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The SAGE Handbook of Political Science presents a major retrospective and prospective overview of the discipline. Comprising three volumes of contributions from expert authors from around the world, the handbook aims to frame, assess and synthesize research in the field, helping to define and identify its current and future developments. It does so from a truly global and cross-area perspective Chapters cover a broad range of aspects, from providing a general introduction to exploring important subfields within the discipline. Each chapter is designed to provide a state-of-the-art and comprehensive overview of the topic by incorporating cross-cutting global, interdisciplinary, and, where this applies, gender perspectives. The Handbook is arranged over seven core thematic sections: Part 1: Political Theory Part 2: Methods Part 3: Political Sociology Part 4: Comparative Politics Part 5: Public Policies and Administration Part 6: International Relations Part 7: Major Challenges for Politics and Political Science in the 21st Century

The SAGE Handbook of Political Science presents a major retrospective and prospective overview of the discipline. Comprising three volumes of contributions from expert authors from around the world, the handbook aims to frame, assess and synthesize research in the field, helping to define and identify its current and future developments. It does so from a truly global and cross-area perspective Chapters cover a broad range of aspects, from providing a general introduction to exploring important subfields within the discipline. Each chapter is designed to provide a state-of-the-art and comprehensive overview of the topic by incorporating cross-cutting global, interdisciplinary, and, where this applies, gender perspectives. The Handbook is arranged over seven core thematic sections: Part 1: Political Theory Part 2: Methods Part 3: Political Sociology Part 4: Comparative Politics Part 5: Public Policies and Administration Part 6: International Relations Part 7: Major Challenges for Politics and Political Science in the 21st Century

The SAGE Handbook of Political Science presents a major retrospective and prospective overview of the discipline. Comprising three volumes of contributions from expert authors from around the world, the handbook aims to frame, assess and synthesize research in the field, helping to define and identify its current and future developments. It does so from a truly global and cross-area perspective Chapters cover a broad range of aspects, from providing a general introduction to exploring important subfields within the discipline. Each chapter is designed to provide a state-of-the-art and comprehensive overview of the topic by incorporating cross-cutting global, interdisciplinary, and, where this applies, gender perspectives. The Handbook is arranged over seven core thematic sections: Part 1: Political Theory Part 2: Methods Part 3: Political Sociology Part 4: Comparative Politics Part 5: Public Policies and Administration Part 6: International Relations Part 7: Major Challenges for Politics and Political Science in the 21st Century

The SAGE Handbook of Political Science presents a major retrospective and prospective overview of the discipline. Comprising three volumes of contributions from expert authors from around the world, the handbook aims to frame, assess and synthesize research in the field, helping to define and identify its current and future developments. It does so from a truly global and cross-area perspective Chapters cover a broad range of aspects, from providing a general introduction to exploring important subfields within the discipline. Each chapter is designed to provide a state-of-the-art and comprehensive overview of the topic by incorporating cross-cutting global, interdisciplinary, and, where this applies, gender perspectives. The Handbook is arranged over seven core thematic sections: Part 1: Political Theory Part 2: Methods Part 3: Political Sociology Part 4: Comparative Politics Part 5: Public Policies and Administration Part 6: International Relations Part 7: Major Challenges for Politics and Political Science in the 21st Century

The SAGE Handbook of Political Science presents a major retrospective and prospective overview of the discipline. Comprising three volumes of contributions from expert authors from around the world, the handbook aims to frame, assess and synthesize research in the field, helping to define and identify its current and future developments. It does so from a truly global and cross-area perspective Chapters cover a broad range of aspects, from providing a general introduction to exploring important subfields within the discipline. Each chapter is designed to provide a state-of-the-art and comprehensive overview of the topic by incorporating cross-cutting global, interdisciplinary, and, where this applies, gender perspectives. The Handbook is arranged over seven core thematic sections: Part 1: Political Theory Part 2: Methods Part 3: Political Sociology Part 4: Comparative Politics Part 5: Public Policies and Administration Part 6: International Relations Part 7: Major Challenges for Politics and Political Science in the 21st Century

