016 (26J) in Spain. Through a methodology of descriptive analysis of contrasted content, a sample of 80 videos of the political leaders were examined: Mariano Rajoy, Pedro Sánchez, Pablo Iglesias and Albert Rivera. The objectives of the research were to identify if there was a difference in media consumption between the electoral campaign period and the permanent campaign. Therefore, it could be established whether the response of the prosumers was unequal in terms of participation and to investigate in categories such as thematic of videos and authorship. The results reveal that the videos which contain politainment in the permanent campaign category are the most consumed, while the most viewed videos in the electoral campaign are on informative questions. The prosumers are passive: they neither produce nor participate actively.

Permanent campaign: The distinctive trait of modern political communication

The present study is based in the domain of politics and its evolving dynamics, with political communication and permanent campaign being two of them. The paper would highlight the developments which have come to shape up modern political communication and how it is different from the traditional one. Another concept which has been dealt during the course of the research paper is that of permanent campaign whose need and significance has been made clear by giving suitable illustrations, both from India and abroad. Next, the paper talks about the negative aspect of modern media and how the same could be negated with the help of branding, if done correctly. Lastly, the authors have discussed the connection, as it exists, between modern political communication and permanent campaign. Overall, this paper would help the readers to gain insights into the above-mentioned phenomena and how they have come shape up the modern political scenarios.

Permanent campaign in Poland – causes, elements, importance

A permanent campaign is one of the elements of political communication. It can be observed as a process since at least 2004. It results not only from the high media saturation of society, but also the instruments used during the campaign and the ways of managing it. The aim of this analysis is the description of the phenomenon of the permanent campaign in Poland in terms of its genesis, elements and importance. The permanent campaign in Poland depends on several factors. First of all, its existence is possible thanks to the development of new media, political advising, and media visibility of politician’s activity. The permanent campaign has lasted in Poland since 2004. It is connected with the development of political consulting and the appearance for the first time in Poland of specific media performances, such as inquiry committees. They were a kind of media attraction for viewers. An important element of the permanent campaign is the functioning of a multi-dimensional conflict between the rulers and the opposition. Antagonism is usually based on a different system of values, is difficult to eliminate, is profitable for both sides of the conflict, because it arouses the interest of the media and the audience’s attention.

Campanha permanente de Dilma Rousseff: uma análise da comunicação governamental e das estratégias eleitorais

This paper presupposes that the electoral communication is not limited to election periods, since there is an ongoing strategic use of media to build the image of political leaders and parties. This is the concept of permanent campaign, which is a confluence of government communication and electoral campaigns. The article develops an analysis of the permanent campaign of the first term of Dilma Rousseff (PT), taking her 20 pronouncements broadcasted in the Cadeia Nacional de Radio e Televisao (CNRT) and in the programs of Horario Gratuito de Propaganda Eleitoral (HGPE).

Difficulties experienced by trans people in accessing the Unified Health System.

The objective of this study was to discuss the difficulties of trans people living in the metropolitan region of Greater Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil, in accessing the health services of the Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde - SUS). We used a qualitative approach through semi-structured interviews with 15 trans people. The results point to disrespect toward the adopted name, discrimination, and the diagnosis required for the gender reassignment process as major limitations to accessing the healthcare system. The diagnosis helps hide the responsibility of heteronormativity and gender binarism in the social marginalization of trans people. It is concluded that it is necessary to review the issue of diagnosis, given that the existence of a prior pathology is not required to access the SUS. It is important to develop educational programmes and permanent campaigns concerning the right to access the healthcare system free from discrimination and to use the adopted name.

The Permanent Campaign Strategy of Prime Ministers in Parliamentary Systems: The Case of Greece

Various academic authors have analyzed the implementation and the impact of the permanent campaign strategy by political executives in presidential and parliamentary systems, notably the United States and United Kingdom. This article builds on this literature and extends the research on the permanent campaign in the European parliamentary majoritarian context by examining contemporary Greece as a national case study. The research focuses on the cases of three successive Greek prime ministers: the center-left Kostas Simitis (1996–2004), the center-right Kostas Karamanlis (2004–2009), and the left-of-center George Papandreou (2009–2011). In particular, the article addresses two issues: whether these premiers exercised a permanent campaign strategy and what effect the permanent campaign had on their popularity. The conclusion is that all three did adopt a permanent campaign strategy, yet the impact on their public approval was weak, aligning themselves with their British and American counterparts.

Shifting the blame. Populist politicians’ use of Twitter as a tool of opposition

The advent of new social media has facilitated new means of political communication, through which politicians can address the electorate in an unmediated way. This article concentrates on political actors challenging the establishment, for whom new media platforms such as Twitter provide new tools to engage in a ‘permanent campaign’ against dominant mainstream parties. Such opposition is ostensibly articulated most strongly by populist parties, which can be seen as the ultimate challengers to the (political) ‘elites’. By means of two often-identified cases of populism in the Netherlands (the radical right Freedom Party and left-wing Socialist Party), this study explores how populist party leaders use Twitter messages (tweets) to give form to their adversarial rhetoric in practice. Irrespective of the different ways in which the politicians utilised the medium, our study shows that Twitter can serve as a valuable source to study the oppositional discourse of populist parties, and (shifting) party strategies more generally.