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Item Open Access “THE CULTURE OF ACCOUNTABILITY: A DEMOCRATIC VIRTUE” BY GIANFRANCO PASQUINO AND RICCARDO PELIZZO, TAYLOR & FRANCIS, 2022(Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Public Policy, 2023-03) Makulbayeva, GulnurThe Culture of Accountability: A Democratic Virtue examines the notion of accountability and reveals the influence of institutional and cultural factors on political accountability. The novelty of the book is that accountability is treated as a product of three distinct processes: taking account of voters’ preferences, keeping account of voters’ preferences, and giving account of one’s performance in office. Another appealing point is that the book explores the accountability-culture nexus. Besides the traditional conceptualization of culture (civicness, religion), it pays attention to the culture of government. In addition to cultural factors, the book explores the impact of institutional conditions (the parliamentary form of government) on accountability.Item Open Access Violence in a Changing Political Context: Northern Ireland and South Africa(2003) Knox, Colin; Monaghan, RachelNorthern Ireland and South Africa are moving from conflict to post-conflict societies. Both countries have new political dispensations and seek to eschew the legacy of bitter and bloody violence. The history of the political struggles has, however, embedded a culture tolerant of violence characterised by descriptions such as ‘an acceptable level of violence’ or ‘an imperfect peace’. Somehow the threshold of violence is different/higher in these countries because of their transitional status. This chapter will therefore explore how the meaning of violence is inextricably linked to the political context in Northern Ireland and South Africa. Specifically it will examine the continuing role of violence meted out by paramilitary/vigilante groups to alleged wrongdoers within the communities in which they operate, the stranglehold these groups exert and how, if at all, this is changing. The role played by the police and the criminal justice systems will also be discussed within the new era of established political systems that have replaced ‘white rule’ and ‘direct rule’ in South Africa and Northern Ireland respectively.Item Open Access The Review of Public Administration(Manchester University Press, 2007) Knox, Colin; Carmichael, PaulAs the outcomes of the Review of Public Administration emerge, this chapter attempts three things. First, we consider the detail of the review process – its inception, aims and consultation processes. Second, we describe the existing system of public administration and examine the responses of the main sectors, local government, non-departmental public bodies, and government agencies to proposals for change. Third, we set out the outcomes of the review and the likely consequences for public service delivery in Northern IrelandItem Open Access Mayoralty in Northern Ireland: Symbolism or Substance?(Aldershot: Ashgate Publishers, 2007) Knox, Colin; Garrard, JohnThis chapter attempts three tasks. First, it explores the context of the debate about the constitutional position and role of the chair/mayor in Northern Ireland local government since 1898, while emphasising the most recent period from 1972 onwards. Second, it considers how, despite local government’s functional unimportance, the election of one high-profile republican Mayor (Alex Maskey) to Belfast City Council, a bastion of unionist power and supremacy, offered wider potential for power-sharing arrangements. Finally, in the light of an ongoing major review of local government, it discusses what the future offers for mayors/chairs in Northern Ireland.Item Open Access Public Management Reforms in Kazakhstan(NISPAcee Press, 2008-08) Kassymova, Dinazat; Knox, Colin; Mashan, MeirzhanItem Open Access Devolution and Constitutional Change in Northern Ireland(Manchester University Press, 2007) Carmichael, Paul; Knox, Colin; Osborne, BobThis edited volume brings together researchers from the ESRC Devolution and Constitutional Change programme, whose projects examined Northern Ireland either exclusively or as part of a comparative project, and other established experts in the field. The book aims to assess the Northern Ireland experience from four key perspectives. First, it considers the inextricable link between devolution and constitutional developments, to which Bogdanor refers. Second, it examines how the main political parties responded to devolution and the major challenges faced by society in moving beyond conflict (such as political symbolism, the role of women, equality and human rights issues). Third, it attempts to assess some of the outworkings of devolved government in its short-lived form or those seeded in devolution and carried on by direct rule ministers. Finally, Northern Ireland devolved government and associated institutions are located within the wider relationships with Westminster, the Republic of Ireland and Europe. The specific contributions of authors are considered in more detail.Item Open Access Fear of Reprisal – Researching Intra-Communal Violence in Northern Ireland and South Africa(2003) Knox, Colin; Monaghan, RachelMeasuring the impact of violence is fraught with problems, not least because of the definitional problems around what constitutes violence and how this might be quantified. If one considers violence perpetrated by paramilitaries in Northern Ireland or vigilante groups in South Africa then the task becomes even more difficult. This chapter will examine methodological problems associated with gaining access to, and undertaking research in, the dangerous arena of paramilitary violence in Northern Ireland and vigilante violence in South Africa. It will consider the difficulties in obtaining reliable information on the levels of violence particularly from official police sources, and the way in which this type of crime is classified. Other statistical sources such as pressure group data will be examined and problems highlighted with the use of documentation gleaned from tendentious organisations. Data about the impact of violence from primary research are also fraught with problems. Victims, for example, can be reluctant interviewees for fear of paramilitary/vigilante reprisal. A ‘victim’ of paramilitary/vigilante ‘punishment’ may be an erstwhile perpetrator of violence. Should one treat internecine turf wars between paramilitaries in Northern Ireland in a similar way to violence meted out in pursuit of their political goals? These and other issues make the measurement of the impact of violence difficult methodological questions. This chapter will therefore highlight these problems and examine how we managed them within this study of intra-communal violence.Item Open Access ‘ADMINISTERING THE SUMMIT’: THE CASE OF KAZAKHSTAN(2008) Kassymova, Dinazat; Knox, ColinKazakhstan was formed as an autonomous Republic within the Russian Federation in August 1920 and became a Republic of the Soviet Union in 1936. In 1989 Nursultan Nazarbayev became head of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan. The Supreme Soviet elected Nazarbayev first Kazakh president in 1990 and declared state sovereignty. In December 1991 Nazarbayev won uncontested presidential elections (98% of the vote) and Kazakhstan declared its independence from the Soviet Union and joined the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). In 1995 the President’s term of office was extended until 2000 at a nation-wide referendum and in January 1999, in an early election, he was returned for a seven year term by almost 80% of voters. The most recent Presidential elections were held in December 2005 when Nazarbayev won a third term with more than 90% of the vote. The people of Kazakhstan have to live with the aftermath of Soviet-era nuclear testing and toxic waste dumping. President Nazarbayev got rid of the nuclear weapons on Kazakh territory and sees his greatest achievement as building an independent country without violence or a split along ethnic or religious lines. He has also led a period of significant financial and economic reforms (Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 2007). Following independence, Kazakhstan engaged in a programme of economic reforms where prices were liberalized, trade distortions reduced, and small/medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) privatised. The treasury and budget processes were dramatically improved. More recently, a framework for public resource management was introduced which lays the foundation for a modern civil service. The creation of a National Fund (in 2000) to save part of the revenues from oil and other extractive industries has been used to increase social spending and share the benefits of economic growth. Since 2000 the economy has shown significant signs of improvement with GDP annual growth in 2006 at 10.6% (World Bank, 2006). The government is attempting to promote economic diversification and growth in the non-oil sector. Diversification into labour-intensive sectors is necessary for growth in employment and incomes, as well as to reduce the economy’s vulnerability to swings in the price of oil. It is against this political and economic background that we consider politico-administrative patterns in Kazakhstan by examining the actors, structures and processes supporting the administration of the Office of President of Kazakhstan.Item Open Access Research within Evaluation: the case of Northern Ireland In K.Bush and C. Duggan (eds) Evaluation in the Extreme: Research Impact and Politics in Violently Divided Societies(2015) Knox, ColinThis chapter looks at the evaluation of research within programme evaluation under four key headings: The evaluation of research on the theory of change which provides the rationale for the programme. An evaluation of the research conducted by the delivery agents to assess the formative impact of the programme aimed at checking programme delivery. The role played by the evaluator in assessing research within the context of programme evaluation. The influence of research as one component in a programme of activities, and the contribution it makes to the overall programme objectives.Item Open Access Community planning in Northern Ireland: Participative Democracy in Practice?(2005-01) Knox, ColinLocal Government in Northern Ireland entered a new phase of its development in April 2015 when 26 pre-existing councils were reduced to 11 local authorities with a range of additional functions. This structural change is significant for a number of reasons. First, the new councils represent the culmination of a process of reform which commenced in 2002 under the Review of Public Administration whose remit incorporated wider changes to health, education and functions delivered through non-departmental public bodies. Second, the original intention of the Review was to create ‘more powerful councils with responsibilities for an increased range of functions’ (Pearson, 2004:1). Given the history of local government in Northern Ireland, such a move signalled a renewed confidence in councils to deliver services in an impartial way (Tomlinson, 1980). Third, in recognition of the complexity of devolved governance arrangements at Stormont, with 12 government departments created primarily to meet the requirements of power-sharing, local councils offer the prospect of integrated public services provision which are more responsive to users. This paper provides a brief overview of local government (1972-2015) up until the most recent structural changes– a retrospective narrative. It also considers the potential for the 11 larger councils to improve the quality of life of its citizens through new statutory powers of community planning – a prospective analysis. The paper concludes with a case study example of one new council (Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council) to illustrate how community planning can, in practical terms, be used to hold central government departments to account for service provision at the local level.Item Open Access Government accountability and legislative oversight(Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption, 2013-11) Pelizzo, RiccardoThis handbook summarizes the findings and implications of recent research on legislative oversight in countries with presidential forms of government. It also updates and revises good practice in parliamentary systems. The full research findings and their implications can be found in Riccardo Pelizzo and Frederick Stapenhurst Government Accountability and Legislative Oversight.