The SAGE Handbook of Political Science presents a major retrospective and prospective overview of the discipline. Comprising three volumes of contributions from expert authors from around the world, the handbook aims to frame, assess and synthesize research in the field, helping to define and identify its current and future developments. It does so from a truly global and cross-area perspective Chapters cover a broad range of aspects, from providing a general introduction to exploring important subfields within the discipline. Each chapter is designed to provide a state-of-the-art and comprehensive overview of the topic by incorporating cross-cutting global, interdisciplinary, and, where this applies, gender perspectives. The Handbook is arranged over seven core thematic sections: Part 1: Political Theory Part 2: Methods Part 3: Political Sociology Part 4: Comparative Politics Part 5: Public Policies and Administration Part 6: International Relations Part 7: Major Challenges for Politics and Political Science in the 21st Century

The SAGE Handbook of Political Science presents a major retrospective and prospective overview of the discipline. Comprising three volumes of contributions from expert authors from around the world, the handbook aims to frame, assess and synthesize research in the field, helping to define and identify its current and future developments. It does so from a truly global and cross-area perspective Chapters cover a broad range of aspects, from providing a general introduction to exploring important subfields within the discipline. Each chapter is designed to provide a state-of-the-art and comprehensive overview of the topic by incorporating cross-cutting global, interdisciplinary, and, where this applies, gender perspectives. The Handbook is arranged over seven core thematic sections: Part 1: Political Theory Part 2: Methods Part 3: Political Sociology Part 4: Comparative Politics Part 5: Public Policies and Administration Part 6: International Relations Part 7: Major Challenges for Politics and Political Science in the 21st Century

This research explains how does the interaction between foreign and domestic policy domains take place and how it influences domestic political change. For this purpose, the cases of Armenia, Georgia and Moldova are analysed with specific focus on the external influence of Russia and the European Union. Consequently, this study traces the interaction between domestic and international actors at the light of the broader regional context, including the Eurasian Economic Union and the European Union. The research uses the analytical tool defined by Morlino (2011), with theoretical contributions from social constructivism and historical institutionalism in order to emphasize the need to contextualise the actions, preferences and identities of domestic actors in a broader historical perspective, which acknowledges the relevance of past legacies. Following the analytical tool, suggested by Morlino (2011), the research focuses on institutional reforms in Rule of Law, Inter-Institutional and Electoral Accountability, in addition to Participation and Competition as horizontal dimensions. A combination of process- tracing and network analysis provides insight on the strategies of domestic and international actors intervening in the reform processes.The research argues that the increased competition between the European Union and Russia is used by different domestic elite groups to strengthen their power positions and as an opportunity to diversify the foreign policy relations in the case of relatively small economic partners as Armenia, Georgia and Moldova. Such strategy is pursued through the development of focused relations with each international partner, while avoiding an exclusive geopolitical choice. Therefore, the EU is a preferred partner in democracy support, development of institutional capacities and trade; while Russia’s collaboration is sought in fields as trade, energy, etc). In addition, the EU and Russia have developed more flexible approaches in the relations, Doctorat en Sciences politiques et sociales, info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

From the award-winning team behind the International Encyclopaedia of Political Science... Moving beyond mainstream “traditional” approaches to bring you a new advanced-level introduction to political science. A perfect introduction for postgraduates who are new to political science, as well as upper-level undergraduates looking to broaden and deepen their understanding of core topics, this progressive account: Guides you through all key areas of political science: origins, methodological foundations, key topics, and current issues Takes an international and pluralist perspective with all issues explored in a comparative way related to different cultural and historical contexts Includes pulled-out descriptions of major concepts, further reading and self-assessment questions at the end of each chapter.

From the award-winning team behind the International Encyclopaedia of Political Science... Moving beyond mainstream “traditional” approaches to bring you a new advanced-level introduction to political science. A perfect introduction for postgraduates who are new to political science, as well as upper-level undergraduates looking to broaden and deepen their understanding of core topics, this progressive account: Guides you through all key areas of political science: origins, methodological foundations, key topics, and current issues Takes an international and pluralist perspective with all issues explored in a comparative way related to different cultural and historical contexts Includes pulled-out descriptions of major concepts, further reading and self-assessment questions at the end of each chapter.

