About the Journal
Romanian Political Science Review is published twice a year by the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Bucharest and is printed and mailed by Bucharest University Press
Current Issue
The end of the Cold War, and the extinction of communism both as an ideology and a practice of government, not only have made possible an unparalleled experiment in building a democratic order in Central and Eastern Europe, but have opened up a most extraordinary intellectual opportunity: to understand, compare and eventually appraise what had previously been neither understandable nor comparable. Studia Politica.
Romanian Political Science Review was established in the realization that the problems and concerns of both new and old democracies are beginning to converge. The journal fosters the work of the first generations of Romanian political scientists permeated by a sense of critical engagement with
European and American intellectual and political traditions that inspired and explained the modern notions of democracy, pluralism, political liberty, individual freedom, and civil rights.
Believing that ideas do matter, the Editors share a common commitment as intellectuals and scholars to try to shed light on the major political problems facing Romania, a country that has recently undergone unprecedented political and social changes. They think of Studia Politica.
Romanian Political Science Review as a challenge and a mandate to be involved in scholarly issues of fundamental importance, related not only to the democratization of Romanian polity and politics, to the “great transformation” that is taking place in Central and Eastern Europe, but also to the make-over of the assumptions and prospects of their discipline. They hope to be joined in by those scholars in other countries who feel that the demise of communism calls for a new political science able to
reassess the very foundations of democratic ideals and procedures.
Full Issue
Articles
-
DEMOCRACY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CARE IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN: A QUANTITATIVE STUDY OF THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT FACILITY (GEF) PROJECT DATABASE (1991-2023)
Abstract
This paper explores the relationship between democracy and environmental care in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region, by presenting the variablemultilateral resources mobilized for environmental projects, mostly on a per capita basis. By analyzing data from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) database, which covers investment cycles from the early 1990s through June 2023, the correlation between amounts mobilized for environmental projects and political freedom scores across twenty-four countries in LAC is explored, under two dimensions: project generation, and project completion. The findings suggest that high-quality democracies have mobilized more GEF resources. However, the relationship is less clear for lower quality democracies. Smaller democracies display the best results, although the Caribbean cases excel at generating projects but show poor results in completing them. The largest LAC countries show disappointing results, which can be partly attributed to their political landscape complexity. Additionally, regression analyses were conducted to test some of the independent variables that influence the results, and the findings suggest that lower levels of corruption and higher number of environmental laws passed are statistically significant, explaining the superior GEF per capita mobilization results. Hence, the trio of a higher quality democracy, higher number of environmental laws enacted, and lower levels of corruption seem to be especially beneficial for environmental action.
-
THE CZECH PARTY SYSTEM AFTER THE 2021 ELECTION – DEVELOPMENT CONTINUITY AND THE NOVELTY OF BLOC COALITIONS
Abstract
The aim of the article is to make a typological determination of the Czech party ystem after the 2021 parliamentary elections. The change in election format, and the increase in the number of relevant actors in the previous elections in 2017 and the subsequent formation of two electoral coalitions for the 2021 elections confront analysts with the question of how to deal with these phenomena in the context of long-term trends in the Czech party system. Based on Leonardo Morlino’s typology, we conclude that the Czech party system in the reviewed period exhibits characteristics of its neo-polarized pluralism type and, according to Steven Volinetz’s typology, which works with the involvement of electoral coalitions alone, of the bipolar extended multipartism type.
-
THE RULE OF LAW AND POPULISM INTERDEPENDENCIES: THE PERSPECTIVE OF POLITICAL STABILITY
Abstract
This paper sheds new light on comprehending populist politics and its relation to the rule of law. Dealing with the fact that populist parties are competing and struggling with the courts, one can say that the tension between judicial and legislative institutions is a
crucial element of contemporary liberal democracy condition. The following article proposes a new approach to be used as an analytical tool for surveying the interdependencies between the rule of law and populism. According to this view, dialectical analysis should replace the axiological analysis of judicial/democratic dualism. The purpose of this shift is to regard the tension between given elements of a political system in a mechanical way rather than in terms of a clash of values. Using the pendulum metaphor, one can track the relations between static and dynamic elements of a given political system. -
POLICY PLANNING AND COORDINATION: THEORY AND PRACTICE FROM THE GEORGIAN PERSPECTIVE
Abstract
The aim of this article is to study, from a Georgian perspective, the theoretical foundations of policy planning and coordination and its practical characteristics. The latter is an integral aspect of public administration and one of the most crucial components and principles of the methodological framework of public administration of the European Union and its Neighbourhood Policy. Georgia intends to implement this framework by synthesizing evidence-based policy (EBP), results-based management (RBM), and whole-of-government models (WGA). Through a theoretical examination, in-depth interviews, and document analysis methods, the research uncovers that the characteristics of policy planning and coordination in Georgia are characterized by inconsistencies between theory and practice. The insufficient level of implementation of EBP, WGA, and RBM models and the root causes of this misalignment include factors such as an administrative and political culture incongruent with the implementation of these models, bureaucratic tradition, system readiness, and political will.
