Forensic typing of autosomal SNPs with a 29 SNP-multiplex—Results of a collaborative EDNAP exercise

We report the results of an inter-laboratory exercise on typing of autosomal single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) for forensic genetic investigations in crime cases. The European DNA Profiling Group (EDNAP), a working group under the International Society for Forensic Genetics (ISFG), organised the exercise. A total of 11 European and one US forensic genetic laboratories tested a subset of a 52 SNP-multiplex PCR kit developed by the SNPforID consortium. The 52 SNP-multiplex kit amplifies 52 DNA fragments with 52 autosomal SNP loci in one multiplex PCR. The 52 SNPs are detected in two separate single base extension (SBE) multiplex reactions with 29 and 23 SNPs, respectively, using SNaPshot kit, capillary electrophoresis and multicolour fluorescence detection. For practical reasons, only the 29 SBE multiplex reaction was carried out by the participating laboratories. A total of 11 bloodstains on FTA cards including a sample of poor quality and a negative control were sent to the laboratories together with the essential reagents for the initial multiplex PCR and the multiplex SBE reaction. The total SNP locus dropout rate was 2.8% and more than 50% of the dropouts were observed with the poor quality sample. The overall rate of discrepant SNP allele assignments was 2.0%. Two laboratories reported 60% of all the discrepancies. Two laboratories reported all 29 SNP alleles in all 10 positive samples correctly. The results of the collaborative exercise were surprisingly good and demonstrate that SNP typing with SBE, capillary electrophoresis and multicolour detection methods can be developed for forensic genetics.     

In search of interactive globalisation: Critical criminology in South Africa's transition

Maureen Cain (2000) identifies orientalism and occidentalism as features of much criminological writing on ``non–western' societies. As alternatives to these opposite but complimentary tendencies, she argues for the possibility of mutual and reciprocal learning under conditions of interactive globalisation. The purpose of this article is to look for evidence of orientalism, occidentalism and interactive globalisation in the exchange of critical criminological ideas between North and South during the period of South Africa's transition to democracy. The discussion focuses on two bodoes of critical criminological work –– left realism and nodal governance theory –– and traces their development–in–use both as examples of criminological theorising and attempts to reshape the practice of policing. traces of orientalism and occidentalism are detected in the evolution of critical criminology in South Africa over the last 25 years, but it is argued that the exchange of criminological ideas has been far from unidirectional and can indeed be characterised as a continuing process of interactive globalisation.     

British policy towards Northern Ireland 1969–2000: continuity, tactical adjustment and consistent 'inconsistencies'

This article argues that British power in Northern Ireland has been subject to considerable constraints throughout the conflict and its policy has been marked more by continuity than is usually acknowledged. The survival of bipartisanship is an indication that such constraints affect governments of both major parties and result in a tendency towards continuity in government policy between the parties. There have been changes and short-term shifts in policy, or 'tactical adjustments', but the trajectory of British policy has been relatively consistent since at least 1972. Since the collapse of the Sunningdale Agreement in 1974, the thrust of British policy towards Northern Ireland has been directed at reconstructing that settlement. The continuity of British policy is also apparent in the consistency of its apparent 'inconsistencies and contradictions'. These 'contradictions' arise, first, out of the recognition of Northern Ireland's exceptional position in British politics and, secondly, out of the perceived requirements of the 'propaganda war' that has been waged over the conflict.     

Efficiency and legitimacy in collaborative public management: Mapping inter-local agreements in England using social network analysis

English councils have long aspired to be ‘self-sufficient’, providing services within single jurisdictions with limited inter-local collaboration. However, by 2017 almost all local councils (97 per cent) participated in one or more frontline or back-office ‘shared service’ involving 338 distinct partnerships. We analyse this new-found enthusiasm for inter-council collaboration by performing exploratory social network analysis on organizational and financial data for all 353 English councils. We examine factors predicting collaboration and the characteristics of the service networks that result, focusing on resource, organizational and political considerations. Propensity to collaborate was found to be unpredictable, but partner choice was rational, driven by geographical proximity and similarity in organizational and resource characteristics. We argue that, according to the institutional theory of organizations, both efficiency and legitimacy influenced these reform choices, and the risks of fashionable collaboration were mitigated by careful partner selection. We highlight implications for future quantitative research into symbolic (non-instrumental) forms of collaboration.     

Four women,for women: Caribbean diaspora artists reimag(in)ing the fine art canon

ABSTRACT

This article examines changing representations of women of colour within the realm of the visual arts and considers the aesthetic qualities, historical significance and cultural impacts of a diverse body of image-making spanning several centuries. The research focuses on selected works from the portfolios of the following four, early to midcareer artists of Caribbean heritage, whose nuanced depictions of black and brown womanhood in the twenty-first century have achieved international acclaim: American interdisciplinary artist Aisha Tandiwe Bell; American collagist Andrea Chung; French figurative painter Elizabeth Colomba; Danish photographer, video artist and performance installationist Jeannette Ehlers. The complex diasporic identities and imagery reflected in the oeuvres of these four contemporary artists are contrasted with fine art from earlier eras. The compositional, technical and social modalities of a number of notable works are assessed to determine why some have become celebrated images within the international canon and others have been deemed problematic.