From the award-winning team behind the International Encyclopaedia of Political Science... Moving beyond mainstream “traditional” approaches to bring you a new advanced-level introduction to political science. A perfect introduction for postgraduates who are new to political science, as well as upper-level undergraduates looking to broaden and deepen their understanding of core topics, this progressive account: Guides you through all key areas of political science: origins, methodological foundations, key topics, and current issues Takes an international and pluralist perspective with all issues explored in a comparative way related to different cultural and historical contexts Includes pulled-out descriptions of major concepts, further reading and self-assessment questions at the end of each chapter.

The topic of this dissertation is the democratic deficit of the European Union and the normative and empirical assessment of the likelihood that the existing forms of institutionalized transnational civic engagement would act as the point of anchoring democratic practices at the EU level. If the democratic deficit reflects the apparent lack of legitimacy and accountability of EU institutions and a lack of influence of its citizens, the question the project attempts to answer is why the existing democratic innovations within the EU constitutional framework fail to attract political allegiance and mobilization necessary for a functioning EU democracy? The thesis attempts to bridge the gap between normative political theory and more empirical and policy oriented approaches to the issue of EU democratic deficit. In a theoretical sense, this research covers a broad spectrum of topics within political theory and the theory of political culture. Parting ways with most of the current literature on the subject, which usually ends with institutional prescriptions derived from descriptions that rely on the nation-state as the benchmark for the prospects of democratisation of the EU, the project seeks to analyse the democratic innovations that the Lisbon treaty introduced within a more comprehensive framework of transnational deliberative democracy - demoicracy. The underlying idea behind the project is to apply, for the first time and with necessary modifications, the basic notions of the founders of the discipline of Political Culture, Almond and Verba, to the EU. That means to draw on their seminal work, ‘The Civic Culture: Political Attitudes and Democracy in Five Nations’, and hypothesize that further democratization of EU decision-making requires a 'civic political culture'. By definition, it presupposes the dominance of 'participative' over 'subject' and 'parochial' dimensions of orientation towards the political system. After extensive theoretical and methodological con, Doctorat en Sciences politiques et sociales, info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

This thesis aims to address the following key question: “What affects immigrants to acquire capital and how is it generated?” This can be addressed by the following: (1) identifying micro-level determinants of immigrant language acquisition and integration; (2) assessing macro-level effects and micro-macro joint effects on immigrant language acquisition; and (3) reassessing the overall empirical findings based on theoretically derived micro-macro interactive mechanisms in the integration process. The research literature concerned with the determinants of immigrant/second language acquisition is reviewed to bring classic theories and models from economics and psychology together and initiate the construction of an economic-psychological modeling frame for immigrant language acquisition. Based on the modeling frame, an empirically testable model of immigrant language acquisition is formulated to identify the determinants of destination language proficiency. Furthermore, conceptually locating immigrants’ integration outcomes as the consequences of their language acquisition in a theoretical modeling framework, a model of immigrant integration is devised with three sub-models: (1) a model of immigrant economic integration; (2) a model of immigrant citizenship acquisition; and (3) a model of immigrant political integration. The models are tested using OLS regression and data from the Multicultural Democracy and Immigrants’ Social Capital in Europe: Participation, Organisational Networks, and Public Policies at the Local Level (LOCALMULTIDEM). Analysis results suggest that the economic model is robust in predicting immigrant language acquisition and integration outcomes. Educational attainment is found to be the most critical and consistent predictor of outcomes across cities and empirical models. Although the psychological model has relatively weak power in explaining the variation in language proficiency, the presumed mediating effect via attitudinal factors is detected, Doctorat en Sciences politiques et sociales, info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Toute recherche qui se veut « scientifique », même au sens le plus large du terme, ne peut faire abstraction d'une analyse préalable de ses aspects méthodologiques. Il faut commencer par déterminer un sujet qui suscite notre intérêt et notre curiosité ; puis se poser une question qui le concerne ; procéder à la formulation d'une ou de plusieurs hypothèses de travail ; puis au choix des cas à étudier et, enfin, au recueil des données nécessaires pour répondre à la question soulevée et vérifier la ou les hypothèses formulées. Comparer est donc important, à tel point que l'on compare souvent implicitement, voire inconsciemment dans notre activité quotidienne. Cet ouvrage a pour objectif de faire comprendre de manière simple ce qu'est la comparaison et comment l'utiliser.

