Nuovi Autoritarismi e Democrazie: Diritto, Istituzioni, Società (NAD-DIS)

Diritto al cibo e sovranità alimentare nella Repubblica federale democratica del Nepal

Serena Baldin — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

This paper aims to illustrate the legal framework related to the right to food and food sovereignty in Nepal, highlighting some problematic aspects related to access to food. In particular, the paper focuses on provisions that aim to counteract land grabbing and seed biopiracy. The research reveals that in Nepal the concept of food sovereignty is considered equivalent to the right to food security and the right to be free from hunger.

Per un’analisi critica del tema della corruzione nella corrente dominante gli studi sullo sviluppo: percorsi teorici e riflessioni dai territori marginali dell’Odisha (India)

Matilde Adduci — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The rise and consolidation of neoliberalism witnessed, inter alia, the emergence of a discourse on the causes of poverty centred on public corruption, which has informed the mainstream of development. In this perspective, the goal of “long-term economic growth and shared prosperity” has to be achieved – parallel to the implementation of core economic reforms – by combating corruption. As a matter of fact, governments of developing countries are called upon to fight corruption, under the watchful eye of a civil society, which is presumed not to question the framework of neoliberal reforms. Here, we would like to propose a critical reading of this normative framework by questioning, in a historical perspective, the main theoretical assumptions underlying it as well as the notion of corruption, which informs it. Not least, we will raise the question of which spaces, if any, are left to take into consideration the role to be played by redistributive public policies in the struggle against poverty in the world’s South. Finally, we will propose some reflections resulting from a long period of fieldwork research in the Indian state of Odisha, historically plagued by severe levels of material poverty and social inequality, and affected by the proliferation of corruption practices inherent to the exploitation of its abundant natural resources.

Who Holds the Power? Political Succession & Authoritarian Regimes in Africa (1990-2020)

Federico Battera — Tue, 26 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The paper analyzes and describes continuities of authoritarian regimes in Africa since the return to multipartism by classifying cases which have been stable in the authoritarian form in the last thirty years. Special attention is devoted to political successions, whether these are ruled by a party and/or the military or took the form of dynastic ones. In particular, the existence of collegial control on personal power is presented as an important way of ensuring continuities of party and/or military hegemony over the authoritarian regime. Collegial control may also strengthen the stability of the regime in its authoritarian form. However, it is not excluded that a moderate degree of personal power may also be helpful in ensuring stability if combined with collegial control as it helps in limiting factionalism.

Resurrezione o rivoluzione? Le reciproche influenze linguistiche e terminologiche tra nasserismo e baathismo alla vigilia della Repubblica Araba Unita (1952-1958)

Mauro Primavera — Tue, 26 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

This paper aims to study the Baathist-Nasserist dialogue occurred in the years preceding the establishment of the United Arab Republic (1952-1958). After providing a historical overview of the evolution of Arab nationalism, this study tries to understand the mutual ideological influences and differences between Baʿathist and Nasserite terminology. In addition, it discusses the effects of such dialogue within the ideological and political context. The research relies on a thorough analysis of Arabic primary sources, from the writings of Baʿath founders to ʿAbd al-Nāṣir’s speeches and writings. Keywords such as “revolution”, “struggle”, “socialism” and “Arabism” will be analyzed and compared. By examining the most relevant conceptual issues from a linguistic and historical perspective, this paper aims to enrich the already existing field of studies about the historical and ideological reassessment of the UAR and, more broadly, of the so called “secular” pan-Arab movements.

Governance ribelle: califfato e confederalismo democratico nella guerra civile siriana

Daniele Molteni — Tue, 26 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The civil war in Syria, whichbroke out in 2011, saw the emergence of two alternative political projects facing the nation-state with revolutionary ideologies and aspirations for territorial control over large areas. On the one hand, the Caliphate project of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS); on the other, the Democratic Confederalism project of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). This paper aims to analyse these alternative social orders, often defined as natural enemies, inside the framework of rebel governance, moving beyond the description of civil wars as a state of chaos and the exclusive state-centric discourse on governance. Initially, the concept of rebel governance is defined underlining its implications; secondly, the ideological foundations, the administrative, economic, and legal structures of the projects are discussed. The last section focuses on their similarities, differences and their power-ideology trade off in the context of their regional and international relations.

