Freedom House: Assessment (Measurement) of Freedom in Global Comparison

1
Freedom House Assessment (Measurement) of
Freedom in Global Comparison

• David F. J. Campbell
• University of Klagenfurt, Austria / iff Faculty
  for Interdisciplinary Studies / Institute of
  Science Communication and Higher Education
  Research (WIHO) / http//www.uni-klu.ac.at/wiho
• david.campbell_at_uni-klu.ac.at
• Presentation November 23 30, 2011

2
Table of Contents

• What is Freedom House?
• Freedom in the World
• Freedom of the Press
• Freedom in the WorldEmpirical Results
• Further Challenges Research Questions
• References

3
What is Freedom House? (1)

• http//www.freedomhouse.org/

4
What is Freedom House? (2)
5
What is Freedom House? (3)
6
What is Freedom House? (4)

• Freedom House is an independent watchdog
  organization that supports the expansion of
  freedom around the world. Freedom House supports
  democratic change, monitors freedom, and
  advocates for democracy and human rights.
• Since its founding in 1941 by prominent
  Americans concerned with the mounting threats to
  peace and democracy, Freedom House has been a
  vigorous proponent of democratic values and a
  steadfast opponent of dictatorships of the far
  left and the far right.   Eleanor Roosevelt and
  Wendell Willkie served as Freedom Houses first
  honorary co-chairpersons.
• http//www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page2

7
What is Freedom House? (5)

• Mission Statement
• Freedom House, an independent nongovernmental
  organization, supports the expansion of freedom
  in the world. Freedom is possible only in
  democratic political systems in which the
  governments are accountable to their own people
  the rule of law prevails and freedoms of
  expression, association, and belief, as well as
  respect for the rights of minorities and women,
  are guaranteed.
• Freedom ultimately depends on the actions of
  committed and courageous men and women. We
  support nonviolent civic initiatives in societies
  where freedom is denied or under threat and we
  stand in opposition to ideas and forces that
  challenge the right of all people to be free.
  Freedom House functions as a catalyst for
  freedom, democracy and the rule of law through
  its analysis, advocacy and action.
• http//www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page2

8
What is Freedom House? (6)

• What is Freedom Houses definition of freedom?
• Freedom is the opportunity to act spontaneously
  in a variety of fields outside the control of the
  government and/or other centers of potential
  domination. Freedom House measures freedom
  according to two broad categories political
  rights and civil liberties. Political rights
  enable people to participate freely in the
  political process through the right to vote,
  compete for public office and elect
  representatives who have a decisive impact on
  public policies and are accountable to the
  electorate. Civil liberties allow for the
  freedoms of expression and belief, associational
  and organizational rights, rule of law, and
  personal autonomy without interference from the
  state.

9
What is Freedom House? (7)

• What is Freedom Houses definition of freedom?
  (continuation)
• Freedom Houses definition of freedom is derived
  in large measure from the Universal Declaration
  of Human Rights  that was adopted by the United
  Nations General Assembly in 1948. The rights
  enumerated in the Universal Declaration include
  freedom of religion, expression, and assembly
  freedom from torture and the right to take part
  in the government of his or her country. These
  standards apply to all countries and territories,
  irrespective of geographical location, ethnic or
  religious composition, or level of economic
  development.
• http//freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page2651

10
What is Freedom House? (8)

• Key products (tools) of Freedom House
• http//www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page1

11
Freedom in the World (1)

• Map of Freedom in the World 2011 edition
  refers to the calendar year 2010 (etc.)
• http//www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page363
  year2011

12
Freedom in the World (2)

• Map of Freedom in the Worldfocuses on
• countries or
• territories (e.g., Palestinian Authority-Administe
  red Territories or Nagorno-Karabakh).

13
Freedom in the World (3)

• Peer review process or assessment by experts For
  the 2001 edition of the freedom in the world
• 52 contributing authors, 18 academic advisers and
  other experts
• http//www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page351
  ana_page381year2011
• Reference to selected sources such as
  publications (broadcasts) and (national and
  international) organizations.
• http//www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page351
  ana_page380year2011

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Freedom in the World (4)

• Checklist Questions and GuidelinesExperts
  provide assessment and rating for the countries
  and considered territories.
• http//www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page351
  ana_page374year2011
• POLITICAL RIGHTS CHECKLIST
• CIVIL LIBERTIES CHECKLIST

15
Freedom in the World (5)

• POLITICAL RIGHTS CHECKLIST
• A. ELECTORAL PROCESS (3 main Qs plus sub-Qs)
• B. POLITICAL PLURALISM AND PARTICIPATION (4 main
  Qs plus sub-Qs)
• C. FUNCTIONING OF GOVERNMENT (3 main Qs plus
  sub-Qs)
• ADDITIONAL DISCRETIONARY POLITICAL RIGHTS
  QUESTIONS.

