Recidivist criminal behaviour and executive functions: a comparative study

This study sought to analyse the relation between executive functions and criminal recidivism. We assessed a set of cognitive abilities associated with executive functioning in a group of recidivist offenders (n = 19), primary offenders (n = 25) and non-offenders (n = 30). Our results, tested with nonparametric statistics and Monte Carlo method, revealed that there were no executive differences between both groups of offenders but, when compared with non-offenders, the recidivists showed a worse performance in Trail Making Test part B, and the primary offenders presented a significant lower score on Porteus Maze Test Age score. This study suggests that there can be a different pattern of executive functioning deficits associated with the offenders’ criminal record: recidivism may be more related to mental flexibility impairments and primary offenders’ antisocial behaviour may be aggravated by planning deficits.     

The foreign policy and diplomatic attributes of a developmental state: South Africa as case study

With South Africa having declared itself a developmental state, this paper posits that if a developmental state is one that drives development, then the foreign policy of such a state should pursue development as one of its most important goals. Similarly the diplomatic corps of such a state should prioritise economic, commercial, para- and public diplomacy as drivers of diplomacy. In answering the question, ‘What should be the foreign policy and diplomatic attributes of a developmental state?’, the authors, through an exploratory approach, seek to analyse how well the state has fared in achieving this objective. To be a successful developmental state, a strategic capacity should exist and a clear strategic conception of the state's national interest should be formulated. Old paradigms about the role and functions of the diplomatic corps are challenged and a meritocratic diplomatic corps is strongly advocated to support the state's declared developmental goals.     

构建社会主义和谐社会是一项战略任务

构建社会主义和谐社会,对于积极推进中国特色社会主义伟大事业,全面建设小康社会具有重要的理论和实践意义。必须把构建社会主义和谐社会作为一项重要的战略任务来落实,集中全社会之力,多方协调共同建设,形成促进社会和谐的强大合力。     

The Role of UNEP and UNDP in Multilateral Environmental Agreements

This study examines the role of the UN’s programmes for environment and development (UNEP and UNDP) in the genesis and implementation of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs). This is set in the wider context of the changing dominant focus of the international agenda, from ‘environment’ at the Stockholm Conference in 1972, to ‘environment and development’ at Rio in 1992, and ‚sustainable development’ in Johannesburg in 2002. UNDP is a development organisation strongly rooted in its country office network. Its role is becoming increasingly normative however, particularly since 2002 when UNDP opted to root most of its activities on the Millennium Development Goals. UNEP, as an environmental organisation has been successful at catalysing MEAs at the global and regional level; but without a significant increase in its budget over 30 years, its capacity has been spread very thinly. Many of the institutional arrangements for MEAs have effectively become independent of UNEP resulting in a very loosely and sometimes poorly coordinated network. Two case studies are used to illustrate the current institutional arrangements: UNEP’s Regional Seas Conventions and Protocols, and the Convention for Biological Diversity. These illustrate the fragmentation of current institutions, the need for strengthened technical and scientific support, the importance of addressing problems at their root causes and the need to increase the devolution of global governance to the regional level. Satisfying the identified needs requires actions within the remit of both UNEP and UNDP. It is argued that current institutional arrangements have not kept pace with the requirements of evolving policy. As part of a reform process, one option may be to merge the two programmes into a single structure that conserves and strengthens vital technical functions but enables a balanced and integrated approach to sustainable development.     

新安全观与中国国际传播的战略选择

国际传播在捍卫与社会主义国家性质相一致的意识形态利益,乃至国家整体安全战略方面有着极其重要的作用。"国家利益至上",是我国国际传播最根本的战略原则;"做国际社会中负责任大国"这一新世纪战略思想,是当前我国国际传播战略中的基本指导思想;"坚持'一国两制',维护祖国统一"方针的宣传,是当前乃至今后我国国际传播中一项极为重要的战略任务。"软权力"正成为现代国际关系中的聚焦点,为应对复杂的安全战略环境,维护国家利益,我国国际传播必须做出正确的战略选择。     

兴黔之路——略论贵州“后发赶超”的战略支撑

回顾改革开放以来,尤其西部大开发以来贵州的发展历程,贵州在选择和实施总体发展战略中,更需要找准能够影响和带动发展全局的战略支撑。走＂后发赶超＂之路,是贵州发展的时代要求和当然选择。实施＂工业强省＂和＂城镇化带动＂两大战略,将成为＂十二五＂期间撬动贵州经济社会全面加速发展的战略支撑,为贵州的＂后发赶超＂打下坚实基础。     

广东战略性新兴产业空间布局研究——基于因子分析法和聚类分析法

研究广东战略性新兴产业的空间布局对于广东实现产业结构升级和转变经济发展方式意义重大。该文介绍了战略性新兴产业空间布局的三种基本模式,在此基础上,运用因子分析法和聚类分析法对广东省战略性新兴产业的空间聚类进行实证分析,对广东21个地级市进行空间布局模式的划分,并从布局机制、布局模式、布局区位以及布局策略等方面为科学布局广东战略性新兴产业提出政策建议。     

Strategic voting and effective representation thresholds: Evidence from three Spanish general elections

The extent of strategic voting in the Spanish general elections of 2000, 2004 and 2008 is estimated using a new measure of strategic incentives suitable for proportional representation systems that avoids some of the problems associated with lagged variables. Strategic behaviour increased from 12 to 33 per cent of the electoral base of the United Left Party, the major victim of strategic defection. This estimate is a conservative one as elite mobilisation is controlled for in the constituencies, which is unusual in the literature on strategic voting that uses regression‐based methods.     

Strategic adaptation to new electoral systems

How quickly, to what extent and under what conditions do voters and elites adapt to new electoral institutions in order to not waste their votes and effort on hopeless competitors? A latent‐curve model of strategic adaptation is developed and fitted to district‐level election data from Spain. The extent of strategic adaptation is generally found to vary with the strength of the electoral system. However, grave ethnic tensions are demonstrated to seriously retard adaptation even under favourable institutional conditions.     

从成功改造袁、王部队看毛泽东的策略思想

井冈山斗争时期,毛泽东以伟大的无产阶级革命家的宽阔胸怀和超人智慧,实施了对袁文才、王佐这两支农民武装的成功改造。在改造袁、王部队的过程中,充分体现了毛泽东一系列超人的策略思想。袁、王部队成功改造,为井冈山革命根据地的创建、发展发挥了重要作用。