Recensione. Patricia Chiantera-Stutte, Giovanni Borgognone (eds.), Civilization. Global Histories of a Political Idea, Lanham, Lexington Books, 2022

Lorenzo Kamel — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The new book edited by Patricia Chiantera-Stutte and Giovanni Borgognone provides a rich and compelling analysis of the many narratives on, and around, “civilizations”, and how the latter concept continues to be used to support a variety of political agendas, from liberal democracy to ethno-nationalist authoritarianism.

Recensione. Fulvio Bertuccelli, Il movimento socialista in Turchia (1960–1971). Ideologia e politica tra due colpi di stato, Roma, Aracne, 2023.

Francesco Mazzucotelli — Tue, 26 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Il trattamento dei dati biometrici nel quadro della strategia europea dei dati, fra rischi di mass surveillance e tutela dei diritti fondamentali

Francesca Mollo — Tue, 26 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The contribution reconstructs the theme of mass surveillance, intertwined with the protection of personal data. It starts to investigate the criticality profiles connected to the treatment of some specific categories of data, in particular biometric data, the treatment of which –systematically and on a large scale – is likely to define new surveillance models.

Under these profiles, the article analyzes the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights and Court of Justice.

L’ordine giuridico dell’algoritmo: la funzione regolatrice del diritto e la funzione ordinatrice dell’algoritmo

Alessandro Sterpa, Isabella de Vivo, Claudia Capasso — Tue, 26 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Humans have historically developed tools, both tangible and intangible, to impose order, mitigate risks, and align actions with collective values. This article explores the parallel roles of legal norms and algorithms in establishing regularities that may be beneficial to human cognition, shielding it from boundless unpredictability. With an emphasis on the intertwining of rational and emotional facets of human cognition, we delve into the shared ordering functions of law and AI algorithms. The article highlights the challenges, biases, and dilemmas surrounding AI and its regulation. We conclude by advocating for a more structured political approach to AI governance, emphasizing the importance of delineating roles for AI to ensure certain domains remain exclusively within human purview.

Back to the Future. The Aftermath of Poland’s 2023 Parliamentary Election

Piotr Podemski — Tue, 26 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

On 15th October 2023 Polish voters decided to put an end to the 8-year period of the Law and Justice Party in power, widely seen as “authoritarian populism”. The paper analyses the electoral programmes of the major contenders (Law and Justice, Civic Coalition, Third Way, New Left and Confederation) as well as a variety of election-related statistics (e.g. by voters’ age, education, occupation and residence) revealing a more complex image of the Polish society and its political preferences in 2023. The author argues that due to remarkable ideological and socio-cultural polarization contemporary Poland remains “a house divided” or even “two nations [with] no sympathy [for each other]”. Even if Poland has now chosen a path back to the future, the new pro-EU liberal government will face a number of identifiable challenges.

Transformation of Academia and Education System upon the Russo-Ukrainian War: Russian and Ukrainian Experience

Iuliia Iashchenko — Tue, 26 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

This analysis delves into the evolving historical narratives and academic freedom in Ukraine and Russia during the Russo-Ukrainian conflict. Before 2014, Russia underwent a shift from post-Soviet intellectual freedom to increased control under Putin. Subsequent years witnessed political persecution, censorship, and a scholar exodus. The conflict intensified academic suppression in Russia from 2014 to 2023, targeting dissenters. Meanwhile, Ukraine experienced notable education changes, emphasizing national identity. This study reveals the intricate interplay between geopolitics and academic autonomy, showcasing the contrasting educational trajectories in both nations amidst the complex dynamics of the ongoing conflict.

Israele in guerra: una panoramica della situazione interna al paese

Matteo D'Avanzo — Tue, 26 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

This report delves into the current socio-political landscape in Israel, shedding light on the growing opposition to government reforms and heightened tensions during the formation of the new government. It explores the temporary pause in internal debates following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, with an expectation that these discussions will resume post-conflict. The primary focus is on depicting Israeli society and politics before the war and analysing the key elements that have defined its recent history.