Corruption and clientelism in the lower levels of the Afghan police

Some scholars argue that the Afghan police are regularly engaged in bribery and drug-related corruption. Prevalent corruption in the Afghan police has demonstrably resulted in greater support for the Taliban which is a threat to security. This suggests that a robust anti-corruption strategy is needed to restore legitimacy in the Afghan state and police and to counter the insurgency. This article initially provides a discussion of police corruption in Afghanistan that reveals four interrelated explanations: (1) structural causes of corruption, patronage and nepotism, (2) low pay, (3) state capture, and (4) ethnic favouritism. The research methodology included 70 semi-structured interviews with elites conducted by the author in Kabul during May–June 2010 and 100 surveys conducted with patrolmen and lieutenants in various Afghan provinces during January–March 2012. The article finds that it can prove counterproductive to post poorly paid policemen in distant provinces in order to challenge patronage relations as it tends to exacerbate survival-based corruption. Moreover, improved pay reform could help reduce survival-based corruption in the Afghan police but systemic corruption, clientelism and state capture will remain if it is not implemented alongside other wider structural initiatives.     

Strategic Convergence Or Just Optics?

U.S.President Donald Trump’s maiden visit to India on the last leg of his presidency has been a momentous event for both sides.This showcasing of his popularity in a country with the second largest population and fi fth largest economy could improve his popularity in the presidential election with a large number of Americans being of Indian origin.It is certainly going to bring some excitement to India’s economic slowdown in recent times.     

Socio‐Economic and political empowerment through self help groups intervention: A study from Bilaspur,Chhattisgarh, India

The paper presents a study on the socio‐economic, and political empowerment of rural women, through the Self Help Groups (SHGs) in Bilaspur Division, Chhattisgarh, India. The various factors involved as empowerment indicators were individually discussed based on the data collected from the women SHG members (by random sampling). The detailed data analysis of individual factors and their impact on aforesaid empowerment have been discussed. Its level of significance has been evaluated using Chi‐Square Test and P‐value using statistical data analysis software tool SPSS. Subsequently, the degree of empowerment and the ranking of the factors, its contribution to all three dimensions of empowerment have been evaluated using the Garret Ranking Method. It is found from the study that, there is significant empowerment in all three dimensions. It is also estimated from the Garret Ranking Method, that women after associating with SHG were found economically empowered most significantly, then the socially and politically. The work will be useful for the policymakers to frame the policy and enhance the degree of women empowerment for the selected area of the study as well as other rural areas.     

Temperature‐Dependent Postmortem Changes in Human Cardiac Troponin‐T (cTnT): An Approach in Estimation of Time Since Death

Estimation of time of death is an indispensible requirement of every medico‐legal autopsy, but unfortunately, there is not a single method by which it could be determined accurately. This study focused on the temperature‐dependent postmortem degradation of cardiac troponin‐T and its association with postmortem interval (PMI) in human. The analysis involved extraction of the protein, separation by denaturing gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PAGE), and visualization by Western blot using cTnT‐specific monoclonal antibodies. The area of the bands within a lane was quantified by scanning and digitizing the image using Gel Doc (Universal Hood). The results indicate a characteristic banding pattern among human cadavers (n = 6) and a pseudo‐linear relationship between percentage of cTnT degradation and the log of the time since death (r > 0.95), which can be used to estimate the postmortem interval. The data presented demonstrate that this technique can provide an extended time range during which PMI can be more accurately estimated.     

Teaching American Politics

This article examines some of the hurdles that confront teachers of American government and politics in the United Kingdom. It argues that whilst the problems associated with teaching American politics are hardly unique within the politics discipline, they do pose substantial challenges. In particular, confronting students' stereotypes and prejudices about the United States is a key task of a successful teaching programme. To do this, and to make the study of US politics an 'active' one, some suggestions are made as to how the standard 'textbook approach' can be supplemented and enhanced.     

A TIMELY ACT

正Dialogue of Asian civilizations encourages inclusiveness to counteract clashes The unprecedented rise of China and several other Asian nations has led to a global transformation. While this has a positive impact on much of the world, it has also unsettled a few leading powers that enjoy a privileged position in the international system.     

Towards identifying and ranking selected types of violence against women in North India

ABSTRACT

The paper is aimed at identifying and ranking different types of violence against women (VAW) in states of Delhi and Haryana in Northern India. Examples of gender-specific violence were selected through an extensive review of the literature. The types of VAW reviewed include the lower economic value of daughters at birth (females being considered a liability rather than an asset), rampant female feticides aided by proliferation of often illegal prenatal diagnoses, maternal morbidity, and mortality rates, physical and emotional abuse and neglect of female children, “honour” killing of women, exclusion and deprivation of women from medical treatment and nutrition, their subjection to assaults and rape (including marital rape), insufficient compliance to women’s legal rights of inheritance, arranging early marriages of girls, dowry deaths, female sexual harassment, and intimidation in community and workplace, female trafficking and prostitution, and so forth.

The conceptual frame of reference used for the study was provided by the culturally sanctioned legitimation of the patriarchal system of Indian family as well as by people’s perceptions and attitudes. Data were collected through the survey method in two phases. A preliminary survey was conducted during the first phase for developing the questionnaire items to be used for data collection in the phase two of the study. The findings of the study are presented and reveal participants’ rankings of selected types of VAW by degree of relative importance. Data, based on secondary sources as well as a non-random sample of respondents, were analysed to assess the various areas which demand immediate redress. We also interpret data based on selected criteria and suggest few optimistic future trends in regard to addressing and preventing VAW.