Tag: Hartwig Pautz
Does the online tool WriteToThem foster meaningful communication with constituents?
Some predicted the internet would be the silver bullet that could deal with the deficits of representative democracy. Others were less optimistic about its potential to foster democracy. Hartwig Pautz (University of the West of Scotland) looks at whether the e-democracy tool WriteToThem allows for meaningful communication between citizens and their elected representatives. Photo: Barry via a CC-BY-NC-SA […]
Government and ‘independent expertise’: think tanks represent a blind spot for critical analysis
Drawing on recent research about UK think tanks, austerity and social policy, Hartwig Pautz and Elke Heins examine the relationship between government and the world of ‘independent expertise’. Focusing on one example, the Centre for Social Justice’s influence over Conservative ministers’ social policies, they find that some relationships are often very close. The public commentary provided by non-independent think tanks […]
20 things we learned about democracy in June 2014
June 2014 proved to be another eventful month for democracy, with revelations about security, surveillance, Scottish independence, and the European Parliament and local elections. Here, Sean Kippin rounds up 20 interesting nuggets of information which made themselves known this month. Similar Posts20 things we learned about democracy in January 2015Interview part 2: Tim Bale on Ed […]
Surprisingly, UK think tanks don’t often communicate with elected officials
The UK has an established and influential think tank sector, with research organisations across the political spectrum providing a constant stream of political and policy ideas, setting the agenda, and influencing the media’s reporting of events. Here, Hartwig Pautz looks at exactly who these organisations communicate with most frequently, and shows that the sector is surprisingly reticent […]
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