Understanding the last tsar

Ferro, Nicholas, Nicholas II: The Last of the Tsars. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993, 305 pp.

Lieven, Dominic, Nicholas II: Emperor of all the Russias. London: John Murray, 1993, 292 pp.

Radzinsky, Edvard, The Last Tsar: The Life and Death of Nicholas II New York: Doubleday, 1992, 462 pp.

Verner, Andrew, The Crisis of Russian Autocracy: Nicholas II and the 1905 Revolution. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1990, 372 pp.     

Understanding the Crisis in Sudan

Instances of discontent within colonial military establishments in Africa have largely been ignored by historians of colonial Africa. The heavy focus on the incidence of coups in the historiography has helped to obscure the privations suffered by African soldiers in colonial armies. Using the Sierra Leone experience, this study draws on hitherto untapped archival material to examine the complex causes of the “Gunners' Mutiny” of January 1939. While showing that the causes of mutinies could be significantly nuanced, the study helps to bridge a vital gap in Sierra Leone's history.     

国外青少年破坏行为研究概况

本文对国外有关青少年破坏行为的研究作简要回顾,着重对青少年破坏行为的分类、原因及相关影响因素作了较系统的阐述和总结。     

理解未成年人检察制度

作为少年司法制度的重要组成部分，我国未成年人检察制度远远还没有完善到只需墨守成规的时候，当前，必须加快未成年人检察制度的探索与改革。可喜的是，最高人民检察院在《关于进一步深化检察改革的三年实施意见》（2005年9月）中规定“在检察机关实行未成年人犯罪案件专人负责制，有条件的地方逐步设立办理未成年人犯罪案件工作机构”，对未成年人检察改革作出了重要的规划。最高人民检察院新修订的《办理未成年人刑事案件的规定》则将我国的未成年人检察制度建设推向了一个新的历史水平。     

A tough act to follow: traumatic executive departure and the post-transformational context

After turning their organizations around, transformational leaders often move on, taking new roles outside or even within the organization. Sometimes these changes occur in abrupt and traumatic circumstances, raising an important question: what is the impact on an organization when the transformational leader suddenly exits? This article examines the factors that shape the “post-transformational context” facing the successor to a transformational figure. These factors are seen to affect the organization's identity and followers' commitment to it. A framework and research propositions are presented, focusing on: antecedent conditions in the organization; the nature of the leader's departure; the emotional responses characterizing such situations; and the effects on organizational systems. These dynamics are examined in an illustrative case, and suggestions are made for further research.     

Recrganizing fiscal assistance for criminal justice the justice system improvement act of 1979

Although reorganizing the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration had been repeatedly proposed in the past seven years, it was not until January 29,1979 that Senator Edward Kenndy (D-Mass.) introduced the "Justice System Improvement Act" designed to do just that. An examination of this bill, and a comparison of the present LEAA structure and function with that proposed in the Act illustrates that the legislation will serve to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of criminal justice fiscal assistance pro- grams. The suggested course is to separate the research and statistics components from purely assistance functions and giving LEAA the latter responsibility on an exclusive basis. Research and Statistics would be housed in their own individual organizational structures, but within the perview of the Department of Justice.

Two shortcomings, however, could serve to defeat the proposed bill. Although the legislation gives priority to fiscal assistance to state/local jurisdictions, there is no corresponding increase in financial commitment on the part of the Federal Government. In fact, the FY 1980 budget allocates LEAA its lowest funding level since 1972. At a time of growing concern over crime rates, this would certainly serve to soften the impact of the reorganization effort. In addition, maintaining the research function within the,Department of Justice could well prove prejudi- cial to research findings. The recommended course of action is to adopt the proposal which calls for an indepen-dent "National Institute of Justice, to be organized along similar lines as the National Science Foundation.     

North Korean leadership: Kim Jong Il's balancing act in the ruling circle

The unexpected durability of North Korea, the world's last unreformed Stalinist polity, is attributable to Kim Jong Il's prudent balancing act between political forces. His balancing act, which is embodied in inclusive politics, honour-power sharing arrangements, and divide-and-rule tactics, has turned out to be effective in clearing away potential cleavages built into the ruling circle and thus in concluding the prolonged succession plan. As long as the balancing act continues to work, the dynasty, albeit defective, could survive in adversity for a longer period than expected. However, once the delicate balance artificially designed by Kim Jong Il is broken down for any reason, Pyongyang's power circle will slip into a centrifugal spiral, followed by internecine power struggles and the collapse of the regime.