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List of Conference Presentations
The conference will serve as a framwork for a
considerate thought provoking process, and the backborne to the democratic
future of Cameroon. Papers to be presented will therefore cover the broad
spectrum of the dynamics of a democratic society.
This is a list of
intended conference presentations. For information on how to become a
conference presenter, see the “Call
for Conference Papers”.
1. An Overview of
Democracy and Rule of Law in Cameroon
This paper should give
a complete historical account of democracy and rule of law in Cameroon. It
should cover the past, present, and prospects for the future. It should
discuss achievements that have been made, problems that have are being
encountered, and challenges to the building of a sustainable democracy in
Cameroon. The concepts of constitutionalism, human rights, good governance,
national institutions, and electoral process should be discussed.
2. The Role of the
Government in Advancing Democracy
This paper should
assess how governments guide the democratic future of a country. Although
the focus will be Cameroon, this paper can draw from examples in different
countries around the world with a view to comparing what governments in
established and emerging democracies are doing to advance the process of
democracy in comparison to what the Cameroon government is doing. The
government in this regard will include the administration, the judiciary,
and the national assembly.
3. The
Role of
National Institutions in Advancing Democracy
This paper assesses
the role independent national commissions and institutions play in
furthering democracy in a country. These institutions include Independent
Electoral Commissions, National Human Rights Commissions, Anticorruption
Commissions, Good Governance Commissions, etc. This paper should draw from
international examples with a view to illustrating how the presence of these
institutions in Cameroon, if any, has either met their intended or expected
goals, or what the lack of any such institutions have meant for the
democratization process in Cameroon.
4. The Role of
the Civil Society in Advancing Democracy
This paper examines the role of all kinds of civil society
organizations and citizens’ responsibilities towards the establishment and
maintenance of a democracy. It should assess the level of public enthusiasm
and ways to enhance public participation in the democratic process in
Cameroon. This paper should use examples from different countries to support
facts on how effective the civil society can successfully support and
promote the democratization process, while enumerating steps that ordinary
citizens can take to contribute to the democratization process and the
establishment of a sustainable democracy in Cameroon. It should equally
examine the mechanisms available for civil society to influence government
reforms and the extent to which civil society organizations have been free
to operate in Cameroon.
5. Traditional
Rulers and the Democratic Process in Cameroon
This paper should
elaborate the strength and influence of traditional rulers over the people
under their jurisdictions. It should assess any relationship that exists
between the size of a ruler’s jurisdiction and the influence of such ruler
at the national level. The role traditional rulers have played in past
elections, their efforts to foster or stall the democratic process, and
their ability to influence their subjects’ rights to democratic
participation should be analyzed.
6. The Role of
the Media in Building and Advancing Democracy
This paper examines the role and impact of all kinds of
media in the establishment and advancement of democracy in a nation. The
types of media to be examined here include Radio; Television (cable,
network, satellite, etc.); Film and Video; Print (newspapers, magazines,
etc.); Electronic (internet, e-mail, blogs, etc.). This paper should
address the intrinsic qualities of the media in a democracy, specifically as
it relates to public involvement, political messages, public space, and
freedom of speech. This paper should use examples from different countries
to show how effective the media can support and promote democracy in a
country. It should equally examine the extent to which the media has been
free to operate in Cameroon and whether or not the media has been able to
advance democracy in Cameroon.
7. The Role of
Educational Institutions in Promoting Democracy
This paper will assess
the responsibility of institutions of higher learning in promoting a culture
of democracy in Cameroon. Drawing from relevant international examples with
focus on universities and professional schools, this paper will examine how
school curriculums contribute to democracy and human rights education. This
paper should also elaborate ways to improve the standing and effectiveness
of institutions of higher learning in the democratization process in
Cameroon.
8. Periodic
Elections as Part of the Democratic Process
This paper should
evaluate Cameroon’s electoral process vis-à-vis democratically accepted
standards, and practices in established democracies. It should assess the
significance of the electoral process in a democracy, what constitutes
democratic elections, and how to ensure that elections are transparent, free
and fair. It should equally appraise the effect of periodic democratic
elections on the credibility or legitimacy of governments. It should
Cameroon’s electoral laws and the legal and institutional requirements for
the conduct of credible elections in Cameroon.
9. The Role of the
Police and Armed Forces in a Democracy
The role played by the
police and armed forces in the development history of every country remains
vital particularly in the aspect of democratization. This paper should
assess the status and role of the Cameroonian police and armed forces in the
country’s democratization process. The independence of these forces should
be examined in an effort to ascertain where their allegiance is to the
constitution of the country or the executive. Whether the
police and armed forces have been positive forces in the country’s
democratization effort should also be evaluated in comparison with what
pertains in other countries.
10. The Role of the International Community in
Advancing Democracy
This paper should
evaluate the role of the diplomatic missions in Cameroon and the
international community in promoting the principles of human rights and
democracy in Cameroon. Using examples in other countries, this paper will
evaluate how diplomatic missions, international organizations, and foreign
governmental agencies have, and can influence government reforms and support
civil society organizations in the democratization process in Cameroon.
Paper Guidelines
All papers must comply with the following minimum
requirements:
·
Paper should be the original work of the contributor.
·
Paper should be appropriately referenced using footnotes.
·
Paper should be 2000-6000 words long, including footnotes.
·
Paper should be typed in Arial 12 font, and footnote 10
font.
·
Submit an abstract of about 100 to 300 words on the
contribution.
· Authors of contributions should supply their university
degrees, professional qualifications, and professional or academic status.
·
Paper style should conform to the house style of the
Cameroon Journal on Democracy and Human Rights (CJDHR) found at
www.cjdhr.org/style.htm.
All papers accepted for presentation at the
conference will be published by PICAM in the Cameroon Journal on Democracy
and Human Rights (CJDHR) after review by the journal editorial committee.
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