Brexit has spawned a form of internecine politics in the UK that is a lose-lose for all - the politicians, parties, and the nations, and very likely, the public interest. Conservatives have referred to 'blue on blue' attacks on one's own party members, but not as in military parlance, accidental. These are really intentional efforts … Continue reading The Internecine Politics Undermining the Civility of Political Discourse?
politics
Getting to No: Name-calling Politics
Every morning it seems I am stunned by any given political actor (celebrity, politician, journalist) in the UK or the USA calling another politician an idiot, a fascist, a communist, a liar, a populist, nationalist, .... the list goes on. What are they thinking? You don't need to have read Roger Fisher and William Ury's … Continue reading Getting to No: Name-calling Politics
Pluralist Empowerment versus Populism or Democratic Elitism
A rising discourse on the dangers of 'populism' seems to be expanding the concept in ways that literally demonise the empowerment of citizens - the people. There is evidence of a rise of populist parties, but that is being used as a hammer to bash a more general empowerment of individuals or citizens and networks … Continue reading Pluralist Empowerment versus Populism or Democratic Elitism
Getting to a Brexit Strategy: Focus on the Process
Press coverage of Brexit negotiations is focused on the politicians in support of different exit strategies, from a no-deal Brexit to no Brexit at all. As one consequence, the debate then focuses on whose right or wrong and why. All very newsworthy, but not an approach to reaching any consensus on the approach the UK … Continue reading Getting to a Brexit Strategy: Focus on the Process
Polarization is Not the Problem: A Post-Civic Culture
Increasingly, the dilemmas facing politics in the United States if not worldwide are being portrayed as outcomes of polarization. It is an attractive topic for discussion, because there is undeniably a great deal of polarization, if defined as wildly different (polar opposite) viewpoints on one or more issues. Moreover, it seems to be tied to … Continue reading Polarization is Not the Problem: A Post-Civic Culture
The Interpersonal Politics of Silence
Sitting in a large number of meetings – as academics do – I have been intrigued by the frequency of individuals remaining silent, and not expressing their views on issues, even to the point of listening to uncomfortable silences. I’ve been sensitive to this, since from my earliest memories of being a student sitting in … Continue reading The Interpersonal Politics of Silence
Kafka Wins in Poll
Whether the work of Franz Kafka remains relevant to understanding politics and bureaucracy in the digital age has just receive a boost from a ‘Twitter poll’ I conducted for the fun of it. I asked: “to understand contemporary world developments, should one study: Hobbes, Rousseau, Orwell, or Kafka? The findings, of course, have no scientific … Continue reading Kafka Wins in Poll
The Ascendance of Symbolic Politics: An Explanation and Consequence of Gridlock
Politicians in American and world politics are finding themselves in gridlocks over real policy change. Unable to make decisions on fundamental policies shaping the reallocation of resources, whether it be in the US Senate or the UN Security Council. This gridlock in real policy decisions makes symbolic politics the one and only game to play, … Continue reading The Ascendance of Symbolic Politics: An Explanation and Consequence of Gridlock
American Political Discourse: The Collapse of Civility and Commonsense Negotiating Strategies
Two aspects of contemporary political discourse in America seem to undermine the aims of all stakeholders. These aspects are apparent on social media, orchestrated campaigns, such as via email platforms, and on most major media with the one extraordinary exception of public broadcasting. The first is civility. Too often, all parties in political debate are … Continue reading American Political Discourse: The Collapse of Civility and Commonsense Negotiating Strategies
Rethinking White House Press Briefings: Two Steps Forward, One Giant Leap Back
I was on the brink of applauding the White House for challenging some traditions of the daily press briefings in opening to more news organizations and adding the Skype seats, only to then learn of some mainstream news organizations not being welcomed in the room. So instead of diversifying access, this seems to be a … Continue reading Rethinking White House Press Briefings: Two Steps Forward, One Giant Leap Back