Search

The paper analyses political scandals connected to the contemporary populist parties of Denmark, Finland and Sweden. The dramaturgies of these scandals repeat the general patterns of political scandals identified in previous studies, but they also share special characteristics that make them a specific type of neo-populist scandal. The starting point of the typical neo-populist scandal occurs due to the moral transgression of a member of a populist movement, usually through the use of unacceptable language or behaviour, insulting non-native inhabitants or other minorities within the population. However, provocation and playing the role of the underdog are common strategies employed by populists, and a populist movement may even benefit from a scandal, though the consequences of the scandal depend on the life phase of the movement and on the status of the member involved in the scandal. The moral transgressions and political consequences of neo-populist scandals may serve as an indicator of the condition liberal democracy enjoys, but also reveal contextual differences in particular societies and their moral order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the quality, performance and future of public library services in the UK is a matter of debate, there is little doubt that in recent years, despite claims relating to the emergence of a cyber-society, interest in library buildings and the library as ‘place’ has been intense, almost matching that seen during the Carnegie era of mass public library building in the early 20th century. Tapping into this renewed enthusiasm for the library built form, this article analyses evidence collected by the Mass-Observation Archive (MOA) in response to a request for written commentary on public library buildings, an investigation commissioned by the author. The MOA contains evidence, stretching back to the 1930s, of the British public’s daily lives and attitudes. The Archive’s data-collection method takes the form of essay-style contributions, varying from a few sentences to thousands of words, submitted from anonymous volunteer correspondents. A total of 180 essays (from 121 women and 59 men) were received, and all were read and analysed for the purpose of this study. Analysis focused on the tension between old and new styles of library design. It was found that while some people prefer public library buildings to retain their historic style and feel, others demand contemporary designs like those employed in recent years for new, ‘flagship’ buildings in Norwich, Peckham, Brighton and Newcastle-upon-Tyne. A third category of opinion expressed a taste for the provision of up-to-date facilities and interior decoration in historic settings. A fourth strain of thought — the essence of which might be described as ‘libraryness’ — played down the importance of style, whether old or new, foregrounding the importance of services and collections. The second half of the article offers a discussion that places the MOA evidence in the context of an assessments of, and commentaries on, recent public library design. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]