A Public Ethics of Care for Policy Implementation

Liberal and republican political theorists have not paid much attention to a theory of public administration or policy implementation. To the extent that they have, they have tended to endorse an ideal-typical Weberian model of bureaucracy and impersonal ethics of rules to limit street-level discretion. This article argues that the Weberian bureaucratic ethics is inconsistent with core liberal and republican values and, in fact, dominating at the street level. In order for laws and policies to be implemented in a manner consistent with liberal and republican principles, an alternative public ethics is proposed—a public ethics of care. Building on earlier research, this article argues that a public ethics of care represents an important supplement to liberal and republican ideals, as well as a better alternative to Weberian bureaucratic ethics, for implementing laws and policies at the street level in limited and responsive, nondominating ways.     

Saudi Arabia plans for its economic future: Vision 2030, the National Transformation Plan and Saudi fiscal reform

ABSTRACT

In response to a rapid decline in world oil prices, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman introduced a new economic blueprint called Saudi Vision 2030 and the accompanying National Transformation Plan that would enable the Kingdom to diversify its heavily oil-dependent revenue base, reduce its growing budget deficits, balance its budgets, and promote long-term economic growth. This article analyses the goals of the Vision and the policies offered to achieve them, which entail significant reforms to the Kingdom’s fiscal and budgetary procedures and policies. This study considers the political and institutional challenges that confront the Saudi Vision and its likelihood of success.     

Bridging the gap between negotiating experience and analysis

This article describes a teaching approach aimed at helping students to develop the skills needed to understand the negotiation research literature as well as make them more sensitive observers of negotiation processes. The approach consists of moving from the students' specific experiences to a general framework which is used to analyze cases of international negotiation. Students then attempt to reconceptualize their experiences in terms of the framework's analytical categories. This approach is recommended as an alternative to role-play exercises for integrating experience and analysis in graduate courses on negotiation.In addition to teaching the course on negotiation processes (the subject of this article), he teaches courses on research methods in George Mason's doctoral program. Among recent projects, he just completed an analysis of diplomatic communications sent among the kingdoms during the Bronze Age.     

On the Consequences of Defensive Professionalism: Recent Changes in the Legal Labour Process

This study of change in the legal profession argues that governmental policies, combined with economic recession and supply-side considerations, have led to decline in the legal profession's historical performance, and a defensive strategy which preserves the status and earning power of equity partners. Related responses include a drive towards organizational consolidation, a long-term increase in the numbers of salaried solicitors, and fewer non-fee-earning support staff. This involves a shift from external (or occupational) closure regimes, which sanction entry to the profession, to internal (or organizational) mechanisms, which regulate progression through the professional hierarchy. The paper challenges hypotheses of deprofessionalization and managerialization, and lends empirical support to Freidson's continuity thesis whereby reorganization is safeguarding traditional privileges and rewards for certain sections of the profession at the cost of a progressive process of intra-occupational stratification.     

The changing landscape of International Intellectual Property

Legal context This paper explains the changing landscape ofinternational intellectual property. Since the Uruguay Roundnegotiations that led to the TRIPs Agreement, developing countriesand certain groups within industrialised nations have arguedthat the rules needed reform. Economic arguments based on theneed to enhance global welfare are used to justify their demands.Examples of the results they obtained in the last 24 monthsinclude the 2003 WTO Declaration on TRIPs and Public Healthand WIPO's Development Agenda. Key points This paper puts this change of landscape in perspective,explains its foundations and looks at the more important recenteconomic surveys and outlines their main conclusions. It alsodiscusses recent efforts in international organisations andacademic circles to consider intellectual property as part ofa broader picture and the need for countries to develop a morecomprehensive innovation strategy. Practical significance The article will be useful for anyonefollowing developments in multilateral intellectual propertynorm-setting by providing a deeper understanding of the issuesand new levels of discussion.