Since forming a parliamentary party in 1994, the Bloc Québécois has been interpreted exclusively as the formal federal manifestation of the Québec separatist movement. Although the partys raison dêtre is well known, less so are its actions in the House of Commons. This thesis begins with two main assumptions: first, traditional characterizations of the BQ are incomplete because they ignore crucial aspects of the partys actual behaviour; second, conventional approaches to the study of new parties in Canada perpetuate the emphasis on the BQs nationalist ideology. <p>Taking a new approach to the new party, this is a study of the Bloc Québécois as a party in Canadas Parliament. In order to learn more about the Blocs performance in the House of Commons and its committees, this thesis examines the Blocs contribution to debate on the formulation of national policy. Contrary to what might be expected of a separatist party, the following case studies show the BQ contributing willingly and substantively to parliamentary deliberation on a wide array of pan-Canadian issues. Moreover, during debate, Bloquistes are rarely found demanding an independent Québec state; instead, they address legislation brought before the House, promoting a liberal, social-democratic set of values. Far from being a maverick in Parliament, the BQ is a full participant. In fact, Bloquistes enhance the quality of parliamentary debate, and counterbalance the views of the right-wing Reform/Alliance party. <p>Throughout the thesis the Blocs surprising parliamentary performance is explained by an analysis of the influence of power and institutions on the actions of political agents. It concludes that by accepting membership in the House of Commons, the BQ has been forced to conform to parliamentary rules and customs. Subsequently, Parliament has limited the partys ability to advocate Québec secession, and has broadened its perspective to consider all matters of national concern.

This paper examines if European integration has had an impact on national political parties by looking at the stances of the Swedish Green Party and the Left Party on the issue of the European Community and the European Union over time. With the development of the European Community and the European Union, national political parties face the challenge of an emerging political arena. European integration research has recently become more involved with what is called europeanization and political integration within the member states them self, this paper aims to provide further leverage to the thesis that national political actors undergo some degree of europeanization and are politically integrated in the EU, by examining manifestos of two historically eurosceptic Swedish political parties. The theoretical framework provided by neo-functional integration theory as well as europeanization is used to examine the empirical material in order to see if the political parties at the focal point of this study can be said to have undergone a change in political policy regarding the EC and EU, both in quantity and content. The analysis show that indeed both parties has undergone a change and what might be considered a europeanization, considering that the presence of the EU as a political issue seem to have risen in prominence and importance in the examined manifestos. The parties also show tendencies towards viewing the EU as an arena in which political goals can be achieved for specific issues.

Texte remanié de: Thèse de doctorat--Droit--Nantes, 2004. / Bibliogr. p. 463-515. Index.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Catholic University of America, 1939. / Bibliography: p. 192-200.

Thesis--Barcelona, 1975. / "Catedra Fadrique Furio Ceriol, Facultad de Derecho, Valencia, 8." Includes bibliographical references (p. 437-442).

Inaug.-Diss.--Freie Universität, Berlin. / Vita. Bibliography: p. 119-128.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universiteit Leiden, 2009. / Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (p. [243]-256) and index.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 353-379). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 189-206).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.