Analysis of the Federal District’s Legislative Chamber in the Information Age

The study investigates the satisfaction with the work of the parliament of Brazilian Federal District. The survey was based on the competencies extracted from the institutional mission and targeted citizens who frequently use social networks. Inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. The results showed a great unsatisfaction about the institution. The most satisfied respondents are the less educated, while the most educated, older, and highest income respondents are the most unsatisfied. The results also highlighted the low interaction between respondents and the Chamber, the absence of an effective official communication channel, and actions associated with sustainable economic development will be more effective in increasing satisfaction.     

Critical social media information flows: political trust and protest behaviour among Kazakhstani college students

ABSTRACT

In political regimes where traditional mass media are under state control, social networking sites may be the only place where citizens are exposed to and exchange dissident information. Despite all the attempts, complete control of social media seems to be implausible. We argue that the critical information that people see, read and share online undermines their trust in political institutions. This diminishing trust may threaten the legitimacy of the ruling regime and stimulate protest behaviour. We rely on original survey data of Kazakhstani college students to confirm these expectations. The data are unique in that they directly measure exposure to critical/dissident information, as opposed to simply assuming it. The analysis leverages Coarsened Exact Matching to simulate experimental conditions. This allows us to better identify the consequential mechanism and the attitudinal precursor by which social media influence protest in an authoritarian context.     

Low-income preschoolers' behavior with anatomically detailed dolls

The present study examined nonabused children's responses to anatomically detailed (AD) dolls among diverse populations. Thirty six low-income, predominantly African-American preschoolers from a Head Start center participated in an AD interview. Interviews were videotaped and coded for the presence of eight behaviors and eight parallel verbalizations. Results indicated that the children spent the majority of the interview without engaging in any behaviors which are often associated with sexual abuse. Sexual interaction between the dolls was seldom demonstrated, particularly when compared to exploration of the dolls' genitalia. Some differences were noted in the way low-income, predominantly African-American preschoolers responded to the dolls, when contrasted with the results of studies using predominantly middle-income, White preschoolers. The need for the consideration of environmental factors in interpreting children's responses to AD dolls is discussed.     

Zur Rechtmäßigkeit der Zwangsvereinigung in Jagdgenossenschaften

Eigentümer von land-, forst oder fischereiwirtschaftlich nutzbaren Grundflächen unterhalb der Mindestgröße eines Eigenjagdgebietes werden in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland in Jagdgenossenschaften vereinigt. Die Grundstücke der Mitglieder einer Jagdgenossenschaft bilden einen gemeinschaftlichen Jagdbezirk, der meist durch Verpachtung genutzt wird. Nicht wenige Grundstückseigentümer lehnen jedoch die Jagd auf ihrem Grund und Boden sowie die Zwangsmitgliedschaft in einer Jagdgenossenschaft ab. Die Thematik wird im Folgenden aus dem Blickwinkel der Erwägungen des Europäischen Gerichtshofs für Menschenrechte (EGMR) im Urteil vom 29. 4. 1999 ¹ im Fall Chassagnou und andere gegen die Republik Frankreich erörtert. Während der Luxemburger Verwaltungshof ² eine Zwangsvereinigung in Jagdsyndikaten im Hinblick auf die Entscheidung des EGMR für unzulässig erklärte, urteilte das OVG Koblenz ³ abschlägig über die Klage eines die Jagd ablehnenden Grundstückseigentümers, der die Feststellung begehrte, nicht Mitglied in einer Jagdgenossenschaft zu sein. 1) EGMR (Große Kammer), Urt. v. 29. 4. 1999—25088/94; 28331/95; 28443/95, NJW 1999, 3695.2) Tribunal administratif du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg, Urt. v. 13.7. 2004.3) OVG Koblenz, Urt. v. 13. 7. 2004—8 A 10216/04.     

The Legal Discourse of the Common Law: A Game of Chess

English law, like any otherspecialized topic, needs a particular languagefor its understanding. The legal discourse ofthe common law gathers a set of theoretical andcustomary mechanisms subject to internal orexternal intrusions into its directions foruse. Two ideas are highlighted: the rigidity ofthe overall regulating structure of the law,and the use of `fuzzy sets' to provideflexibility to legal discourse. This unsteadyor fuzzy discourse production proves thislanguage to be the result of a long and complexhistorical process of socialisation. Theseinteractions of reference and of wordinglegitimate a mode of precise and technicalinstitutional stratification, combining bothconstruction and argumentation.     

Special report on health care delivery systems. Trends in the integrated delivery of health care and the corporate practice of medicine

The prospects for federal legislation preempting state corporate practice restrictions are unclear. The health care reform bill originally introduced by President Clinton contained a provision that would have preempted "any state law related to the corporate practice of medicine" insofar as it applied to the arrangements between non-fee-for-service health plans and their participating providers. H.R. 3600/S. 1757, 103d Cong., 1st Sess. 1407(b) (1993). Whether and in what form a preemption provision may survive the legislative process and see a Presidential signature remains to be seen. The particular fate of the federal legislation notwithstanding, however, health care executives can nevertheless remain confident that the legal treatment of the "corporate practice" of medicine will continue to be of vital concern as the various forms of health care organizations evolve in the ongoing struggle to deliver quality medicine at affordable prices.