Suchergebnisse

Uses a 1995 press release about Shell International Petroleum Co's role in Nigeria & its inaction regarding the execution of nine members of the Ogoni people to analyze how the discourse of globalization is (de)politicized. The Shell message is viewed as a multinational text/action that is part of the global process as well as a discourse on the political. Deconstruction of the message reveals how globalization places multinationals in the realm of global accountability (politicization) & how they try to distance themselves from the political arena through (de)politicizing discourses that focus on the political/economic dichotomy & the "signifier sovereignty." It is argued that placing articulations of the global in the context of the Nigerian Shell case reveals some of the inherent contradictions of the globalization discourse/process. Specific political, economic, social, & environmental dimensions of the Shell case & the subsequent discourse are related to other approaches to reveal the "sleight of language" utilized by Shell to avoid global responsibility. J. Lindroth

"This book examines global governance through Foucauldian notions of governmentality and security, as well as the complex intersections between the two." "The volume explores how Foucault's understanding of the general economy of power in modern society allows us to consider the connection of two broad possible dynamics: the global governmentalization of security and the securitization of global governance. If Foucault's work on governmentality and security has found resonance in IR scholarship in recent years it is in large part due to his understanding of how these forms of power must necessarily take into account the management of circulation that, in seeking to maximize 'good' versus 'bad' circulatory flows, brings into play and problematizes the 'inside'/'outside' upon which domestic and international spaces have been traditionally understood. Indeed, Foucault introduces a set of conceptual tools that can inform our analyses of globalization, global governance and security in ways that have been left largely unexplored in the discipline of IR." "Miguel de Larrinaga is Assistant Professor at the University of Ottawa where he has been teaching since 2002." "Marc G. Doucet is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Saint Mary's University."--Jacket.

This article examines the manner in which the human security discourse enables a dual exercise of sovereign power and biopower. Drawing from the work of Michel Foucault and Giorgio Agamben, it argues that human security contributes to this dual exercise by conceptualizing a form of life rendered amenable to biopolitical technologies and rationalities while simultaneously defining the conditions of exceptionality that assist in sovereign power's ability to authorize international interventions meant to secure human life. This frame of reference is then mobilized to read the human security discourse within the broader developments of the concept of security from the immediate postwar period to the post-9/11 moment. It is argued that the human security discourse informs the current biopolitical networks of world order and often works in conjunction with — rather than against — the global exercise of sovereign power made evident by the `war on terror'.

Research, development and innovation activities have become key sources of competitive advantage, which is one of the main factors behind the wellbeing of citizens living in a given territory. Being aware of this fact, public administrations at different administrative levels have encouraged the production of innovations through different public policies. On the other hand, firms that invest in research, development and innovation usually obtain in the long and medium terms innovative products and services that allow them to compete in favorable conditions in the local and international markets. If we focus in Europe, regional disparities in the amount of innovation inputs on one side and in the amount of innovation outputs on the other side are very high. In this paper the authors will measure the productivity of research, development and innovation activities performed by all regions in the EU. In order to do so, the authors will take into account some indicators to measure innovation inputs and outputs (related to science, technology and also to collaboration among agents in innovation activities and wealth creation) at the regional level. Using the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) we will measure regional productivity in the field of R&D and innovation and we will compare this productivity outcome between regions in the EU. After explaining this first DEA model, we will use the main components analysis and then cluster analysis to achieve a typology of regions regarding their productivity in R&D and innovation activities. Once the typology of regions has been described and analyzed, the paper will end with some policy recommendations for each type of region, taking into account the regional innovation systems approach to innovation understanding and innovation policy. It may be possible to establish learning processes between different types of regions, taking into account the singularity and the unique mix of assets of each region.