Toute recherche qui se veut « scientifique », même au sens le plus large du terme, ne peut faire abstraction d'une analyse préalable de ses aspects méthodologiques. Il faut commencer par déterminer un sujet qui suscite notre intérêt et notre curiosité ; puis se poser une question qui le concerne ; procéder à la formulation d'une ou de plusieurs hypothèses de travail ; puis au choix des cas à étudier et, enfin, au recueil des données nécessaires pour répondre à la question soulevée et vérifier la ou les hypothèses formulées. Comparer est donc important, à tel point que l'on compare souvent implicitement, voire inconsciemment dans notre activité quotidienne. Cet ouvrage a pour objectif de faire comprendre de manière simple ce qu'est la comparaison et comment l'utiliser.

Toute recherche qui se veut « scientifique », même au sens le plus large du terme, ne peut faire abstraction d'une analyse préalable de ses aspects méthodologiques. Il faut commencer par déterminer un sujet qui suscite notre intérêt et notre curiosité ; puis se poser une question qui le concerne ; procéder à la formulation d'une ou de plusieurs hypothèses de travail ; puis au choix des cas à étudier et, enfin, au recueil des données nécessaires pour répondre à la question soulevée et vérifier la ou les hypothèses formulées. Comparer est donc important, à tel point que l'on compare souvent implicitement, voire inconsciemment dans notre activité quotidienne. Cet ouvrage a pour objectif de faire comprendre de manière simple ce qu'est la comparaison et comment l'utiliser.

Toute recherche qui se veut « scientifique », même au sens le plus large du terme, ne peut faire abstraction d'une analyse préalable de ses aspects méthodologiques. Il faut commencer par déterminer un sujet qui suscite notre intérêt et notre curiosité ; puis se poser une question qui le concerne ; procéder à la formulation d'une ou de plusieurs hypothèses de travail ; puis au choix des cas à étudier et, enfin, au recueil des données nécessaires pour répondre à la question soulevée et vérifier la ou les hypothèses formulées. Comparer est donc important, à tel point que l'on compare souvent implicitement, voire inconsciemment dans notre activité quotidienne. Cet ouvrage a pour objectif de faire comprendre de manière simple ce qu'est la comparaison et comment l'utiliser.

This thesis discusses how ideas, as domestic factors, have decided the formation of China’smultilateralist foreign policy. It tries to provide an profound understanding of China's foreignpolicy development with the theoretical tools provided by discursive institutionalism andhistorical institutionalism.Three empirical cases are studied: the case of WTO, the case of ASEAN+3 and the case ofShanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). These three cases have represented China'sinvolvement of multilateral institutions at different time and level.The findings show that China has gradually turned to an active participants of multilateralinstitutions, and it is trying to constructing a new type of multilateralism: competitivemultilateralism. Whether it can be compatible with existing institutions is an open question., Doctorat en Sciences politiques et sociales, info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Toute recherche qui se veut « scientifique », même au sens le plus large du terme, ne peut faire abstraction d'une analyse préalable de ses aspects méthodologiques. Il faut commencer par déterminer un sujet qui suscite notre intérêt et notre curiosité ; puis se poser une question qui le concerne ; procéder à la formulation d'une ou de plusieurs hypothèses de travail ; puis au choix des cas à étudier et, enfin, au recueil des données nécessaires pour répondre à la question soulevée et vérifier la ou les hypothèses formulées. Comparer est donc important, à tel point que l'on compare souvent implicitement, voire inconsciemment dans notre activité quotidienne. Cet ouvrage a pour objectif de faire comprendre de manière simple ce qu'est la comparaison et comment l'utiliser.

