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A selection of recent publications relating to parliamentary studies prepared with the assistance of the Library of Parliament (December 2014-February 2015)

Horgan, Gerald W. “Partisan-Motivated Prorogation and the Westminster Model: A Comparative Perspective.” Commonwealth & Comparative Politics52, no. 4 (November 2014): 455-72. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/14662043.2014.955982.

• Explores cases in Australia and Canada, concluding that although partisan-motivated prorogations are unpredictable, certain circumstances increase the risk of their occurrence.

Bernauer, Julian, Nathalie Giger and Jan Rosset. “Mind the Gap: Do Proportional Electoral Systems Foster a More Equal Representation of Women and Men, Poor and Rich?” International Political Science Review 36, no. 1 (January 2015): 78-98. http://ips.sagepub.com/content/36/1/78

• Analyzes survey data from 24 parliamentary democracies to identify partisan bias and whether proportionality moderates under-representation.

Purser, Pleasance. Overseas Parliamentary News: January 2015. New Zealand Parliamentary Library. http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/parl-support/research-papers/00PLLaw15021/overseas-parliamentary-news-january-2015

• A report on the United Kingdom’s Speaker’s Commission on Digital Democracy target dates for implementation of recommendations.

Purser, Pleasance.Overseas Parliamentary News: December 2014. New Zealand Parliamentary Library. http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/parl-support/research-papers/00PLLawOPN15011/overseas-parliamentary-news-december-2014.

• The United Kingdom’s House of Commons will explore proposals for a collaborative e-petitions system to be overseen by a Petitions Committee.

Purser, Pleasance. Overseas Parliamentary News: November 2014. New Zealand Parliamentary Library. http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/parl-support/research-papers/00PLLawOPN14111/overseas-parliamentary-news-november-2014

• Ireland issues guidelines for reimbursing committee witness’ expenses, including legal costs for damaged reputations.

Campbell, Rosie and Sarah Childs. “Parents in Parliament: ‘Where’s Mum?’” Political Quarterly 85, no. 4 (December 2014): 487-92. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-923X.12092

• Are parliamentary politics closed to women – and potentially men – with young children? The authors propose reconfiguring political institutions to be care-friendly rather than simply woman-friendly or mother-friendly.

House of Commons Governance Committee. “House of Commons Governance: Report of Session 2014-15.” United Kingdom. UK Parliamentary News 2014/15. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmselect/cmgovern/692/692.pdf

• A report on the appointment of a new Clerk of the House and necessary reforms to the House of Commons Commission to ensure good governance.

Atkinson, Rachel. “Too Much or Too Little? A Comparison of the Canadian and American Supreme Courts’ Approaches to Third Party Expenditures in Election Campaigns.” Journal of Parliamentary and Political Law 8, no.3 (November 2014): 687-720.

Soroka, Stuart N., Olga Redko and Quinn Albaugh. “Television in the Legislature: The Impact of Cameras in the House of Commons.” Parliamentary Affairs 68(2014):203-17. http://pa.oxfordjournals.org/content/68/1/203

Suurland, Andréa. “Much Ado About Senate Reform and Senate Scandal: Proposals for Restoring Public Confidence in Canada’s Upper Chamber.” Journal of Parliamentary and Political Law 8, no.3 (November 2014):775-806.

Banfield, Andrew and Greg Flynn. “Activism or Democracy? Judicial Review of Prerogative Powers and Executive Action.” Parliamentary Affairs 68 (2014):135-53. http://pa.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/07/02/pa.gst009.abstract

• An examination of the judicialisation of the exercise of prerogative powers since 2001.

Dance, Anne. “Negotiating Public Space on Canada’s Parliament Hill: Security, Protests, Parliamentary Privilege, and Public Access.” Journal of Canadian Studies 48, no. 2 (Spring 2014):169-97. http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/journal_of_canadian_studies/v048/48.2.dance.html

• How interdisciplinary understandings of public space could alter decisions of the institutional actors who regulate access to the Parliamentary Precinct.

Reaney, Trevor. “Northern Ireland: ICT Management: Utilizing Best Practice Information Management and Technology in the Northern Ireland Assembly.” Parliamentarian95, no. 3 (2014):188-91. http://content.yudu.com/A2wgz9/three2014/resources/50.htm

Worthy, Benjamin.“A Powerful Weapon in the Right Hands?: How Members of Parliament Have Used Freedom of Information in the UK.” Parliamentary Affairs 67, no. 4 (October 2014):783-803. http://pa.oxfordjournals.org/content/67/4/783

• A comparison of the extent to which freedom of information requests are used by parliamentarians in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and Ireland, and the utility of these requests.

Sainty, J.C. “Black Rod and the Office of Usher of the Parliament Chamber.” Parliamentary History 33, no. 3 (2014): 511-5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1750-0206.12109

Dufresne, Yannick and Neil Nevitte. “Why Do Publics Support Minority Governments? Three Tests.” Parliamentary Affairs 67, no.4 (October 2014): 825-40. http://pa.oxfordjournals.org/content/67/4/825

• An empirical review of Canadian Election Study data suggests voters support minority governments less for principled motivations and mostly for partisan strategic reasons.

Bélanger, Karl. « Le Discours Politique à l’Heure de Twitter. » Argument : politique, société et histoire 17 (Automne-Hiver 2014-15) 79-83.

How social media creates opportunities and pitfalls for politicians.

Ramirez, Caroline and Kenza Benali. « Ottawa, une Identité Urbaine en Mal de Définition : Analyse des Représentations Médiatiques de la Capitale Canadienne. » Canadian Geographer 58 (Automne 2014): 1-14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/cag.12136

• An examination of the recent debate over Ottawa’s image created by Andrew Cohen’s book The Unfinished Canadian.

Jouanno, Chantal. « L’immunité parlementaire. » Documents de travail du Sénat. Juin 2014. http://www.senat.fr/lc/lc250/lc2500.html

• A review of common law relating to parliamentary immunity in 17 Western parliamentary assemblies.