-
THROUGH THE LENS OF MEDIATIZATION: GOVERNANCE LEGITIMACY IN THE WAKE OF BULGARIAN PROTESTS IN 2020 AND 2021
Abstract
Although there is ample literature on discursive aspects of legitimation invoked by different actors aiming to justify particular policies or activities, few studies examine the role of the media and the ensuing (de)legitimation of the processes of governance. This article seeks to redress that gap by providing an empirical account of the discursive aspects of (de)legitimation by the media at the time of societal turbulence. Focusing on Bulgaria, the author traces the ways by which the media attempted to (de)legitimize the governance processes in the wake of public discontent in 2020. Combining critical discourse analysis and constructivist grounded theory, the article elaborates on three de-legitimation narratives – violated democracy, crisis and left-behindness –and(de)legitimation strategies and the lexical choices that formed the basis for such (de)legitimation. The findings suggest that these narratives contribute to the activation of the feelings of hopelessness, and the imaginary of “common” Bulgarians that are at the mercy of “the others” or some external forces from which it is impossible to break free.
-
THE POLITICAL INSTRUMENTALIZATION OF THE COLLECTIVE MEMORY OF THE COMMUNIST PAST AGAINST THE RULE OF LAW IN ROMANIA BETWEEN 2017-2019
Abstract
The present paper analyzes how the collective memory of the Romanian people about the Securitate is used by the political leaders of the governing parties between 2017-2019 with the aim to alter the criminal law and the anticorruption strategy. This paper employs the concepts of illiberalism, collective memory, and populism to explore how the “anti-anticorruption” narrative was constructed. A qualitative analysis was conducted on a selection of speeches delivered by leaders of governing parties and Prime Ministers. The findings indicate that political figures seeking to undermine anticorruption efforts attempted to redefine the identity of the Romanian people, portraying them as a nation oppressed and monitored by the so-called “Parallel State.”
Annals
-
CHRONOLOGY OF THE ROMANIAN POLITICAL LIFE, APRIL 01 – SEPTEMBER 30, 2024
Abstract
Under the coordination of Domnica Gorovei, Teodora Lovin and Alexandru Găzdaru, the following students of the Faculty of Political Science, University of Bucharest, have contributed to the chronology (press monitoring and/or translation): Bălan Oana Doriana,
Cosma Anca-Mălina, Iacob Maria Matilda, Teodor Andreea, Tivdă Radu-Alexandru, and Vasiliu Diana. The main sources of information used were the online editions of: Mediafax, RFI România, Agerpres, Spotmedia, Biziday, Digi24, Revista 22, G4Media, Romania-Insider.com, Press One.
Book Reviews
-
RICHARD WOLIN Heidegger in Ruins: Between Philosophy and Ideology (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2023), 488 pp.
Abstract
Richard Wolin’s Heidegger in Ruins: Between Philosophy and Ideology unveils the intricate ties between Martin Heidegger’s philosophical work and his political affiliations. By dismantling the long-held separation between Heidegger’s abstract ideas and his entanglement with National Socialism, Wolin reveals unsettling truths that challenge our understanding of the philosopher, offering a fresh and critical perspective on his enduring legacy.
-
HASSAN ARABI AND AZEDDINE ETTAHRI Diplomacia cultural y deportiva. Nuevos conceptos y horizontes [Cultural and sports diplomacy. New concepts and horizons.]. (Madrid: Diwan Mayrit, 2024), 455 pp.
Abstract
The 2030 FIFA World Cup takes place for the first time in six countries across three continents. A century after the inaugural tournament, Spain, Portugal, and Morocco are embarking on the tripartite organization of one of the world's most significant sporting events. This collaboration, commemorating the centenary of the competition, also includes the symbolic and inaugural participation of Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. In this context, twenty-two authors from various disciplines, coordinated by Hassan Arabi from the Mohamed I University in Nador and Azeddine Ettahri from the Mohamed V University in Rabat, have co-edited a joint book that offers an in-depth exploration of sports diplomacy. Prologued by Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, Morocco's Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication, the book analyzes the intersecting interests and perspectives arising among the three organizing countries, representing a vital link between the countries of Europe and Africa. This academic work delves into the complexities and opportunities presented by the collaboration among the participating nations, highlighting how sports can serve as a strategic tool in diplomacy and international relations, fostering understanding and cooperation among diverse cultures.
