To Our Benefit or at Your Expense? Justice Considerations in Intergroup Allocations of Positive and Negative Resources

Several studies consistently demonstrated a positive-negative asymmetry in social discrimination. In line with classical minimal group experiments, laboratory groups favored their in-group when allocating positive resources or evaluating positive dimensions. However, they refrained from discriminating behavior as soon as negative resources had to be distributed between groups. We propose that this is due to valence-specific differences in the consideration and perception of social justice. Several studies tested whether social norms inhibiting in-group favoritism and out-group derogation are differently interpreted or weighed due to the valence of resources. Consequently, a survey of these studies is given and their implications for classical theories on intergroup behavior and future research on social discrimination are discussed.     

GSR2005—Continuity of the ENFSI Proficiency Test on Identification of GSR by SEM/EDX

Abstract:  Within the framework of the ENFSI Expert Working Group "Firearms" a proficiency test on the detection and identification of GSR by energy-dispersive scanning electron microanalysis (SEM/EDX) is carried out in a 2 years term. The latest test was performed in 2005/2006 and was denoted as GSR2005 . Seventy-five laboratories from 28 countries participated in this proficiency test and submitted in total 83 independent data-sets. The participating laboratories were requested to determine the total number of PbSbBa containing particles on a synthetic test sample following their own laboratory specific methods of automated GSR particle search and detection by SEM/EDX. Furthermore size and position of the detected particles had to be reported by the laboratories and were evaluated statistically. The results were compiled by means of z -scores according to the IUPAC and EURACHEM guidelines—assessing individual laboratory achievements (inter-laboratory) as well as intra-laboratory performance—and were compared to the results of the previous proficiency test run GSR2003 ( 1 ). The comparison shows that there is a noticeable improvement in the method's detection capability.     

Bericht über die 32. Fachtagung der Gesellschaft für Umweltrecht

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Macroscopical estimation of the post mortem interval (PMI) and exclusion of the forensically relevant resting period--a comparison of data presented in the literature with recent osteological findings

The aim of the present study was to determine to what extent macroscopical parameters mentioned in the literature are suitable for the estimation of the post mortem interval (PMI) and particularly for the exclusion of the forensically relevant resting period for recent bone material. The macroscopical examination of recent bone material with a known PMI showed that only one published parameter (relics of adipocere in the cross section of the compacta) was consistent with our findings for this particular resting period (27-28 years). Other macroscopical parameters presented in the literature were contradictory to the results observed in this study. Among those are the rigidity of bones, the adhesion of soft tissue, the filling of the marrow cavity, and the permeation of the epiphyses with adipocere. Concerning the exclusion of the forensically relevant resting period, a similar result was observed. This study identified some diagnostic findings in bones with a resting period of less than 50 years which according to the literature should only be present after a resting period of more than 50 years. These features included the lack of macroscopical traces of adipocere, degradation of the compacta surface, detachment of the cortical substance, the ability of bone to be broken with bare hands, and superficial usures. Moreover, in one-third of our cases we identified some intra-individual differences not previously described in the literature. In addition to the other results, those intra-individual differences make an estimation of the PMI more difficult. However it should be noted that those published parameters were collected from bone material which was stored in a "relatively arid sand-grit-clay soil of the broken stone layer of Munich". The bones in the present study were stored in acidic and clayey-loamy soil, partly with lateral water flow. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that one should use caution estimating the post mortem interval and excluding the forensically relevant resting period, even when all available results are considered.     

