Publications of Andrew Cartwright

Translating Domestic violence norms in five countries of East Central Europe

This chapter looks at norms translation processes in the field of domestic violence. Using data from five countries of East Central Europe (ECE): Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Poland and Romania, proposes a multi-pronged cross-directional international influence model that challenges traditional top down understandings of international influence. I argue that international influence is not direct, linear and top-down but constructed and negotiated in processes of interaction between international actors and domestic agents, where translation processes influence the direction of policy change. International influence provides content to reforms through defining, communicating and monitoring norms, and through facilitating the production of evidence for domestic violence as a policy problem. In order to understand the nature of international influence, we have to look beyond norms transfer at two additional mechanisms through which it impacts domestic policy processes. First, international influence can create ‘political opportunities’ to enable domestic mobilization for policy change. Second, domestic agents are key in translation of international norms. Enabling such agency becomes critical in processes of norms translation. The chapter shows how international influence understood along these lines contributes to variation in policy progress achieved in different contexts.

Monitoring Committees in Cohesion Policy: Overseeing the Distribution of Structural Funds in Hungary and Slovakia

Under European Union (EU) law, Monitoring Committees (MCs) are charged with overseeing the implementation of Operational Programmes. Despite their potential to influence the process of fund disbursement, relatively little is known about the Committees’ operation and their impact in the new member states. This article is an empirical study of how three MCs actually work in Hungary and Slovakia. We find that whilst these bodies have relatively limited oversight capacities and are characterised by a primary concern with procedural compliance with EU requirements, nevertheless, they have an important role in providing significant opportunities for learning, information exchange, expert input and networking.

Social Capital, Regional Development, and Europeanisation in Hungary A Literature Review

The paper offers a critical approach to the definition of social capita, arguing that network component of the standard ‘social capital mix’ provides the most robust justification for the capital ascription of social capital. Whilst an emphasis on networks might appear to follow a narrow economic interpretation of capital, the paper suggests that it is useful for explaining the role of social capital within regional development and Europeanization especially in post-socialist contexts. The paper offers an overview of some recent estimates of social capital in Hungary comparing the country with other EU countries and others in Central and East Europe. Next, it addresses regional development and social capital, including core topics such as territorial distribution of social capital, its association with various aspects of regional development. The section also includes related research on social capital in cross-border relations, minority governance, and social capital and local labor markets. The final part deals with specific policies targeting uneven regional development, in particular, the current and upcoming EU co-financed regional development policies. Here, the question of regional influence in shaping absorption capacities will be highlighted, in particular, relations between the local public, private and civil sectors and relations between the regional and central authorities. The paper concludes with an overview of the few Hungarian analyses of Europeanization, with special emphasis on the role social capital plays in influencing the operation of Structural Funds, in particular, the impact of greater civic engagement in the production of National Development Plans.

Compact relations – Charities and the New Deal

Charities are playing a significant role in the implementation of the government’s New Deal programme. From providing advice on local employment issues to administrative services to work placements, the voluntary sector has been working in public/private partnerships throughout England and Wales. However, despite the government’s commitments in the Compact between it and the voluntary sector to support the independence and creativity of the sector, the New Deal for 18–24 year olds reinforces many of the negative sides to the ‘contract culture’. This article will examine working relations between charities and the State post compact, using charities’ participation in New Deal as a case study. We will argue that participating charities face a series of potential legal pitfalls. They might also find that, instead of being fully funded through State funds, their participation in the delivery of New Deal is partially funded through their own charitable resources.