Alternative search provider:

Search on opendemocracy with Wikiwix

Select any combination from the menus below and then click 'Apply' to filter the list of articles. See also our previously/occasionally active sections and projects: openUSA, IDEA and openCircle

Friday 10th September

Don’t sweeten the bitter pill of an illiberal democracy

Ceren Coskun, 10 September 2010
In Turkey, where there is a weak parliamentary system and power remains heavily concentrated in the majority party, the September 12 constitutional referendum will result in a huge centralisation of power

Should we be worried about Blair's free speech?

Guy Aitchison, 10 September 2010
The cancellation by Tony Blair of several events on his book tour this week due to fears of disruption by anti-war protesters has led to a misplaced concern in some quarters over the former Prime Minister’s “free speech”.

The Labour case for AV

Neal Lawson, 10 September 2010
In an important new pamphlet, seeking to persuade his party of the need to fight for reform in the forthcoming referendum on AV, Neal Lawson, chair of Compass, sets out why democracy should matter to Labour. Lawson argues that empowering the collective voice of the people will help achieve Labour's aim of building the "good society", drawing on empirical evidence that proportional systems produce more equal outcomes. He argues for the superiority of AV over first past the post and that Labour should embrace the change, as a crucial step in the direction of PR, through an "active intervention" to ensure a Yes vote. Here, OurKingdom re-publishes the opening argument of the pamphlet, which you can read in full here.

Reducing Global Poverty - Back to the Future?

Michael Edwards, 10 September 2010
When I was a PhD student in the late 1970s I was taught that there was no one route to poverty-reduction, but that since some countries had already reduced poverty pretty well we should learn from their experience. Not exactly rocket science is it? Read on...

Russian documentary film: extinct, or almost. Interview with Vitaly Mansky. Part two

Mumin Shakirov, 10 September 2010
During perestroika Russians flocked to documentary films to find out about their ‘lost’ history. Then they lost interest, which suited the authorities. Now there is just a glimmer of hope that the situation is improving, says the celebrated documentary film maker Vitaly Mansky in conversation with Mumin Shakirov. Part two

A choice of 9/11s

Rajni Bakshi, 10 September 2010
Whatever else may be beyond our control, we are all free to choose which 9/11 moves us most deeply
Thursday 9th September

Afghanistan: wind of change

Paul Rogers, 9 September 2010
The annual report for 2010 of the International Institute of Strategic Studies, a leading establishment think-tank, raises the prospect of a shift in western policy in Afghanistan.

"For the Sake of Simplicity": hypocrisy at the service of AV

Anthony Barnett, 9 September 2010
It is one thing to offer the country a compromise, but the way Britain's Coalition government is going about reform is itself compromised as gruesomely displayed in the demoralising Commons debate on the AV referendum

Can the EU Referendum Campaign catch a spark?

Guy Aitchison, 9 September 2010
A bold new campaign has been launched to secure a referendum on our membership of the European Union. Can it succeed?

Policies or politics for the poorest?

Michael Edwards, 9 September 2010
It’s day two of the Manchester conference, and yes, it is still gray and rainy, the natural camouflage of this city that it wears to disguise its charms. The focus has turned to how poverty can be reduced, especially what the academics call “chronic” poverty which affects at least half-a-billion of the world’s poorest people on an “enduring and persistent basis.” Read on...