Axe III Gouvernance comparée - Europe dans le Monde

The Consortium for Comparative Research on Regional Integration and Social Cohesion (RISC)

( Harlan Koff and Carmen Maganda )

The Consortium for Comparative Research on Regional Intergration and Social Cohesion (RISC) is an interdisciplinary and multilingual consortium of research institutes which promotes understanding of the human impact of various aspects of regional integration across geographic areas. By examining specific themes in the broad field of social cohesion, the consortium’s activities attempt to clarify the scientific conceptualization and political use of this term. Its work, which is based on the comparative method, compares across time, space and thematic area. Moreover, the research conducted through this consortium will support social action projects in local communities through improved understanding of evolving political and economic contexts.

The Consortium’s main activities include the organization of academic conferences and expert workshops, the facilitation of exchanges of professors, researchers and Ph.D. candidates through seed funding, and support for the publication of collaborative works in the field of social cohesion. Its annual publication appears in the book series entitled Regional Integration and Social Cohesion (Presses Interuniversitaires Européennes/Peter Lang). Moreover, young scholars from the consortium’s member institutes are eligible for the “Stephen P. Koff Prize” for the best dissertation in the field of social cohesion which will also be published annually in Regional Integration and Social Cohesion . The consortium presently includes fifteen institutes in Europe, North America and South America. Any questions regarding the consortium should be addressed either to its President, Harlan Koff or its Executive Director, Dr. Carmen Maganda

Lecture Series: Development Addressing Inequalities: Rights and Responsibilities

Objective: To promote scientific-civil society dialogue on international development (ScivDev)

Summary: Despite such a rich atmosphere surrounding development politics in Luxembourg, an internationally recognized leader in development cooperation policy, there currently exists little public debate on international development in domestic political agendas and limited dialogue between Luxembourgish civil society actors and government officials on one hand, and academics working in the field of international development, on the other. The purpose of this proposal is to promote public understanding of the utility of development research through the creation of sustained dialogue between development actors, representatives of Luxembourgish NGOs and academics working on development issues.

In order to do so, the Laboratoire de Sciences Politiques at the Université du Luxembourg ( Harlan Koff and Carmen Maganda ), in association with the Cercle de Cooperation, l’Action Solidarité Tiers Monde and Caritas, plans to organize a “Scientific-Civil Society Working Group” on international development.

Starting in April 2009, this group will organize two events, divided into six related activities, aimed at: 1) promoting public discussion in Luxembourg on international development issues and incorporating scientific analysis into public debates, 2) encouraging the integration of scientific research in civil society, and 3) fostering dialogue between development actors and academic researchers.

In order to achieve these objectives, the proposed program includes two sessions, each divided into the following three activities: 1) a public, evening debate on a specific development-related theme (see below) with presentations made by experts in the chosen field, 2) a closed meeting, to be held the following morning, between the invited presenters and a group of selected academics, development actors, and representatives of NGOs, and 3) a seminar discussion in the weeks following the presentation aimed at fostering exchange between researchers, development actors and NGO representatives on the topics presented at the public meeting mentioned above.

Human Rights Observatory /Observatoire des Droits de l’Homme

Introduction

Since the end of World War II, human rights have moved to the centre of European and global political agendas. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights followed by regional measures, such as (especially) the European Convention on Human Rights, formalised human rights principles that had developed over centuries, embedded notions of human dignity in global geo-political debates, and created the bases for supranational judicial mechanisms for the protection of human rights (i.e. the European Court of Human Rights). Moreover, human rights values have also infiltrated political consciousness at the global, national and local levels through the activities of numerous regional, governmental and non-governmental organisations. Despite these advances in human rights politics, numerous challenges have arisen which still need to be addressed. Issues such as data protection, bio-technology, environmental justice, etc. need to be more explicitly embedded in contemporary human rights debates.

Mission

The mission of the Human Rights Observatory at the University of Luxembourg is to promote scientific and teaching activities in the field of human rights in an interdisciplinary and multi-cultural environment. General themes addressed within the framework of the observatory include: 1) historical analyses of the development of human rights in theory and practice, 2) evaluations of international legal human rights regimes, 3) new challenges to human rights and 4) the transmission of human rights values. Specific topics of interest include (but are not limited to): the history of human rights, ideas of human rights, human rights law, human rights and development, human rights and international cooperation, environmental rights, access to strategic and natural resources, human rights, citizenship and governance, human rights education, human rights and migration, and human rights debates concerning advances in science and technology. In addition to its scientific activities, the Human Rights Observatory aims to expand the University of Luxembourg’s participation in international academic networks focusing on human rights and to more broadly promote a culture of human rights on the University’s campuses.

Activities

The Human Rights Observatory’s activities include:1) the organisation of academic conferences and lecture series,2) the coordination of teaching resources concerning human rights at the university,3) the proposal of new inter-faculty human rights courses, 4) the promotion of discussion of human rights issues affecting the university,5) the promotion of human rights-focused cultural activities for students.

Structure

In its present development phase, the Human Rights Observatory is integrated into Axe III of the University of Luxembourg’s interdisciplinary European Governance Program entitled: “Comparative Governance: Europe in the World.” It is directed by Professor Jean-Paul Lehners (history) and governed by a steering committee which includes members of each of the University’s academic faculties as well as representatives of the university administration.

