Can deliberation neutralise power?

Postoperative apathy can neutralise benefits in quality of life after subthalamic stimulation for Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) improves motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease, leading to improvement in health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, an excessive decrease in dopaminergic medication can lead to a withdrawal syndrome with apathy as the predominant feature. The present study aims to assess the impact of postoperative apathy on HRQoL. METHODS...

Can Online Deliberation Improve Politics? Scientific Foundations for Success

Can Informed Public Deliberation Overcome Clientelism? Experimental Evidence from Benin

This paper studies the electoral effects of town hall meetings based on programmatic, nonclientelist platforms. The experiment involves the cooperation of leading candidates in a presidential election in Benin. A campaign strategy based solely on these meetings was assigned to randomly selected villages and compared to the standard strategy of clientelist rallies. We !nd that treatment reduces ...

Can Informed Public Deliberation Overcome Clientelism? Experimental Evidence from Benin

This paper studies the electoral effects of town hall meetings based on programmatic, nonclientelist platforms. The experiment involves the cooperation of leading candidates in a presidential election in Benin. A campaign strategy based solely on these meetings was assigned to randomly selected villages and compared to the standard strategy of clientelist rallies. We find that treatment reduces...

Deliberation, Responsivity and Power in German and Swiss Agricultural Policy

Preferences with respect to agricultural policy have changed in Germany and Switzerland. In the middle of the 20 century, food self sufficiency and a certain cultural solidarity with farmers were central issues. Today, farmers are expected to contribute to environmental protection and safe food. Switzerland and Germany are two examples of countries where national agricultural policies have atte...