Model of a social research function for social programming organizations

Abstract. A specific model of objectives, organization structure, and typical procedures of a social research branch cf a provincial government department is presented. The objectives refer to identification of needs, program evaluation, and program-planning assistance. The organization structure emphasizes the types of staff positions used and four organizational characteristics which appear to account for the success of the relationship between the branches of the department. Three general procedures are described as typical to a social research unit. It is concluded that the model can be integrated within a planning function, that it is limited, and that the research data and strategies have proved useful within and outside the department. Sommaire. Un modèle particulier est présenté concernant les objectifs, la structure d'organisation, et les procédures typiques à un service de recherche sociale d'un département d'un gouvernement provincial. Les objectifs se résument à l'identification des besoins, l'évaluation des programmes, et l'aide à la planification des programmes. Les points importants de la structure d'organisation sont les types de positions du personnel et quatres caractéristiques organisationnelles qui ont semblées ètre à I'erigine du succès de la relation entre les services du département. Treis procédures générales et typiques du service de recherche sociale sont décrites. Il est conch que le modèle peut faire partie d'un service de planification, que le modèle n'est pas toujours applicable, et que les données et les stratégies de recherche furent utiles au département de même qu'à d'autres organisations.     

A deadlier post-9/11 terrorism landscape for the USA abroad: a quasi-experimental study of backlash effects of terrorism prevention

Journal of Experimental Criminology - The United States initiated sweeping counterterrorism efforts after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. This study tests a backlash hypothesis as it...     

Epistemic Communities and Environmental Groups

This article contests the view that environmental groups act mainly as megaphones for scientists. It asserts that environmental groups have an independent, often dominant role, in shaping norms that govern environmental policy.
The theory of epistemic communities, as advanced by Haas, is analysed in the context of the whaling and CFC/ozone depletion issues. It is found that the alleged role of epistemic communities as legitimate bearers of truth has been exaggerated and that we need to develop environmental policy in a context of 'post positivism'.     

China’s silk road economic belt initiative in Central Asia: economic and security implications

Asia Europe Journal - The Silk Road Economic Belt (SREB) initiative, launched by Xi Jinping in 2013 as the Central Asian component of the Eurasian Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), is presented as a...     

从权利救济宪法保障论公益诉讼制度

在各国宪法上,都会规定权利救济基本权的保障,其作用是在于给予人民排除不法侵害权益,并维护享有完整实体权利的机会,借以实现有权利即有救济的宪法保障原则。就行政诉讼而言,原则上虽须主张其诉讼和其个人权利有关,人民或团体才可享有诉权,但是,立法者另外得以法律明文规定,准许人民或团体为维护公益,对无关自己权益的事项提起行政诉讼,此时人民或团体也可享有诉权。在此,我们看到宪法上保障的权利救济基本权,除了作为主观权利的功能建构外,仍然存在作为客观法的建构可能性。也就是说,公益诉讼是立法者为了落实权利救济基本权的宪法保障,所设计的一种客观的制度性保障,而可以作为权利救济基本权在客观法上的功能建构。因此,本论文即从自我实现作为基本权的本质出发,尝试探讨基本权作为主观权利与客观法的法特征及其功能,建构公益诉讼作为权利救济的制度性保障,并借助德国行政诉讼上的团体诉讼制度,以分析公益诉讼在制度设计上的根本困境。     

Thermal Imaging as a Lie Detection Tool at Airports

We tested the accuracy of thermal imaging as a lie detection tool in airport screening. Fifty-one passengers in an international airport departure hall told the truth or lied about their forthcoming trip in an interview. Their skin temperature was recorded via a thermal imaging camera. Liars’ skin temperature rose significantly during the interview, whereas truth tellers’ skin temperature remained constant. On the basis of these different patterns, 64% of truth tellers and 69% of liars were classified correctly. The interviewers made veracity judgements independently from the thermal recordings. The interviewers outperformed the thermal recordings and classified 72% of truth tellers and 77% of liars correctly. Accuracy rates based on the combination of thermal imaging scores and interviewers’ judgements were the same as accuracy rates based on interviewers’ judgements alone. Implications of the findings for the suitability of thermal imaging as a lie detection tool in airports are discussed.