Posted by: Brandon Tags: Amendment, freedom, government, Internet, intrusion, invasion, justification, law, legitimacy, privacy, Slobogin, surveillance, technology
Slobogin, C. (2007). Privacy at Risk: The New Government Surveillance and the Fourth Amendment. University Of Chicago Press.
In America today, privacy is slowly becoming a fleeting memory. After the terrorist attacks on 9/11, fear has become the fuel by which the Bush Administration has enacted some of the most far-reaching legislative acts to retract privacy protection in this country. From the USA PATRIOT Act to warrant-less wiretapping, the concept and protections of privacy have taken a backseat to the political interests of the state.
Traditionally, the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution has provided a measure of protection against unreasonable searches and seizures; and by judicial interpretation, a right to personal privacy against government intrusion. Ever since Katz v. United States in 1967, the Fourth Amendment has served as the yardstick for measuring the protection of personal privacy. However, recent measures of political and security related importance have belittled the citizen’s right to privacy in a variety of settings. Read the rest of this entry »
Brandon Ching
PAF 602 (Fall 2008)
Farmer, David J., (1995), The language of public administration: bureaucracy, modernity, and postmodernity, The University of Alabama Press.
Abstract
In The Language of Public Administration, David Farmer argues that the modern language of public administration, by which its scholars understand and approach the field (bureaucracy in particular), is limited. He suggests that the language of public administration can be expanded through the advent and acceptance of postmodernity and provides justification through the analysis of distinct characteristics in modernity and postmodernity. Read the rest of this entry »
Brandon Ching
PAF 602 (Fall 2008)
Abstract
Stivers, C. M. (2002). Bureau Men, Settlement Women: Constructing Public Administration in the Progressive Era (Studies in Government and Public Policy). University Press Of Kansas.
Camilla Stivers’ Bureau Men, Settlement Women is a historical reconstruction of the early days of public administration with a particular emphasis on gender influences. Focusing on the Progressive Era, Stivers dichotomizes municipal research bureaus and settlement houses as distinct yet complimentary forms of governmental reform organizations central to the rise of the administrative state. Research bureaus, focused on objective and procedural efficiency in administration, are identified as masculine; while settlement houses, focused on substantive social improvement, are seen as feminine. Read the rest of this entry »
Brandon Ching
PAF 602 (Fall 2008)
Abstract
Denhardt, R. B. (1991). In the Shadow of Organization. Regents Press of Kansas.
Robert Denhardt’s In the Shadow of Organization focuses on the impact of individuals within organizations and how organizational efficiency or rationality is encroaching into our individuality. Modern organizations and organization administration have heavily borrowed principles of rationality and objectivity from the sciences. This has resulted in a one-sided focus of placing the rational goals of the organization above, and often in place of, those of the individual members of the organization. This, according to Jung, inhibits the necessary individualization required by people to become whole and balanced beings. Read the rest of this entry »
Brandon Ching
PAF 602 (Fall 2008)
Abstract
Ostrom, V. (1989). The Intellectual Crisis in American Public Administration. University Alabama Press.
Vincent Ostrom’s The Intellectual Crisis in American Public Administration is an argument against bureaucratic administration in favor of democratic administration. Ostrom sees a fundamental dichotomy in the field of public administration and presses for a paradigm shift in classical Kuhn fashion. This shift is away from the traditional theory of public administration as layed out by Woodrow Wilson, Max Weber, and others. Drawing upon Alexis Tocqueville, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and others, Ostrom argues that fragmentation of authority and overlapping jurisdiction allow for less abuse of power and greater efficiency in administration. Read the rest of this entry »
Brandon Ching
PAF 602 (Fall 2008)
Abstract
Simon, H. A. (1997). Administrative Behavior, 4th Edition. Free Press.
Herbert Simon’s Administrative Behavior is an extensive analysis of decision making in organizations. Relying heavily on the work of Chester Barnard, Simon analyzes organizational decision making from the flawed classical “administrative principals” to a new interpretation of decision making through the use of elements of modern human psychology. Simon’s central argument seems to be that an organization can be defined through its decision-making processes and that the gauge of success is the achievement of objective organizational goals. Read the rest of this entry »
Brandon Ching
PAF 602 (Fall 2008)
Abstract
Goodnow, F.J. (2003). Politics and Administration: A Study in Government. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers.
Frank Goodnow’s classic work aims to express the separation of government authority beyond the traditional executive, legislative and judicial triad. Goodnow distinguishes and explains the dichotomy between elected legislators who enact the will of the state (politics) versus the officials and entities that are responsible for the execution of that will (administration). Goodnow outlines the separation of political and administrative authority in a comparative analysis between the United States and a number of European countries. His analysis and suggestions are predicated upon the efficient and legitimate formulation and exercise of the will of the people and the source of administrative legitimacy. Read the rest of this entry »
Brandon Ching
PAF 602 (Fall 2008)
Abstract
Follett, M. P. (1998). The New State: Group Organization the Solution of Popular Government. Pennsylvania State University Press.
Mary Parker Follett’s The New State is a declaration of unity over individualism and neighborhood groups over party organizations. Follett attests that our representative government has failed and that democracy, “by the numbers” is not a true democracy. “…no one can give us democracy, we must learn democracy,” (p. 22) and according to Follett, that learned democracy is experienced in neighborhood groups. Within these groups, individuals come together and harmonize their ideas and needs into collective will and action. To Follett, this is the foundation of a popular democracy. Read the rest of this entry »
Rails for PHP Developers
Derek DeVires, Mike Naberezny
The Pragmatic Bookshelf, 406 pp.
ISBN 978-1-934356-04-3
Reviewed by Brandon Ching
As a long time PHP developer, the advent of Ruby on Rails as a mainstream web development platform never quite peaked my interests; nor the interest of the majority of developers I have worked with over the years. The running joke being that if we simply used Ruby instead of PHP, there would most certainly be a buildEntireProject() method that would do all of our work for us. However, times change, and as developers it is our responsibility to explore new and different methods of getting work done; no matter how fruitless our initial expectations are. Read the rest of this entry »
(4 out of 5)