Democratizing security sector governance in West Africa: trends and challenges

While other regions of Africa have had their share of crises, the challenge of meeting numerous security threats has been particularly arduous in West Africa. Nevertheless, there are unmistakable signs that, through its collective regional integration instrument, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the sub-region is beginning to awaken fully to the need to tackle its security crisis. This article makes two interrelated arguments. First, although the creation of democratic spaces in democratizing states, or complete rebuilding of collapsed states, provides greater opportunities for security sector reform (SSR), the relationship between democratization and democratic governance of the security sector is less clear. Second, a combination of norm setting at the sub-regional level as well as activism in the non-governmental sector across the region is driving the move (even if slow and seemingly uncoordinated) toward improved governance, including in the security sector at the national level. However, the commitment of states to principles of good governance at the inter-governmental level does not naturally lead to corresponding change within the state. Therefore, there is a clear need to promote a security sector governance (SSG) agenda at both sub-regional and national levels in order to expand the space for meaningful SSR processes in West Africa.     

From AKP’s ‘Conservative Democracy’ to ‘Advanced Democracy’: Shifts and Challenges in the Debate on ‘Europe’

Abstract

Following the AKP’s victory in the 2002 general elections, ‘conservative democracy’ has emerged as a trademark in Turkish politics, focusing on cosmopolitanism and European integration. In the late 2000s, the party’s favourite notion was ‘advanced democracy’, this time underlining Turkey’s leadership claim in the region and displaying a more critical approach to ‘Europe’. In this paper, I aim to show how different narratives on ‘Europe’ emerged within the context of these empty signifiers. The paper claims that the difference in the two narratives on ‘Europe’ in two different periods does not point to a complete and fully fledged de-Europeanisation trend.     

4种固相颗粒吸附法提取滤纸血痕DNA效果的比较

目的探讨4种固相颗粒吸附法提取滤纸血痕样本DNA的效果。方法含有1μL静脉血的滤纸血痕180份,分为4组,每组45份。分别采用4种固相颗粒吸附法(DNAIQ~(TM)系统、D盾超敏DNA提取试剂盒、超高效硅珠纯化DNA提取试剂盒和常规的硅珠法)对上述样本进行DNA提取,对比各组DNA溶液的浓度及STR分型检验结果。结果 D盾超敏DNA提取试剂盒[(3.764±1.790)μg/mL]、超高效硅珠纯化DNA提取试剂盒(3.634±1.112)及常规硅珠法(3.350±1.250)提取到DNA溶液的浓度无统计学差异(P0.05),但均高于DNA IQ~(TM)系统(1.864±1.207)(P0.001);D盾超敏DNA提取试剂盒、超高效硅珠纯化DNA提取试剂盒及常规硅珠法样本图谱峰高大于DNA IQ~(TM)系统(P0.001),超高效硅珠纯化DNA提取试剂盒和常规硅珠法样本图谱峰高大于D盾超敏DNA提取试剂盒(P0.01)。结论 D盾超敏DNA提取试剂盒、超高效硅珠纯化DNA提取试剂盒及常规硅珠法对于滤纸血痕的DNA提取效率高于DNA IQ~(TM)系统;超高效硅珠纯化DNA提取试剂盒和常规硅珠提取到的DNA溶液可能具有更高的质量。     

历史地理学家:杨守敬--兼论与张之洞的交往

在清末民初的学术界,杨守敬堪称是一位经历不凡,成就突出的大学者。其在历史地理学等方面的独特造诣为张之洞所赏识,并因此而被罗致到张之幕府。杨守敬先后在张之洞创办的两湖书院、勤成学堂、存古学堂任职,为张之洞的文教事业做出了重大贡献。无论是生活上还是仕途上,张之洞都对杨守敬关爱有加、提携备至,这些都体现了杨、张二人深厚的情感和友谊。     

A New Chapter of China-US Sub-National Exchanges——First China-US Governors Forum Held in the U.S.

The first China-US Governors Forum, co-hosted by the CPAFFC and the US National Governors Association (NGA) was held at Salt Lake City, Utah, from July 13 to 16, 2011. The creation of the Forum, a follow-up of the important achievements of President Hu Jintao’s state visit to the U.S. last January, is not only considered conducive to the institutionalization and promoting the growing maturity of the bilateral relationship, but also has significance for the further development of a cooperative partnership.     

Simultaneous Homicide–Suicide: A Case Report of Double Drowning

Homicide–suicide is a tragic phenomenon which typically does not result in a criminal charge or trial. However, correct diagnosis and classification of homicide–suicide cases are important to determine the perpetrators and dynamics of each category properly. The deaths in the homicide–suicide acts can be divided into two categories with respect to the number of involved individuals: dyadic deaths and triple or multiple deaths. These two categories can also be divided into two subgroups according to the chronology of the incidents: simultaneous deaths and consecutive deaths. Herein, a simultaneous homicide–suicide case of a father and daughter where both deaths occurred through drowning which was not found in the selected literature review and where the victim was a child is presented. The article aims to clarify the term discrepancies about multiple death cases in the literature and to discuss the pathological and psychosocial characteristics of the simultaneous dyadic death cases.     

Gang Membership and Mental Health During the Transition to Adulthood

Journal of Quantitative Criminology - There is an increasing understanding that mental health may be a collateral consequence of joining a gang. The objective of the present study is to assess the...     

浅析警务实战中“控制技术”及其运用

“控制技术”是人民警察在执法活动中所必须掌握和使用的一项基本技术、技能。它所包含的内容主要有语言控制、武器戒备控制和肢体控制三种形式，它应归属于警务实战的应用学科，属于警务实战的技术技能范畴。     

尼龙植绒拭子与棉拭子血痕DNA分型效果比较

目的探讨尼龙植绒拭子与棉拭子血痕DNA分型检验的效果。方法取抗凝全血用去离子水倍量稀释2、4、8、16、32、64、128倍,各取1μL分别滴加于尼龙植绒拭子与棉拭子头部,干燥制成血痕,应用Chelex-100提取每个浓度两种材质拭子的血痕样本DNA,采用Identifiler Plus试剂盒进行复合扩增,3500XL型遗传分析仪进行检测,对比各组DNA分型检验成功率。结果 1检验成功率:稀释16~64倍尼龙植绒拭子血痕均明显高于相同稀释倍数的棉拭子血痕(P0.001);其余浓度血痕两种材质拭子的检验成功率无明显差异;2分型图谱峰高和均衡性:不同浓度尼龙植绒拭子血痕峰高多为棉拭子血痕的2倍以上,16~64倍稀释血痕尼龙植绒拭子均衡性更好。结论尼龙植绒血痕拭子的检验效果优于棉拭子血痕,在微量血痕检验时优势更明显。