NGOs and Ethnic Conflict: Lessons from the Work of the Project on Ethnic Relations in the Balkans

This article examines the impact of nongovernmental organization-sponsored contact and communication on fostering peaceful solutions to ethnic conflict via case studies of the activities of the Project on Ethnic Relations (PER) in Romania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo, and Serbia. It explores five operational principles that guide PER activity: creating credible, neutral forums for dialogue; maintaining momentum; working within political realities; encouraging indigenous solutions from within existing processes; and acting with the backing of powerful states. These principles explain PER's success as a "weak mediator" of ethnic conflicts. According to this analysis, PER also exhibits organizational characteristics that contribute to success, including nonpartisanship, area expertise and extensive networks of local contacts, and an ability to secure the trust of local actors.
A significant indicator of the success of PER activities is the establishment by conflicting parties of institutionalized mechanisms for addressing their differences. Contrary to the view that electoral competition contributes to conflict, this study finds that the possibility of achieving an electoral advantage by participating cooperatively in conflict resolution activities creates incentives for local actors to recognize opportunities offered by PER activities and leads local actors to heed PER's advice. Finally, the article offers a cautionary observation. While PER's perceived influence with major international actors may contribute to its local successes, once a state actor with the power to impose a solution has committed itself to ending a conflict, its preferences outweigh any local interests in determining the outcome and renders the efforts of a "weak mediator" such as PER irrelevant.     

中国调解与审判关系新论——从历史的视角

调解与审判合一,一直被认为是中国古代司法的优点。但正是因为调审合一有着明显弊端,我国古代司法向近代变迁时呈现出调解游离于审判之外的态势,这是利于依法治国及彻底解决纠纷的因素,值得我们在当代司法中借鉴。     

电子数据在网络犯罪中的证据作用

电子数据在网络犯罪中起着不可或缺的证明作用。应针对其特征,明确其成为一种新的证据种类,并规范其证据规则。     

UNCITRAL电子商务工作组第四十届大会综述

联合国国际贸易法委员会电子商务工作组第四十届大会有两个议题:一是如何消除与国际贸易有关的国际文书中存在的妨碍电子商务发展的法律障碍;二是讨论审议《电子订约:一项公约草案的条文》。     

THE POTENTIAL OF THE FAMILY LAW EDUCATION REFORM PROJECT FOR FAMILY LAWYERS1

Family lawyers are major beneficiaries of the reforms set out in the Family Law Education Reform Project (FLER) Report. This commentary from a veteran family law practitioner explores the needs of the family law bar for the training of law students in practical, interdisciplinary, client‐centered lawyering that goes beyond the traditional case method. I trace many of the current innovations evolving in family law practice and how FLER reforms will not only benefit law schools but also have a major impact in the courts and private practice sector.     

MEDIATIVE EVALUATIONS: THE PROS AND PERILS OF BLENDING ROLES

Child custody evaluators with experience in mediation may be tempted to use mediation skills and strategies in their evaluation processes. This article explores the benefits and risks of blending mediation with evaluation, comparing the perspectives of professionals and clients.     

论人民调解制度的完善——以“诉调对接”为视角

人民调解是我国民间调解的法定活动形式。进入20世纪90年代以后,由于主客观方面的原因导致其作用日益下降。"诉调对接",即人民法院与人民调解制度的有机结合,不失为完善人民调解制度,发挥其便捷、低廉、快速解纷功能的重要方法。     

虚拟价值链的理论与应用

本文详述了虚拟价值链的思想 ,并尝试构建出虚拟价值链的一般理论模型 ,从而解决了企业在信息时代的竞争中缺少战略指导的缺陷。通过论述虚拟价值链和传统价值链的关系 ,本文指出了虚拟价值链模型的适用范围 ,并提出了企业应用这一模型进行竞争的基本原则和方法。     

国家与公民的合意——论行政诉讼和解

行政法的传统学说因强调行政行为的公权性和不可处分性,强调行政诉讼不同于民事诉讼的特性,因而在行政诉讼中排斥国家与公民的合意,中国行政诉讼实定法明文规定“行政诉讼不适用调解”,但在域外,尤其是法治发达国家,行政诉讼和解则是通行的制度,行政诉讼中是存在合意的。文章辨析了“和解”与“调解”,分析了我国行政诉讼中和解的实际状况,着力论证了在我国行政诉讼中引入和解制度的可行性、必要性及必要的限制。