The Journal of Political Science and Public Affairs publishes a wide range of issues covering the landscape of the subject matter indicated in the title of the publication. Every effort is made to give a voice to contributors from a diverse of array of nations, identities and, backgrounds. Volume 4 Issue 2 of JPSPA is illustrative of this approach.

Female Genital Mutilation: A Violation of Human Rights is authored by Fisaha KG. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a cultural practice that is a violation of the rights of children and women, according to the author. The article argues against the practice, unequivocally. The center-piece of the article considers the ongoing debate between universalist and cultural-relativist approaches to assessing the practice. The author of the piece takes a position firmly on the side of the Universalist view.

Ending Decades of Animosity: Framing 2014 Thaw in US-Cuban Diplomatic relations in the Washington Post and the Miami Herald is written by El-Bendary Md . On December 17, 2014, it was announced by Presidents Barack Obama and Raul Castro, of the United States and Cuba, respectively, that full diplomatic relations had resumed between the two nations. The article examines the coverage of this momentous occasion in the pages of the Washington Post and the Miami Herald. The objective is to assess the position and interpretation of the American public regarding the renewal of diplomatic relations between bitter cold war adversaries.

In Islamic Regression, Jihadist Frustration and Takfirist Hyper Violence Anthony NC presents the view that Islamic civilization regressed after the period of European enlightenment, contradicting Muslim religious prophecies. Muslim prophecy, according to the author, forecast an Islamic conquest of the planet. The author cites the view of noted scholar of Middle Eastern Affairs, Bernard Lewis, who attributed that decline to an Islamic rejection of cross-cultural contact and, accompanying, cross-cultural pollination. The author argues that the ensuing frustration goes a long way toward accounting for rise of sectarian passions and jihadism.

E-Governance in North-East India, by Chetia SRB, examines the impact of the transfer of information on the regional economic and social development, using North-East India at the case study. The view presented in the piece is that the transfer of information is considered a basic requisite for determining the future of regions, particularly those in rural areas. According to the author information transfer in rural areas of India have not been able to keep pace with the same effort in urban settings. The article examines efforts by E-governance institutions in remedying this disparity, along with ongoing challenges and remedies.

Euroscepticism is defined as a criticism and opposition to the European “idea” as manifest in the institution of the European Union. Eurosceptics seek to slow down, halt or reverse the process of European integration, according to Elimatas Kocanas in Expressons of Euroscepticism in Political Parties of Greece. The view here is that Euroscepticism has affected governments, political parties and nations, throughout the region. Greece, being at the center of questions regarding the value of European integration, is the focus of the study. The author concludes that political parties in Greece, while being largely Eurosceptic, do not hold the same view or impressions of the European Union. Euroscepticism, while a prominent feature of the Greek political landscape, is not a single entity for the parties. It manifests itself differently across the political spectrum in Greece.

New Military Modernization in the Asia-Pacific Region, by Iraj R, considers the emergence of China as power in its geographic area. It details the military modernization that has accompanied that emergence, along with other nations competing with China for regional preeminence. It notes the desire of the global superpower, the United States to help forge balance of power in the Asia-Pacific area.

Rahul K, in Use of New Media in India Political Campaigning System , notes the impact that the internet has had in fostering social and political change in the subcontinent. E-mail, e-governance and, ecommerce platforms have served to broaden the range of participation among the Indian population, according to the author. Traditional temporal and spatial constraints have withered away, yielding to a considerably more mobile citizenry. Rahul is interested in the impact that culture complexities and income disparity has had on the distribution of these enhancements.

A Typology of Voters: Creating Voters’ Profiles via Clustering , is the contribution of Evangelina NM. This article examines the factors that influence voter profiles during the formation of electoral preferences. The author proffers that among social, personal and professional networks are among the influences that help shame voter preferences, along with, exogenous factors. The sample for the data was drawn from a Greek population. ACP and Cluster classifications were employed to ascertain the distribution among salient factors and networks.

In Gun Control in the US , Victor Haynes examines the ongoing debate on the issue in the United States. He notes the two sides of the divide, centering around, divergent interpretations of the language of the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. Haynes analyzes polling data to account for the disparity in opinions and points of view that characterize the ideological divide in the nation.

M Gopi in Right to Information Act in India, discusses, what he views, as a milestone development the quest for transparency in the operations of government in India. The Right to Information Act 2005 (RTI) is designed to lift the veil that has, heretofore, shrouded, often, opaque Indian governmental operations. For Gopi, the key to the success of this legislation lies in its effective implementation. The article emphasizes this view.

The Editors of the Journal of Political Science and Public Affairs greatly appreciates the notable contributors of these members of the global scholarly community. We, enthusiastically, invite others to participate in these conversations in an effort to expand the boundaries of thought and understanding in the world in which we live.