La ñata contra el vidrio: urban violence and democratic governability in Argentina

The article argues that the increase in crime and urban violence in Argentina, especially in Buenos Aires, can be explained as an outcome of the interaction of four factors: the new social relations established by neoliberalism; the incapacity of the state to resolve the social conflicts which have arisen from these new social relations; the failure to democratise the security forces; and the exclusion of a sector of society from the rights of effective democratic citizenship. The increase in crime and urban violence is, thus, analysed as a problem of governability.     

WASH and Nutrition Synergies: The Case of Tunisia

This paper develops a simple econometric strategy to operationalise the United Nations Children’s Fund’s (UNICEF’s) conceptual framework for nutrition. It estimates the extent to which child stunting correlates with investments in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) across population groups (poor and nonpoor) and residence (urban and rural). Moving away from estimating single intervention marginal returns, the empirical framework of intervention packages is tested in Tunisia, a country with notable but uneven progress in reducing stunting. A successful nutritional strategy will thereby require mapping the distinctive intervention packages by residence and socio-economic status, away from universal policies, that more strongly correlate with reduction in stunting.     

A Purposive Interpretation of the National Minimum Wage Act

This article uses a purposive method of interpretation to suggest solutions to various questions raised in the application of the National Minimum Wage Act (NMWA). The article first considers the goals of minimum wage laws (and the NMWA in particular) by putting forward the justifications for such laws and addressing critiques. It is argued that the minimum wage is best understood as a mechanism for redistribution of resources and ensuring respect for the human dignity of workers. Building on this articulation of goals, the article then proceeds to consider which group of workers are included within the scope of the NMWA (interpreting terms such as 'worker', 'voluntary workers', apprentices and trainees); what are considered working hours for the purpose of the Act (focusing on cases of work/sleep combinations); and what constitutes part of the wage (focusing on tips, attendance allowances and deductions for accommodations).     

Horizontalité et gouvernance décentralisée: les conditions de collaboration dans le contexte de l'action communautaire

Sommaire: Cet article s'interroge sur les formes de gouvernance qui caractérisent le secteur communautaire en s'appuyant sur l'étude de deux cas de partenariats locaux initiés par l'organisme Québec en forme (QEF) dans les régions de l'Outaouais et de la Mauricie. La participation croissante des organismes communautaires à la prestation des services publics met en relief l'importance de la collaboration et du partenariat interorganisationnels dans le cadre d'une gouvernance plus horizontale. L'article présente certaines difficultés posées par la construction d'une telle gouvernance dans le secteur communautaire. Le poids des structures de pouvoir traditionnelles, de même que les innovations proposées dans la littérature sur la gouvernance et l'horizontalité (élargissement des partenariats, développement de nouveaux objectifs partagés, etc.), ont beaucoup de difficultéà prendre assise dans la pratique communautaire. Abstract: This article examines the forms of governance that characterize the community sector, referring to two case studies of local partnerships initiated by the group “Québec en forme” (QEF) in the Outaouais and Mauricie regions. The increasing participation of community organizations in the delivery of public services highlights the importance of cross‐jurisdictional cooperation and partnerships within the framework of a more horizontal governance. The article presents some of the challenges surrounding governance construction in the community sector. The weight of traditional power structures, as well as the innovations proposed in the literature on governance and the implementation of a horizontal approach (securing broader partnerships, developing new shared objectives, etc.), are not easily adopted in community practice.     

“There is no end to relationship among the indians”: Ojibwa Families and Kinship in Historical Perspective

This article presents an overview of the Ojibwa family over the past three centuries, from early European contacts to the present. It emphasizes the extent to which Ojibwa familial relations have long been embedded in extensive networks of kin that played major roles in the family lives of individuals of all ages. The article traces the effects of historical change on the Ojibwa family and examines continuity within Ojibwa kinship relations. The changes of the last century have taken a heavy toll on these relationships, yet, where they persist or are being revived, they are sources of strength and renewal.