Rechtsschutz durch Verbandsklage

Umweltrechtliche Verbandsklagen werden nach wie vor als Fremdkörper im deutschen Verwaltungsrecht angesehen. Dies spiegelt sich in restriktiven Zulässigkeitsanforderungen und in einer beschränkten gerichtlichen Kontrolldichte wider. Durch aktuelle Entwicklungen des EG-Rechts wird der systembedingte Ausnahmecharakter deutscher Verbandsklagen in Frage gestellt: Die gemeinschaftsrechtliche Umsetzung der Aarhus-Konvention hat unter anderem zur Verankerung von Verbandsklagerechten in der UVP- und IVURichtlinie geführt, deren nationaler Umsetzungsbedarf nicht durch die im Bundes- und Landesnaturschutzrecht vorhandenen Verbandsklagen gedeckt wird. Neben Einzelanpassungen geht mit den europarechtlichen Anforderungen ein Funktionswandel umweltrechtlicher Verbandsklagen einher: Außer ihrer bisherigen materiellen umweltschützenden Zielrichtung erfüllen sie zukünftig auch eine Kontrollfunktion im Hinblick auf demokratische Beteiligungsrechte. Diese interessenbezogene und partizipatorische Doppelnatur altruistischer Verbandsklagen sowie systembedingte deutsche Inkohärenzen lassen eine Gesamtanpassung deutscher Verbandsklagen auf dem Niveau des Gemeinschaftsrechts sachgerecht erscheinen. Eine solche Ausweitung überindividuellen Rechtsschutzes muss nicht zu einer verfassungsrechtlich unzulässigen Einschränkung des Individualrechtsschutzes führen. Um den Ausnahmecharakter umweltrechtlicher Verbandsklagen im deutschen Individualrechtsschutzsystem aufzuzeigen, wird der Beitrag zunächst ihre gesetzlichen Voraussetzungen und ihre gerichtliche Prüfdichte analysieren (A), um anschließend den durch die europarechtlichen Vorgaben erforderlichen Umsetzungsbedarf aufzuzeigen (B). Der mit der gemeinschaftsrechtlichen Anpassung einhergehende Funktionswandel umweltrechtlicher Verbandsklagen (C) leitet über zu der Frage einer Fortentwicklung des umweltbezogenen Rechtsschutzsystems auf dem Niveau des Europarechts (D). Die hiergegen bestehenden verfassungsrechtlichen Einwände werden sodann diskutiert (E). Abschließend wird u. a. aufgrund der fortschreitenden Ausdehnung überindividueller Klagerechte in anderen Rechtsgebieten die Entwicklung eines Gesamtkonzepts überindividuellen Rechtsschutzes vorgeschlagen (F). * Die Verfasserin ist wissenschaftliche Assistentin am Lehrstuhl für Öffentliches Recht unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Verwaltungsrechts an der Juristischen Fakultät der Universität Rostock. Der Beitrag beruht auf einem Vortrag, den die Autorin auf dem Rostocker Umweltrechtstag 2004: Effektiver Rechtsschutz im Umweltrecht? Stand, aktuelle Entwicklungen, Perspektiven gehalten hat und der im gleichlautenden Tagungsband in der Schriftenreihe des Ostseeinstituts für Seerecht und Umweltrecht erscheinen wird.     

Democratic 'Misfit'? Conceptions of Civil Society Participation in France and the European Union

The European Union's attempts to improve its democratic character increasingly often lead to debates about how to include civil society organizations in its decision-making processes. However, this interpretation of participatory democracy seems at odds with democratic traditions in a number of member states. Among those, France is said to be at the diametrically opposite end of the EU democratization debate spectrum. French democratic thought is based on government through electoral representation. The aim of this article is to analyze both theoretically and empirically the discourse and participatory processes in both the EU and France. While normative approaches to democratic patterns in the EU and French political debate show important differences, empirical evidence suggests that the misfit between the European and French conception of democracy is less developed than one might believe.     

Are there “women’s crops”? A new tool for gender and agriculture

A “Gender Control Tool” was developed to measure women’s control over decision-making for agricultural production, sales, and use of income. The tool was tested for groundnuts in Eastern Province, Zambia, where mechanisation has increased male participation in groundnut shelling, and for goats in Gwanda district, Zimbabwe, where the introduction of auctions has increased investment and sales. A mixed methods approach was used, that involved focus group discussions (FGDs) and a quantitative household survey. This article compares the results obtained from these two methods and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the tool in understanding how commercialisation affects women’s control.