Toute recherche qui se veut « scientifique », même au sens le plus large du terme, ne peut faire abstraction d'une analyse préalable de ses aspects méthodologiques. Il faut commencer par déterminer un sujet qui suscite notre intérêt et notre curiosité ; puis se poser une question qui le concerne ; procéder à la formulation d'une ou de plusieurs hypothèses de travail ; puis au choix des cas à étudier et, enfin, au recueil des données nécessaires pour répondre à la question soulevée et vérifier la ou les hypothèses formulées. Comparer est donc important, à tel point que l'on compare souvent implicitement, voire inconsciemment dans notre activité quotidienne. Cet ouvrage a pour objectif de faire comprendre de manière simple ce qu'est la comparaison et comment l'utiliser.

Le point de départ de cette thèse est le constat d’un paradoxe: malgré l’adhésion à l'UE, considérée comme la conclusion de la consolidation démocratique pour les pays de l’Europe centrale et orientale, ces dernières années on a assisté à plusieurs cas de gouvernements de "mauvaise" qualité démocratique caractérisés par corruption et conflits d'intérêt, tendances vers l'abus et la concentration du pouvoir dans les mains de l'exécutif, inefficacité décisionnelle, etc.Par conséquent, l'hypothèse centrale est que, en reprenant les avertissements d’O'Donnell (1996), dans de nombreux pays de la région le système démocratique est moins consolidé que ce qu'il parait, et que l'adhésion à l'UE, bien qu'il y a eu un impact positif sur les systèmes démocratiques de ces pays, n'a pas éliminé le risque d'une possible “érosion démocratique” (Schedler, 1998).La principale question de recherche de la thèse est donc la suivante: quelle a été l'impact réel de l'Union européenne sur la qualité démocratique des gouvernements des pays de l'Europe centrale et orientale? Répondre à cette question nous permet d'intégrer les conclusions des diverses littératures:-la littérature sur la qualité démocratique, parce que dans cette recherche on aborde la question de la qualité démocratique de gouvernement d'une manière originale, en adoptant une approche dynamique sur les interactions entre les acteurs et entre interne/externe et une méthodologie qualitative qui permet d'intégrer les études sur la qualité démocratique “institution-centered” basés sur des indicateurs quantitatifs.-la littérature sur l'européanisation, car cette thèse permet de revoir les conclusions concernant l'impact réel de l'UE avant, pendant et après l'élargissement, en soulignant ses mécanismes formels et informels d'influence.-la littérature sur la gouvernance et la démocratie dans l'Union européenne, car on aborde la question de la qualité de la démocratie des gouvernements nationaux, des conséquences de l'érosion possibl, Doctorat en Sciences politiques et sociales, info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

With entries from leading international scholars from around the world, the International Encyclopedia of Political Science provides a definitive, comprehensive picture of all aspects of political life, recognizing its theoretical foundations and including empirical findings from across the globe. The eight volumes examine all the main subdisciplines of political science and include coverage of comparative politics, epistemology, political economy, political sociology, and international relations. Entries are arranged in alphabetical order, and a list of entries by subject area appears in the front of each volume for ease of use. The Encyclopedia contains a detailed index as well as extensive bibliographical references. Approximately 80 entries on the use of both qualitative and quantitative research methods in political science are provided. The process of democratization will remain a vital topic during the 21st century, and the encyclopedia contains extensive coverage of the evolution of democracy as well as other political systems. Readers will find theoretical and empirical background on other important issues such as global security, the relationship between religion and the state, and political issues related to gender and race/ethnicity. The International Encyclopedia of Political Science provides an essential, authoritative guide to the state of political science at the start of the 21st century and for decades to come, making it an invaluable resource for a global readership, including researchers, students, citizens, and policy makers., Verket har 8 volymer. General Editors: Bertrand Badie, Dirk Berg-Schlosser, Leonardo Morlino. Associate Editors: Nathaniel Beck, Walter Carlsnaes, Takashi Inoguchi, B. Guy Peter.

