Credit Availability and Internal Migration: Evidence from Thailand

This study investigates the relationship between borrowing and internal migration. Exploiting the micro-finance scheme Village Fund in Thailand, it investigates the short- and medium-term effects of borrowing since the policy’s introduction. Employing an instrumental variables approach, borrowing is instrumented using the inverse number of households per village at the beginning of the policy to capture potential credit availability. The findings suggest that internal migration in Thailand is not credit constrained and its interaction with credit is time-related. Borrowing reduces internal migration in the medium-term, but is found not to affect migration when the policy is first introduced.     

Unanticipated capital flows and the Mexican economy: An empirical investigation

This research explores the differential impact of unanticipated and anticipated foreign capital flows on Mexico's economy for the period 1965–85. If unanticipated flows cause appreciation of the real exchange rate and do not affect domestic expenditure, one can assume that the country's foreign exchange constraint is not binding. Based on empirical evidence, this hypothesis can be rejected. The implication is that Mexico's problems probably do not stem from overborrowing. Anticipated capital flows do affect private spending, but a negative coefficient suggests that the private sector has borne the brunt of post‐crisis adjustment. The results show that the Mexican government has dominated the expenditure of foreign loans throughout the period.     

Magic Mayors: Predicting Electoral Success from Candidates' Physical Attractiveness under the Conditions of a Presidential Electoral System

A range of empirical studies has shown that candidates' physical attractiveness can substantially influence the outcome of political elections. This applies to different countries, different electoral systems, and different levels of political systems, and equally affects simple direct or list candidates and front-runners. However, no previous investigation using actual election results has been made into whether candidates' attractiveness also has an effect under the conditions of a presidential electoral system. Theoretical reasons can be formulated that suggest attractiveness is ineffective under these circumstances. In order to clarify this point empirically, we analysed the 2009 North Rhine-Westphalia mayoral elections. Yet the results of the analyses clearly show that candidates' attractiveness has a substantial influence. Taking into account earlier findings, the influence of physical attractiveness in political elections appears to be resistant, to a large degree, to varying constraints.     

Book reviews

Social Policy Research, Martin Bulmer (ed.), London, Macmillan, 1978, pp. 373, £5.95.

Making Budgets, James N. Danziger, Sage Publications, 1978, pp. 255, £8.50 cloth edition and £4.25 paperback.

Universality, Selectivity and Effectiveness in Social Policy, Bleddyn Davies (in association with Mike Reddin), Heinemann, London, 1978, pp. viii &; 264, £9.50.

Implementation in a Bureaucracy, Control in a Bureaucracy, Andrew Dunsire, Oxford, Martin Robertson, 1978, pp. Vol.1260, Vol. II 263, £15 each.

Planning the Social Services, N. Falk and J. Lee, Saxon House, Farnborough, 1978, pp. x &; 113, £7.50.

Policy Analysis: A Political and Organisational Perspective, W. I. Jenkins, London, Martin Robertson, 1978, pp. 278, £8.95.

Interactions and Interventions in Organizations, Iain L. Mangham, John Wiley &; Sons, 1978, pp. 150, price not known.     

Quality of Maternal Parenting among Intimate-Partner Violence Victims Involved with the Child Welfare System

Children are overrepresented in households with intimate-partner violence (IPV), and many suffer the double burden of being the subject of maltreatment and bearing the consequences of abuse to their mothers. Despite this situation, little information exists concerning parenting by women who have been abused by an intimate partner. We examine the relationship between women’s experiences with IPV and the quality of maternal parenting using data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being. The sample consisted of 1,943 female caregivers of children younger than 10 years investigated for child maltreatment. Women who had experienced IPV in the past but were no longer victims of IPV had significantly better parenting scores than women who were currently experiencing IPV, when other risk factors were controlled. This study adds to the evidence that IPV does not necessarily impair maternal parenting. Women abused by an intimate partner deserve a thorough assessment of what services they need: parenting services should be offered as warranted on a case-by-case evaluation of the particular woman’s parenting skills.     

Bootlegging: A career caught between fantasy and reality*

This essay considers the seemingly opposing stances of basic knowledge‐building and policy‐driven research. It does so by reviewing the author's involvement in a series of criminological activities on both sides of the issue. He prefers to pose as a knowledge builder, but he admits to seduction by policy concerns.