The Speaker

Jürgen Rüland is Professor of Political Science at the University of Freiburg and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities IV (2000-2002). Since 2001, he has been Director of the Arnold-Bergstraesser-Institut Freiburg. He was also a visiting scholar at the University of the Philippines, Manila and Iloilo City, Chiang Mai University, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Bangkok, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta and the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand. In 1999, Professor Rüland was appointed external examiner by the Faculty of Economics and Administration, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. Between 1995 and 2003, he also served as the chairman of the Advisory Board on Southeast Asia of the German Society of Asian Studies, being member of the Advisory Board since 1986. He is an editorial board member of the European Journal of East Asian Studies, WeltTrends and Internationales Asienforum.

Abstract

The presentation will briefly contextualize research on parliaments in non-Western countries. It will discuss and reject the “parliamentary decline” thesis and continue to sketch a theoretical framework for analyzing parliaments in Asia. It will be argued that political change and the consolidation of new democracies primarily depend on the “inclusiveness” of political institutions. The contribution of parliaments to political change in Asia and their role in processes of political transition will thus be assessed with the help of the concept of “inclusiveness”. The presentation seeks to establish patterns of parliamentary performance at different levels of political change and with regard to the existing set of parliamentary functions. Departing from Walter Bagehot’s 19^th century study on the British Constitution, the presentation focuses on the elective function, the legislative function, the oversight function and the representative function.

ISEAS has the pleasure of inviting you to the Seminar and Book Launch, to be followed by a tea reception.

By Fax: 6775-6264 / 6775-6259

The Seminar Co-ordinator
Institute of Southeast Asian Studies
30 Heng Mui Keng Terrace
Singapore 119614

I will be able to attend the Seminar on Parliaments and Democracy in Asia by Professor Jürgen Rüland on Monday, 11 July 2005 at 10.00 am in ISEAS Seminar Room II, followed by a Book Launch of “Parliaments and Political Change in Asia”, Authored by Jürgen Rüland, Clemens Jürgenmeyer, Michael H Nelson, and Patrick Ziegenhain.

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Please complete the Reply Form and return by fax to the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies or email: betty@iseas.edu.sg by Friday, 8 July 2005. For further enquiries, please call Betty at Tel: 6870-2472/6778-0955.

Notes:     1. All registrations will be taken as confirmed unless otherwise notified.

                 2. Parking is available at the Heng Mui Keng Complex Carpark, located next to ISEAS Building.  At the car park, please take the lift to LEVEL 6 (Lobby) and exit through the main entrance to ISEAS Building.

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