In the comparative research we present here as the introduction to a set of case studies, we first assess the quality of democratic procedures, content and outcomes in eight countries in the Asia-Pacific region on the basis of quantitative and qualitative data. Second, we investigate whether, to what extent, and how democratic qualities relate to one another. These investigations are carried out by applying an analytical framework that we developed elsewhere. In contrast to our previous empirical findings demonstrating that all the qualities go hand in hand, that participation and competition are the main determinants of democratic qualities, and that the democratic qualities form a funnel of causality, the present study suggests a different set of conclusions. In the Asia-Pacific region, the democratic qualities are weakly related to one another, do not form a funnel of causality, and participation and competition are not the main drivers of democratic quality. The data presented in the empirical section of the paper claim the existence of an Asia-Pacific exceptionalism. By carefully examining the cases included in our sample, we provide a detailed explanation for why, at least as far as democratic qualities are concerned, the Asia-Pacific region may be exceptional and unique. We reach the conclusion that responsiveness could be achieved by a transition from a rule by law - often coupled with the prominence of patronage, patrimonialist practices and privileges for the elite - to a proper rule of law.

What is a security dilemma? What are the consequences of security dilemmas in international politics?

What is a security dilemma? What are the consequences of security dilemmas in international politics?

What is a security dilemma? What are the consequences of security dilemmas in international politics?

What is a security dilemma? What are the consequences of security dilemmas in international politics?

What is a security dilemma? What are the consequences of security dilemmas in international politics?

In its broadest sense, diplomacy refers to the conduct of human affairs by peaceful means, employing techniques of persuasion and negotiation. In the more specific sphere of international politics, through the utilisation of such techniques, it has come to be regarded as one of the key processes characterising the international system and a defining institution of the system of sovereign states - often referred to as the “Westphalian” system after the 1684 Peace of Westphalia. Its usage, however, embraces some important distinctions. First, at the state level, it has frequently been used (particularly in studies of diplomatic history) as a synonym for foreign policy – as in “Russian”, “German” and “Japanese” diplomacy (foreign policy). More commonly, however, it is used to refer to one means by which such policies are implemented. Second, viewed as an institution of the international system, a distinction can be made between diplomacy as a set of processes and as a set of structures through which these processes are conducted. Debates about the continuing utility of diplomacy in contemporary international politics frequently reflect confusion between these meanings. In the course of the following discussion, the origins of diplomacy are outlined together with differing analytical approaches to its nature and significance as a feature of international politics. The changing nature of diplomatic processes is then discussed followed by an examination of the evolution of the structures through which diplomacy has been conducted at both the state and international levels.

This book examines in depth the impact of the EU on aspects of the quality of democracy in eight selected post-communist countries. Considering both the political and legal aspects of the dynamics among institutions and focussing on inter-institutional accountability, the book analyses how constitutional designs have been effectively implemented to achieve this, and to what extent this was the result of EU action. In order to make a comparative assessment of the EU on democracies, the book features detailed case studies according to their different status vis-à-vis the EU, including older new member states: Poland and Hungary; newer new member states: Romania and Bulgaria; potential candidates: Albania and Serbia; and neighbour and remote neighbour states: Ukraine and Armenia. Each chapter addresses a range of dimensions and most relevant domains of inter-institutional accountability, that is: executive-legislative relationships; constitutional justice; decentralisation and regionalism; and the role of ombudsman or other relevant authorities. Seeking to assess how important the role of the EU has been in influencing the modes and characteristic of democracies and fundamental rights established in these regions, this book will be of interest to students and scholars of comparative politics, EU politics, Post-communist studies and democratization studies.

