The Importance and Limits of Party Government: Problems of Governance in Denmark*

Pluralist democracies face the dilemma of reconciling representation of interests and government control. The tension between representation and governance is a problem for political parties in particular and has presumably become more important in recent years, at least in Denmark. Using data from questionnaire surveys of Danish political elites it is shown that interest organizations and bureaucrats indeed pose problems for party government. Some institutional changes might lighten the tasks of parties, but there is no way of avoiding the basic democratic dilemma.     

Space Research and Development in Africa

Africa is advancing in research and development (R&D) in space with a growing investment in satellites for communications and Earth observations, astronomical observatories, space launch vehicles, and ballistic missiles. These efforts are designed to develop capacity in space science and to advance human development and security in Africa. Nevertheless, there are emerging concerns within and outside the continent on the cost of R&D in space and the public priority it is receiving, given developmental priorities in Africa. This article examines the state of space-related R&D in Africa, its cost and benefits, and the imperative for a balanced policy priority and investment. Leading African states are encouraged to intensify international partnerships, internalize relevant know-how, improve their competitiveness, and support regional initiatives to minimize the domestic cost of spreading benefits of space technology across the continent.     

Debt,Development and Intervention in Africa: The Contours of a Sovereign Frontier

Abstract

This paper argues that the concept of the sovereign frontier can help us think about sovereignty and intervention in a way that moves beyond some of the limitations usually associated with the former concept. Focused on a zone of practice, embedded in a broader ‘movement’ of Western expansion, the sovereign frontier highlights political practices of subordination and incorporation that characterize the sway of intervention in contemporary African states. These concepts are sketched out with reference to more concrete practices of intervention in African states – especially ‘governance states’ – and critical commentary is drawn therefrom. The main argument here is that a series of ostensibly less intrusive forms of aid policy-making are enabled by a constitutive inequality within the sovereign frontier and work towards a more profound and effective projection of external power within it. The paper concludes by suggesting that the intrinsic expansiveness of the sovereign frontier offers few possibilities for the attainment of alternative sovereignties to those shaped by Western institutions.     

山西发展形势与发展的着力点

目前 ,山西发展正在呈现崭新的局面 ,必须充分认识和把握这个良好形势。要保持和加速这一发展势头 ,必须始终抓好加快发展这个第一要务 ,全力推进新型能源和工业基地建设 ,把统筹发展的重点放在农村 ,不遗余力地发展壮大县域经济 ,加速推进市场化进程 ,创造有利于人才发挥作用的和谐环境 ,全面提高领导干部的素质和能力     

北京卫星城发展的问题与对策研究

党的十六大报告提出，要逐步提高城镇化水平，走中国特色的城镇化道路。对于北京市来说，加快京郊卫星城建设，促进城乡一体化，是缩小城乡差距，缓解城市中心区人口压力，实现产业链深度整合，提高城市竞争力的一个非常重要的战略。为此，北京市总体规划确立的城镇体系布局，是建立市区、卫星城、中心镇和建制镇的四级城镇体系。本对北京卫星城发展中存在的问题进行了分析，并提出加快发展卫星城的政策。