16
Freedom in the World (6)

• CIVIL LIBERTIES CHECKLIST
• D. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND BELIEF (4 main Qs
  plus sub-Qs)
• E. ASSOCIATIONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL RIGHTS (3
  main Qs plus sub-Qs)
• F. RULE OF LAW (4 main Qs plus sub-Qs)
• G. PERSONAL AUTONOMY AND INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS (4
  main Qs plus sub-Qs).

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Freedom in the World (7)

• SCORE GUIDE FOR CHECKLIST QUESTIONS Experts
  assign to every question a numerical score from 0
  to 4.

18
Freedom in the World (8)

• CONVERSION OF SCORES INTO RATINGS

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Freedom in the World (9)

• CONVERSION OF SCORES INTO RATINGS (continued)

20
Freedom in the World (10)

• Comparative and historical data
• http//www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page15

21
Freedom in the World (11)

• Comparative and historical data (continued)
• http//www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page439
  

22
Freedom in the World (12)

• Country status and ratings overview, FIW
  1973-2011
• http//www.freedomhouse.org/images/File/fiw/histor
  ical/FIWAllScoresCountries1973-2011.xls

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Freedom in the World (13)

• Aggregate and subcategory scores
• http//www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page276

24
Freedom in the World (14)

• Aggregate and subcategory scores (continued)
• http//www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page276

25
Freedom in the World (15)

• Aggregate scores
• http//www.freedomhouse.org/images/File/fiw/histor
  ical/AggregateScores_FIW2003-2011.xls

26
Freedom in the World (16)

• Sub-category scores (e.g., 2011 edition)
• http//www.freedomhouse.org/images/File/fiw/histor
  ical/2011Sub-CategoryScores-Website.xls

27
Freedom of the Press (1)

• Map of Press Freedom 2011 edition refers to
  the calendar year 2010 (etc.)
• http//www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page251
  year2011

28
Freedom of the Press (2)

• Peer review process or assessment by experts
  Experts assess countries (and specified
  territories) in reference to checklist questions.
• http//www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page350
  ana_page376year2011
• Survey team of the 2011 editionhttp//www.freedo
  mhouse.org/template.cfm?page350ana_page377year
  2011

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Freedom of the Press (3)

• CHECKLIST OF METHODOLOGY QUESTIONS 2011
• Each country is ranked on a scale of 0 to 100,
  with 0 being the best and 100 being the worst.
• A combined score of 0-30Free, 31-60Partly
  Free, 61-100Not Free.
• Under each question, a lower number of points is
  allotted for a more free situation, while a
  higher number of points is allotted for a less
  free environment.
• The sub-questions listed are meant to provide
  guidance as to what issues are meant to be
  addressed under each methodology question it is
  not intended that the author necessarily answer
  each one.
• http//www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page350
  ana_page376year2011

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Freedom of the Press (4)

• CHECKLIST OF METHODOLOGY QUESTIONS
  2011continued
• As a general guideline, the index is focused on
  ability to access news and information (which
  predominantly means print and broadcast media but
  can also including blogs, social media, and other
  forms of digital news dissemination) and
  providers of news content, which predominantly
  means journalists but can also include citizen
  journalists and bloggers, where applicable.
• http//www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page350
  ana_page376year2011

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Freedom of the Press (5)

• Historical data
• http//www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page16

32
Freedom of the Press (6)

• Historical data (continued)
• http//www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page274
  

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Freedom of the Press (7)

• Historical data (1980-2008) (continued)
• http//www.freedomhouse.org/uploads/fop/historical
  /2008/Scores20and20Status-Global_2008.xls

34
Freedom in the WorldEmpirical Results (1)

• Map of Freedom 2011 ( 2010)
• http//www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page363
  year2011

35
Freedom in the WorldEmpirical Results (2)
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Freedom in the WorldEmpirical Results (3)
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Freedom in the WorldEmpirical Results (4)
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Freedom in the WorldEmpirical Results (5)

• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_House

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Further Challenges Research Questions (1)

• To which extent are the ratings and scores of
  Freedom House determined by the specific expert
  composition of the survey teams? (Different
  experts, different ratings?)
• To which extent does Freedom House reflect
  (represent) the mainstream (foreign policy) view
  of the United States of the rest of the world?

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Further Challenges Research Questions (2)

• Are there ways of validating the scores of
  Freedom House? For example, are there alternative
  indicators that could test the scoring and
  rating of Freedom House?
• Could freedom be conceptualized (and measured)
  different to the approach of Freedom House?
• Is there enough competition in the international
  field of freedom measurement?

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Further References

• Pickel, Susanne / Gert Pickel (2006). Politische
  Kultur- und Demokratieforschung. Grundbegriffe,
  Theorien, Methoden. Eine Einführung. Wiesbaden
  VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften (Seiten
  209-221).
• Gastil, Raymond Duncan (1993). The Comparative
  Survey of Freedom Experiences and Suggestions,
  21-46, in Alex Inkeles (ed.) On Measuring
  Democracy. Its Consequences and Concomitants. New
  Brunswick Transaction Publishers.

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