State transformation and cross-border regionalism in Indonesia’s periphery: contesting the centre

Abstract

This article examines how the decentralisation and fragmentation of the Indonesian state and resultant central–local dynamics affect cross-border regionalism in Indonesia’s periphery. It argues that cross-border regionalism projects are best understood as sites for scalar contestation over regulatory control between central and local government. Moreover, scalar contestation around cross-border regional projects is characterised by the struggles to control relationships with transnational capital between elites operating at different tiers of the state. When elites at different scales have conflicting interests and strategies, this can cause policy incoherence, inhibiting the development of cross-border regionalism. Conversely, when they align, and intersect with the interests of transnational business, cross-border regionalism can succeed. To illustrate the argument, this article utilises the comparative case studies of the Batam free trade zone and West Kalimantan–Sarawak cross-border cooperation.     

The Spatial Distribution of Postblast RDX Residue: Forensic Implications

Locating exactly where trace explosive residue samples should be sought during sample collection at bomb scenes is not specified in the published literature or guidelines; in this area, it is generally acknowledged that forensic practices are based on tradition rather than evidence. This study investigated patterns in the spatial distribution of postblast 1,3,5‐trinitro‐1,3,5‐triazocyclohexane residue from a series of unconfined detonations, over a range of sampling sites, and at two different detonation heights. The amount of residue recovered from the sites decreased as a function of distance from the center of the explosion. [Correction added after online publication 27 December 2012: In the preceding sentence, “increased” was corrected to “decreased” to agree with the conclusion of the article.] As the height of the detonations increased, more residues were found from all sampling sites. The findings of this empirical study have a number of important practical implications including determining where residue samples are best sought at crime scenes.     

Trends in HIV/AIDS infection: Beyond current statistics

At the end of 1999, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS estimated that about 50 million people worldwide, 14 million of whom had already died, had been infected with HIV. The global distribution of HIV is uneven, with developing countries bearing a disproportionate burden of infection. About 70% of all HIV infections occur in sub‐Saharan Africa. While stabilisation of the epidemic has been observed in a few countries, HIV continues to spread in most parts of the world, with 5.6 million new infections in 1999 alone. Trends in infection between countries and regions highlight the complexity of the HIV epidemics and the enormous prevention potential that still exists in most countries.     

Reevaluating Peacekeeping Effectiveness: Does Gender Neutrality Inhibit Progress?

Since the adoption of UNSCR 1325, more female peacekeepers are participating in peacekeeping missions than ever before. Nevertheless, the current literature on peacekeeping effectiveness is largely gender neutral, discounting the unique role female peacekeepers may play in peacekeeping operations. This article addresses this missing piece in the literature by assessing how female peacekeepers and locals view the role of women in peacekeeping operations. Using interviews and focus groups conducted with peacekeepers in the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and original surveys conducted in Liberian communities, it finds that there is an “access gap” that prevents female peacekeepers from fully contributing to the mission’s operations and therefore prevents the peacekeeping mission from reaching its full potential. The findings have broader implications for how to improve peacekeeping missions’ effectiveness moving forward.     

Differentiation of methylenedioxybenzylpiperazines (MDBPs) and methoxymethylbenzylpiperazines (MMBPs) By GC-IRD and GC-MS

The substituted benzylpiperazines, 3,4-methylenedioxybenzylpiperazine (3,4-MDBP), its regioisomer 2,3-methylenedioxybenzylpiperazine (2,3-MDBP) and four isobaric ring substituted methoxymethylbenzylpiperazines (MMBP) have almost identical mass spectra. Perfluoroacylation of the secondary amine nitrogen of these isomeric piperazines gave mass spectra with differences in relative abundance of some fragment ions. However, the spectra did not yield any unique fragments for specific identification of one isomer to the exclusion of the other compounds. Gas chromatography coupled with infrared detection (GC-IRD) provides direct confirmatory data for the structural differentiation between the six isomers. The mass spectra in combination with the vapor phase infrared spectra provide for specific confirmation of each of the isomeric piperazines. The underivatized and perfluoroacyl derivative forms of the ring substituted benzylpiperazines were resolved on the polar stationary phase Rtx-200.     

Loan Sharks v. Short‐term Lenders: How Do the Law and Regulators Draw the Line?

With the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) having just published its ‘comprehensive review’ of some aspects of the business of short‐term lenders, this article examines the phenomenon of short‐term lenders. It draws on the legal and conceptual changes in the United Kingdom's consumer credit sector that have aided their proliferation. It argues that short‐term lenders in their current form are no different from loan sharks and that the current legal and regulatory framework has failed to provide the required protection for vulnerable credit consumers. It highlights how the United Kingdom's legal approach to consumer protection has been to the detriment of short‐term borrowers.     

Microcredit and Marital Violence: Moderating Effects of Husbands’ Gender Ideology

Evidence on the relation between women’s microcredit participation and their exposure to marital violence has been inconsistent across studies. This study examined how women’s various levels of microcredit participation are associated with marital violence against women (MVW), while also taking into account the husbands’ gender ideology. The study included 243 wife-abusive men in rural Bangladesh. Multiple regressions were performed to predict the frequency of MVW in the preceding year. Of the married women, 52.3 % were microcredit participants, 11.1 % of whom were active participants and 41.2 % nominal participants. The study showed that women’s active microcredit participation was negatively associated with MVW, and nominal participation was positively associated with MVW among the husbands who held a more conservative gender ideology. The findings suggest that women-focused microcredit interventions should also take into account men’s gender ideologies.