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Constructive Conflict Guide >
Civic Knowledge and Skills That We All Need to Constructively Handle Intractable Conflict >
Reconciliation
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Establishing Electoral Integrity
Trusted elections are key to stable democracies. All eligible voters must be allowed to vote, and they must have confidence that their vote was actually counted correctly. When charges of election fraud are widespread, even if untrue, that can greatly weaken a democracy.
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Establishing Fair and Effective Legislative Processes
Democracies also require legitimate and effective legislative processes. When the legislature is coopted by the executive branch, or is so stalemated so as to be unable to pass laws, or when its rules are seen as unfair, the public's view of the legislature will be diminished, as will the stability of democracy overall.
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Assuring Fair and Effective Administrative Processes
In the U.S., administrative processes are those utilized by the president (or governor at the state level) and the federal or state agencies under the president or governor. The actions of all of these people and agencies must been seen as fair and effective in order for the executive branch of the government to be seen as legitimate.
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Assuring Fair and Effective Law Enforcement
In the United States, one of the common progressive concerns is "racial profiling," the notion that police unfairly target and treat people of color and other minority groups unfairly. Law enforcement must be done fairly for all to acheive procedural justice.
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Assuring Legitimate Judicial Processes
Also essential for procedural justice is legitimate court processes. In court cases, one side will win, and the other will lose. But if all parties have a chance to make their argument, and the court issues compelling opinions that explain their findings in broadly legitimate ways, these findings are likely to be accepted.
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Assuring Military Actions are Legitimate and Well Conducted
When military actions are taken without the advice and consent of Congress and/or are seen as illegitimate by a large portion of the population (as, for example, was the U.S. war in Vietnam) this would constitute a procedural problem that should be avoided whenever possible.
Related Folders
The Importance of the Rule of Law, Checks and Balances
Rule of law and checks and balances are key elements of liberal democracy. Rule of law means that laws apply to everyone and procedures and policies should follow those laws. Checks and balances mean that the three branches of government (executive, legislative, and judicial) are independent of each other and provide checks on the over reach of the others.
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Dispute Resolution Procedural Problems
One type of "conflict overlay" are procedural problems--problems of fairness, transparency, predictability, and other procedural missteps.
BI Article
Principles of Justice
An examination of the many different meanings of justice: distributive, procedural, retributive, and restorative among others.
BI Article
Procedural Justice
Procedural justice describes approaches that define justice not by a fair outcome but by a fair process.
BI Article
Distributive Justice
When people believe that their situation is not equal to that of other people like them, they feel a sense of injustice. Distributive justice is the attempt to create a fair and equal division of society's wealth and status.
News and Opinion
How Diverse Should Viewpoint Diversity Be?
A look at the tough challenges associated with building a free society that fairly and wisely accommodates a diverse array of cultures, values, and perceptions of objective truth.
News and Opinion
Does admissions fairness make my campus look too female?
News and Opinion
Why America Doesn't Build
Even green-energy projects get quashed by local "NIMBY" opposition.
News and Opinion
Can a 50-Year-Old Idea Save Democracy?
A review and summary of an important new book highlighting Rawl's vision for a society in which we would all like to live -- one that is both fair and free.
News and Opinion
California Takes a Big Step Toward Fair College Admissions
News and Opinion
DEI Is on Its Way Out. We Still Need Fair Employment Protections.
News and Opinion
Merit, Fairness, and Equality