Border Regions In Different Geographic Espaces (BRIDGE): Creating Dialogue Across Disciplines in Border Studies

(Peter Gilles, Harlan Koff (coordinator), Carmen Maganda ,Christian Schulz)Border studies generally focus on the themes of trans-border political cooperation (politics), bi-national market integration (economics), and cultural narratives (language/literature). Some authors have attempted to create interdisciplinary theories that explain integration in each of these spheres but generally, little communication exists between these arenas. This project aims to create dialogue across disciplines in the field of border studies by analyzing contemporary shifts in power, defined as the ability to impose one’s will, in border regions. Power is exercised in political decision-making, economic market transformations, and cultural practices. Thus, the theme of this project links the political, economic, and cultural spheres by focusing on the roles actors play in facilitating or blocking exchanges in border regions. Luxembourg is a critical case of study because most political, economic and cultural discussions have strong cross-border characters due to the state’s small dimensions. Following completion of empirical research on Luxembourg and the Greater Region, a comparative study will be conducted on Belize. Like Luxembourg, Bélize is a small multi-cultural and multi-lingual parliamentary democracy that is economically embedded in cross-border markets. Hence, it is similar enough to Luxembourg in politics, economics, and language in order to permit a scientifically valid comparison that will allow the research team to generalize its findings and compare border trends within different frameworks of regional integration.

Regional Integration and Border Politics in Europe and the Americas

( Harlan Koff )

This project comparatively examines the impact of regional integration on border communities in Europe and the Americas. It contends that regional integration is in fact a bi-directional phenomenon and that border communities significantly influence how integration develops and how much actually occurs through the expression of local political interests. The project examines the impact of regional integration on cross-border political cooperation, the transnational integration of local markets, social marginalization in border communities, organized crime and criminal markets, and immigration. Case studies include: Bari, Italy-Durres, Albania; the Eurométropole which includes the North of France and the South of Belgium, San Diego, USA-Tijuana Mexico and Cucuta, Colombia-San Crístobal Venezuela. The comparative research design accounts for: differing models of regional integration (European Union, North American Free Trade Agreement and the Andean Community), cross-border power relationships, cross-border economic relationships and demographic differences.

Addressing Local and Global Socio-political Issues in Cross-Border Water Management: Luxembourg and Europe in Comparative Perspective

( Carmen Maganda )

Access to quality water supplies and the creation of equitable water distribution are currently major challenges in world, national and local politics. Even in those countries (such as Luxembourg), where no visible water problems exist due to sufficient national supplies for current personal, industrial and agricultural uses, it is becoming necessary to analyze the sociopolitical factors around water distribution due to the increasingly cross-border nature of water management. As issues surrounding water quality arise, most states seek technological solutions. However, decision-making is the key to implementing sustainable water management practices. In order to prevent future conflicts regarding cross-border competition for water resources, social research would be a useful tool to uncover and understand the explicit and implicit preferences of stakeholders. The competition between these actors often leads to inequitable water allocation and short-term decision-making at the expense of equitable long-term planning. Sociopolitical research on water includes the examination of water management in systems of basins, bi-national watersheds or rivers. It takes account of up-stream and down-stream flows as well. However its added value and primary focus is its analysis inside decision-making processes that dictate water distribution.Based on previous research that Dr. Maganda conducted and coordinated in border regions in Europe and North America, the proposed project examines democratic practices and citizen participation in global and local water debates placing Luxembourg in a comparative framework. Generally, the global and the local arenas are artificially separated. Her previous research has demonstrated that 1) local actors usually follow their own interests in water politics, even if they contradict national ones, 2) these interests are defined by local elites as citizen participation is often absent, and 3) water distribution debates in the local and global arenas are characterized by a democratic deficit as both spheres are marked by a shortage of accurate public information and both lack institutional mechanisms to improve citizen participation. Luxembourg provides an excellent case to study due to its small dimensions, its longstanding commitment to European integration and the cross-border nature of water politics.

MIGRAPOL – Les réalités de politiques migratoires et leur perception par les populations concernées

( Harlan Koff )

Le processus d’intégration européenne influence de plus en plus les politiques (migratoires ou générales) des Etats Membres (EM) en imposant la grande majorité des législations « nationales ». Ce s’interroge sur l’importance et le rôle de l’Etat-Nation dans la politique d’immigration, notamment dans le cas du Luxembourg :· l’Etat-Nation luxembourgeois est-il encore déterminant comme acteur structurant les politiques migratoires ? Quelle sera son importance dans une entité économiquement globalisée (Grande Région et UE), largement influencée par le capital et la force de travail provenant de l’étranger ?· le Luxembourg est-il le seul exemple, au sein de l’Union européenne, d’un Etat-Nation qui est en voie de s’ébranler? La recherche porte sur les politiques migratoires (politiques d’immigration et d’intégration) actuelles et la perception de ces politiques et de l’immigration par les concernés . Elle vise à situer les politiques migratoires du Luxembourg dans un cadre comparatif.