In a 1982 publication, Ng et al. surveyed the cultural values of select East Asian and Pacific Island nations. In 2002, this study repeated their work, using the same sampling frame, questionnaire, and collaborators, where possible. The authors also reclassified the 1982 and 2002 survey results using Schwartz's cultural-level value dimensions. Submission versus Dionysian values that differentiated the nations in 1982 continued to do so in 2002. Furthermore, nations that endorsed Mastery (and rejected Harmony) in 1982 experienced greater subsequent economic growth than did the other countries. Moreover, economic development in 1982 predicted ensuing changes in Submission versus Dionysian and Hierarchy versus Egalitarianism values. Richer nations tended to endorse Dionysian, Autonomy, and Egalitarianism, whereas poorer nations tended toward Submission, Embeddedness, and Hierarchy values. Overall, the results support both economic and cultural determinism and imply two opposing directions of cultural change.

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This paper examines election rigging and its effect on democratic consolidation in Nigeria relying on qualitative approach, using data gathered from secondary sources. It will be analyzed via content and historical analysis. Election riggings in Nigeria have dealt a huge blow to the development of democracy in Nigeria. Nigeria's elections so far have not live up to expectations due to various forms of electoral manipulations which have denied the country credible free and fair elections in her body politic. Election rigging has not only marred democratic consolidation in Nigeria but has also violated the fundamental human right (right to life) of so many Nigerians. Election riggings since independence reviewed in this paper will be our bench mark. The study found that election riggings in Nigeria have resulted into the imposition of corrupt and illegitimate leaders who have no regard to the principles of democracy which are off-shoots for good governance, rule of law, constitutionalism and fundamental human rights. This paper provides some important recommendations that would serve as a panacea to the problems of election riggings and how those measures can help necessitate a democratic environment which is a precondition for free and fair elections.

This paper attempts to explain the US-Iran political relations from the geopolitical perspective. It focuses on George W. Bush's presidency as a remarkable period in two states' relations. Concentrating on the US geopolitical codes, this work aims to study the political leaders' beliefs and also the influences of these ideas on the states' foreign policy. The research also stresses on some of the world's geopolitical changes in the geopolitical world order context. With the end of Iran-Iraq war, inimical relation of the US-Iran was promoting, and it even entered a more critical phase with the occurrence of changes in the US foreign policy towards Iran, when Bush was elected as the US president in 2001 and especially after September 11 th attacks. At this point, Iran was introduced as an "axis of evil" and this asseveration strengthened hostility between the two countries. With the election of Ahmadinejad as Iran's president in 2005, Iran's political behavior also underwent drastic changes. As a result, both countries, based on their leaders' beliefs, pursued their policies in the regional and global level to access to different objectives, in line with the ideas that had been derived from their geopolitical-ideological assumptions.