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ORF and RLS Book Promoting Democracy for Creating a Better and Peaceful World: Regional, National and Local Perspectives OBSERVER RESEARCH FOUNDATION New Delhi Promoting Democracy for Creating a Better and Peaceful World: Regional, National and Local Perspectives OBSERVER RESEARCH FOUNDATION New Delhi First published in 2015 by: Observer Research Foundation 20, Rouse Avenue Institutional Area, New Delhi - 110 002, INDIA Ph. : +91-11-43520020, 30220020 Fax : +91-11-43520003, 23210773 E-mail: [email protected] Supported by: Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung Centre for International Co-Operation, C-15, 2nd Floor, Safdarjung Development Area, New Delhi – 110016, India Tel.: + 91 11 49204610 Website: www.rosalux.de Printed and bound by: Vinset Advertising, Delhi Disclaimer The views expressed in this publication are solely those of the contributors. The publication may be reproduced for academic or non-commercial purposes only. Prior permission of the copyright holder should be obtained for reproduction in any form for commercial purposes. © Observer Research Foundation, 2015 All rights reserved. Contents About the Conference Organisers v About the Contributors ix 1. Editorial Introduction 1 Rumi Aijaz 2. Indigenisation of Democracy in South Asia 11 Rohit Kumar Nepali 3. New Democratic Patterns in West Asia and the 31 Middle East: Perceptions and Challenges for the Left Jörg Schultz 4. Democracy and Rising Inequalities in India 47 Zoya Hasan 5. Space for Federalism: Perspectives from Sri Lanka 63 Pradeep Peiris iv Contents 6. What Works is What Matters! An Investigation 81 into Successful Practices of Panchayati Raj Institutions in India Saurabh Johri 7. The 3C-Model of Grassroots-led Development: 99 Challenges and Prospects of Grassroots Democracy in Rural Egypt Solava Ibrahim 8. Select Participatory Mechanisms in Turkey: The 115 Urban Context Korel Göymen 9. Local Politics, Democracy and Participation in 133 Berlin Katrin Lompscher 10. Networked Societies and Hierarchical States: The 149 Emerging Challenge to Political Order Nitin Pai and Sneha Shankar 11. Politics of Digitally Mediated Spaces: The Scripted 163 Logic of Inclusion and Exclusion R. Swaminathan About the Conference Organisers The Observer Research Foundation (ORF) is India's premier think tank engaged in developing and discussing policy alternatives on a wide range of issues of national and international significance. The fundamental objective of ORF is to aid and influence formulation of policies for building a strong and prosperous India. ORF pursues its goal of providing productive inputs to decision-makers in the government, civil society and the business leadership of India through in-depth research and stimulating discussions. ORF firmly believes that in the next 25 years, India will be one of the world's greatest economic powers and contribute to a significant transformation in the quality of life of humanity. The Foundation was established in the early nineties during the troubled period of India's transition from a protected economy to a new engagement with the international economic order. At that time, a need was felt for an independent forum that would examine the critical problems facing the country and help develop coherent policy responses in a rapidly changing global environment. ORF was thus founded and subsequently supported by many of India's leading intellectuals, academics, public figures, social activists, business leaders and institutions of higher learning. Headquartered in New Delhi, ORF has chapters in Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai. The key areas of research undertaken by ORF include: International Relations, Security, Resources Management, Politics, Governance, Economy and Development. vi About the Conference Organisers ORF views collaboration with think tanks and research organisations across the globe as a vital part of its mandate. For international partners, ORF represents an institution that is able to generate real time and quality analysis on a diverse range of public policy issues. ORF believes that collaborative exercises must be initiated and sustained as equal partnerships in conceptualisation, funding and management. Some important partners are Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, Germany; ZEIT Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius, Germany; Heritage Foundation, USA; Brookings Institution, USA; Fudan University, China. More information about ORF is available from: www.orfonline.org. The Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung (RLS) is one of the largest political education institutions in Germany today and sees itself as part of the intellectual current of democratic socialism. The foundation evolved from a small political group, “Social Analysis and Political Education Association”, founded in 1990 in Berlin into a nationwide political