The research explores the mechanisms in the formation and consolidation of a new regime which combines democratic and authoritarian features; it has emerged as result of democratization processes affecting different world areas in recent years. The study analyses a case of great international significance, post-communist Russia: here internal factors strongly prevail in front of the external variables of democratic imitation and contagion, thus showing to what extent Russia differs from other political contexts. The study intends to examine the strategies used by this regime to solve internal conflicts and become stable in spite of the democratizing pressures coming from outside. Indeed, the literature about political transformations has shown the problems in analyzing these polities together with the need to examine their peculiarities more in depth. In this perspective, the first section focuses on the dynamics of State-building in Russia as a fundamental process in tracing the specific characteristics of the current regime: particularly, it is suggested that the State dimension comes out as crucial in determining the level of political and social pluralism accepted in post-Soviet Russia. This argument is worked out in the second section, which analyses the main mechanisms used by the incumbents to limit and control pluralism within the two arenas of political competition and civil society, from where the major threats to the status quo are supposed to come. The main hypothesis is that the leadership interventions in these spheres during the last ten years have shaped a regime which can be characterized as a new type of authoritarianism: with respect to traditional authoritarian forms a certain degree of political contestation is accepted, visible in the presence of a multiparty system, semi-competitive elections and of the several representatives of civil society. Yet, this diversity is curbed basically in two different ways: from one hand the incumbents provide

The research explores the mechanisms in the formation and consolidation of a new regime which combines democratic and authoritarian features; it has emerged as result of democratization processes affecting different world areas in recent years. The study analyses a case of great international significance, post-communist Russia: here internal factors strongly prevail in front of the external variables of democratic imitation and contagion, thus showing to what extent Russia differs from other political contexts. The study intends to examine the strategies used by this regime to solve internal conflicts and become stable in spite of the democratizing pressures coming from outside. Indeed, the literature about political transformations has shown the problems in analyzing these polities together with the need to examine their peculiarities more in depth. In this perspective, the first section focuses on the dynamics of State-building in Russia as a fundamental process in tracing the specific characteristics of the current regime: particularly, it is suggested that the State dimension comes out as crucial in determining the level of political and social pluralism accepted in post-Soviet Russia. This argument is worked out in the second section, which analyses the main mechanisms used by the incumbents to limit and control pluralism within the two arenas of political competition and civil society, from where the major threats to the status quo are supposed to come. The main hypothesis is that the leadership interventions in these spheres during the last ten years have shaped a regime which can be characterized as a new type of authoritarianism: with respect to traditional authoritarian forms a certain degree of political contestation is accepted, visible in the presence of a multiparty system, semi-competitive elections and of the several representatives of civil society. Yet, this diversity is curbed basically in two different ways: from one hand the incumbents provide

La consolidación de las nuevas democracias en el sur de Europa ha subrayado de nuevo la importancia de las cuestiones relativas a la legitimidad. Este artículo utiliza datos empíricos procedentes de una encuesta realizada en los cuatro países en 1985 por el Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas para analizar comparativamente algunas percepciones del pasado autoritario, los niveles de apoyos democráticos y los juicios sobre la eficacia de los gobiernos. Se ha procedido también a una revisión comparada de las actitudes hacia la política y de las concepciones de la democracia.

La consolidación de las nuevas democracias en el sur de Europa ha subrayado de nuevo la importancia de las cuestiones relativas a la legitimidad. Este artículo utiliza datos empíricos procedentes de una encuesta realizada en los cuatro países en 1985 por el Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas para analizar comparativamente algunas percepciones del pasado autoritario, los niveles de apoyos democráticos y los juicios sobre la eficacia de los gobiernos. Se ha procedido también a una revisión comparada de las actitudes hacia la política y de las concepciones de la democracia.

El concepto de consolidación democrática es definido y analizado, en referencia a los aspectos de transición, instauración, y persistencia en las dinámicas de la democracia, y comparadas con conceptos similares, como, estructuración, encapsulamiento e institucionalización. Se describen las diferentes formas y niveles de consolidación y se quedan identificadas las características empíricas comunes que han tenido lugar más frecuentemente en procesos de consolidación democrática. Basándose en dicho análisis, se presentan dos modelos principales de consolidación: consolidación a través de partidos políticos y consolidación política. Se presenta una tentativa para explicar los procesos de consolidación y sus resultados en aquellos países del Este de Europa y América Latina donde tuvieron lugar. Se proponen y documentan diversas hipótesis relativas a la influencia de varios factores políticos en el proceso