Shaking off the neoliberal shackles: “democratic emergence” and the negotiation of democratic knowledge in the Middle East North Africa context

ABSTRACT

There is a general assumption in democracy promotion that liberal democracy is the panacea that will solve all political and economic problems faced by developing countries. Using the concept of “good society” as analytical prism, the analysis shows that while there is a rhetorical agreement as to what the “good society” entails, democracy promotion practices fail to allow for recipients’ inclusion in the negotiation and delivery of the “good society”. Contrasting US and Tunisian discourses on the “good society”, the article argues that democracy promotion practices are underpinned by neoliberal parameters borne out from a reliance on the transition paradigm, which in turn leave little room to democracy promotion recipients to formulate knowledge claims supporting the emergence of alternative conceptions of the “good society”. In contrast, the article opens up a reflective pathway to a negotiated democratic knowledge, which would reside in a paradigmatic change that consists in the abandonment of the transition paradigm in favour of a “democratic emergence” paradigm.     

What do forensic analysts consider relevant to their decision making?

In response to research demonstrating that irrelevant contextual information can bias forensic science analyses, authorities have increasingly urged laboratories to limit analysts' access to irrelevant and potentially biasing information (Dror and Cole (2010) [3]; National Academy of Sciences (2009) [18]; President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (2016) [22]; UK Forensic Science Regulator (2015) [26]). However, a great challenge in implementing this reform is determining which information is task-relevant and which is task-irrelevant. In the current study, we surveyed 183 forensic analysts to examine what they consider relevant versus irrelevant in their forensic analyses. Results revealed that analysts generally do not regard information regarding the suspect or victim as essential to their analytic tasks. However, there was significant variability among analysts within and between disciplines. Findings suggest that forensic science disciplines need to agree on what they regard as task-relevant before context management procedures can be properly implemented. The lack of consensus about what is relevant information not only leaves room for biasing information, but also reveals foundational gaps in what analysts consider crucial in forensic decision making.     

美国的公共服务改革及其启示

公共服务民营化是美国近年来公共服务改革的核心措施。从美国的经验来看,能否处理好民营化与竞争、民营化与社会公正、民营化与公众安全的关系,以及民营化与政府监管的关系直接关系到公共服务改革的成效。     

气候变化的国际法发展:从温室效应理论到《联合国气候变化框架公约》

本文考察了温室效应理论对缔结《联合国气候变化框架公约》的决定性影响 ,并对《联合国气候变化框架公约》的基本法律原则 (规则 )及其对国际环境立法的贡献进行了述评。     

美国国家情报战略的特征与演变趋势

美国拥有世界上最庞大的情报部门。2005年,美国情报部门实现了自1947年以来最大规模的跨机构整合,设立国家情报局长办公室,每4年出台新的情报战略报告。这一整合反映了美国情报战略的特征及变化。美国情报战略的演变不仅是其情报系统自身的变革,也是美国国内政治变化的一个缩影,体现了美国对权力分散化、网络化的新认识及战略目标与理念的变化。剖析美国情报战略报告,有助于深层把握美国情报战略思维及未来走向。     

Strengthening Green Global Governance in a Disparate World SocietyWould a World Environment Organisation Benefit the South?

The debate on the advantages and disadvantages of upgrading the United Nations Environment Programme to a 'world environment organisation' (WEO) has gained momentum in both academe and politics. This article contends that a WEO would further the interests especially of developing countries, because it would provide them, first, a high-level forum to unite their individual bargaining power against the major industrialised countries. Second, a WEO would assist Southern efforts to garner international support for environmental programmes in regions and sectors that are increasingly bypassed by economic globalisation. Third, a WEO would create a locus to politically institutionalise the influence of non-governmental lobbyists in a way that increases the balance of opinions and perspectives. The article then addresses special challenges and caveats for developing countries in the upcoming negotiation process, in particular whether an upgraded UNEP would address only 'global' issues, thus absolving the international community from assisting developing countries in mitigating the more pressing local environmental issues in the South; whether the new body would have powerful sanctioning mechanisms, which might disproportionally affect developing countries; and what decision-making procedures the new body would have.     

论贿赂外国公职人员或国际公共组织官员罪

贿赂外国公职人员或国际公共组织官员罪是《联合国反腐败公约》规定的一类新型犯罪。对这一犯罪,可以从贿赂对象、贿赂范围、贿赂对价、贿赂方式和贿赂领域五个方面加以理解。我国刑法在规定这一犯罪时,应注意刑法与《公约》的协调,立法上注意与我国刑法中“国家工作人员”概念之转换,司法上注意与国外贿赂犯罪的规定相协调;刑事管辖权上应当以属地管辖原则为主,辅之以属人管辖;法定刑的设置应以有期徒刑为处罚方式,并可以适用罚金刑。     

从NAFTA到USMCA:投资争端解决机制的变化、成因及启示

2020年7月生效的《美国—墨西哥—加拿大协定》在投资争端解决机制上一改《北美自由贸易协定》下偏重对投资者权利保护的“新自由主义”精神,回归对国家规制权能的重视。在适用对象、适用争议、适用程序上作出变化与革新。全球价值链收缩及“慢球化”、投资争端解决机制的内在合法性危机以及对东道国规制权力的削弱,是国际投资争端解决机制发生变化的深层次经济、法律与政治动因。《美国—墨西哥—加拿大协定》投资争端解决机制的变化与革新将进一步推动“卡尔沃主义”的回归以及加剧国际投资法体制内部的碎片化趋势。中国应积极支持及推进投资争端解决机制改革,使其发挥正面作用,同时辩证吸收“卡尔沃主义”的合理因素,积极探索诸如前置协商、投诉与帮助以及调解等解决投资者与东道国之间投资争议的多元渠道。     

解读统一战线与社会主义政治文明

社会主义政治文明是一种新型的、有民主的政治文明,其实质是人民民主的政治文明。社会主义政治文明最基本的内容是把党的领导、人民当家作主和依法治国三个方面有机统一起来。正确认识统一战线与政治文明的关系,充分发挥统一战线的独特优势,将有助于全面推进中国特色的社会主义事业。     

美国保安业的职业化途径及对中国保安业发展的启示

美国保安业发展的主要标志之一是基本实现了职业化 ,体现在规范管理、持照经营、教育训练等几个方面。在社会各界的关注下 ,不仅政府有关管理部门认识到职业化的重要性 ,而且保安业内部也认识到了职业化的重要。中国保安业正处在发展壮大的重要阶段 ,职业化的水平还较低 ,了解美国保安业的职业化途径对中国保安业的发展具有重要的参考价值和借鉴意义。