education organisation, a discussion forum for critical thought and political alternatives, as well as a research facility for progressive social analysis. In 1996, RLS was officially recognised as a nationwide affiliated trust of the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS), presently known as “DIE LINKE” (The Left). As such it works closely with DIE LINKE affiliated state foundations and associations nationwide. RLS aims to: organise political education and disseminate knowledge about social relations in a globalised, unjust and hostile world; provide a venue for critical analysis of current capitalism; act as a hub for programmatic discussions about a modern democratic socialism; act as a socialistic think- tank for political alternatives; be a forum in Germany and internationally that supports dialogue between left-socialistic powers, socialistic movements and organisations, left-minded intellectuals and non- governmental organisations; grant funding to young scholars via undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships; give impulses to self- defining socialistic political activities and support commitment to peace and international understanding for a socially just and solitary union. Promoting Democracy for Creating a Better and Peaceful World vii Forming the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung are: the general and sustaining members of the association and the executive board members; academic scholars and scientists in advisory boards and as authors of RLS publications, scholarship recipients, liaison professors and hundreds of volunteers; more than 100 employees, that work in the Academy for Political Education, the Centre for International Dialogue and Cooperation, the Institute for Critical Social Analysis, etc. More information about RLS is available from: http://www.rosalux.de/english/foundation.html. About the Contributors Jörg Schultz completed a diploma in Arabian and English Studies from Leipzig University. He also holds a diploma in Business Management and European Law. He worked as a specialist for international development programmes and solidarity campaigns with liberation movements in the Council of Ministers of the former GDR until 1990. During the 1990s he worked with different business companies, specialising in international development cooperation programmes. He is responsible for project negotiations with international donor agencies including the World Bank and the European Union. He joined RLS in 1999 and was involved in setting up the International Relations Deparment. He developed the first RLS projects in Africa, Latin America and Asia. He was the Deputy Head of RLS Foreign Relations Deparment, with special responsibility for projects in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia. He is now responsible for the Near and Middle East department in the Center for International Development and Cooperation. Katrin Lompscher studied at the University of Weimar and is an engineer by profession. From 1986 to 1991 she was a researcher at the Institute of Urban Planning and Architecture of the Builders Academy of the GDR, and from 1992 to 1996 project leader at the Institute for Regional Development and Structural Planning in Berlin. Following a post as district magistrate for urban development in Berlin-Lichtenberg, she was senator for health, environment and consumer protection in Berlin from 2006-2011. Since 2011, she is a member of the Berlin Assembly. Since 2012, she also x About the Contributors coordinates the working group urban planning of DIE LINKE and is a member of the Berlin executive committee of DIE LINKE. Korel Göymen is presently professor of political science and public administration, at Sabanci University, in Istanbul; and also sits on the Executive Board of Istanbul Policy Center, a research body, closely associated with the said university. He has also taught at Middle East and Bilkent Universities in Ankara for several years and was visiting professor at Birmingham University in the 1999-2000 academic year. Dr. Göymen also served as Deputy Mayor of Ankara (1977-1980); and Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism (1992-1994); as well as sitting on the boards of several institutions of civil society. His teaching, writing and research activities are concentrated on issues of local/regional/metropolitan and NGO governance and he acts as resource person, project leader and/or advisor to a number of Turkish municipalities and international bodies such as OECD, UNDP, World Bank Institute, the Mediterranean Development Forum and Eurocities. Dr. Göymen has received a number of awards, including the OECD scholarship for doctoral work at Leeds University; World Bank grant to act as advisor to the Government of Pakistan on administrative reform; United States government grant under 'special guest' status; Friedrich Ebert Stiftung grant
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