The clarity of referendums: An instrument for managing the (dis)continuity and perception of change
Seen as a precondition for a referendum, clarity requires a clear referendum question and a clear majority for or against an outcome. In this article I argue clarity is not only an enabler of individual referendums but one way to politicize their context. In separating what is clear from what is obs...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Union University, Faculty of Law, Belgrade
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Pravni Zapisi |
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| Online Access: | https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/2217-2815/2022/2217-28152202388M.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797938532288823296 |
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| author | Miloš Matija |
| author_facet | Miloš Matija |
| author_sort | Miloš Matija |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Seen as a precondition for a referendum, clarity requires a clear referendum question and a clear majority for or against an outcome. In this article I argue clarity is not only an enabler of individual referendums but one way to politicize their context. In separating what is clear from what is obscure, clarity imposes the twin requirements of homogeneity and predictability. These, in turn, presuppose an interpretation of acceptable political (dis)continuities beyond the referendum as well as of perception of change. This reading of clarity shows how the referendum does not only manage change to which it is explicitly addressed, but that the purported voice of "the people" may at the same time be an instrument of clarity that imagines and normatively orders the referendum's surroundings. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T19:02:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5b0bc52b47d34f949f06a11dbd68ce24 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2217-2815 2406-1387 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T19:02:16Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Union University, Faculty of Law, Belgrade |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pravni Zapisi |
| spelling | doaj.art-5b0bc52b47d34f949f06a11dbd68ce242023-01-31T08:22:39ZengUnion University, Faculty of Law, BelgradePravni Zapisi2217-28152406-13872022-01-0113238842010.5937/pravzap0-407142217-28152202388MThe clarity of referendums: An instrument for managing the (dis)continuity and perception of changeMiloš Matija0University of Rijeka, Faculty of Law, Rijeka, CroatiaSeen as a precondition for a referendum, clarity requires a clear referendum question and a clear majority for or against an outcome. In this article I argue clarity is not only an enabler of individual referendums but one way to politicize their context. In separating what is clear from what is obscure, clarity imposes the twin requirements of homogeneity and predictability. These, in turn, presuppose an interpretation of acceptable political (dis)continuities beyond the referendum as well as of perception of change. This reading of clarity shows how the referendum does not only manage change to which it is explicitly addressed, but that the purported voice of "the people" may at the same time be an instrument of clarity that imagines and normatively orders the referendum's surroundings.https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/2217-2815/2022/2217-28152202388M.pdfdirect democracyreferendumclarityconstitutional lawconstitutional theory |
| spellingShingle | Miloš Matija The clarity of referendums: An instrument for managing the (dis)continuity and perception of change Pravni Zapisi direct democracy referendum clarity constitutional law constitutional theory |
| title | The clarity of referendums: An instrument for managing the (dis)continuity and perception of change |
| title_full | The clarity of referendums: An instrument for managing the (dis)continuity and perception of change |
| title_fullStr | The clarity of referendums: An instrument for managing the (dis)continuity and perception of change |
| title_full_unstemmed | The clarity of referendums: An instrument for managing the (dis)continuity and perception of change |
| title_short | The clarity of referendums: An instrument for managing the (dis)continuity and perception of change |
| title_sort | clarity of referendums an instrument for managing the dis continuity and perception of change |
| topic | direct democracy referendum clarity constitutional law constitutional theory |
| url | https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/2217-2815/2022/2217-28152202388M.pdf |
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