Malawi and the transition and adherence to multi-party democracy

In July 1993 the author served as a chairman and rapporteur of the Round Table, which facilitated the transition of Malawi to a multi-party democracy. It helped to end the life presidency of the inaugural president, Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda. In February 1994 the author served as co-chair of the National Constitutional Conference that cleared the way on remaining differences and led to the first free elections that resulted in the election of President Bakali Maluzi. Despite occasional difficulties, Malawi has adhered to constitutionalism and repeatedly witnessed peaceful transitions of presidential power. The importance of neutral international facilitation of the transition is emphasised and described.     

Subjects with agency? Children’s participation in family law proceedings

Galvanised by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, many jurisdictions now recognise children’s rights to participate in decisions that affect them. While such legal rights have increased, research on family law proceedings shows how children’s views can still be undermined, ignored or not even sought in decisions about them. This article uses the academic resources of childhood studies, to consider dominant and alternative narratives of children’s participation within Scottish family law. Drawing upon reported case law and empirical research, the article concludes that children’s participation gains protection by being institutionalised but children’s participation is attenuated because it is not recognised as relational and contextual. As rationality, consistency and autonomy are privileged, the weight given to children’s views is lessened by concerns about children being manipulated or distressed. Courts and their decisions may be child-focused, centring on children’s welfare, but they are not child-inclusive, involving children in decision-making.     

The Relevance of Intention to Criminal Wrongdoing

In this paper, we defend the general thesis that intentions are relevant not only to moral permissibility and impermissibility, but also to criminal wrongdoing, as well as a specific version of the Doctrine of Double Effect that we believe can help solve some challenging puzzles in the criminal law. We begin by answering some recent arguments that marginalize or eliminate the role of intentions as components of criminal wrongdoing [e.g., Alexander and Ferzan (Crime and culpability: a theory of criminal law. Cambridge University Press, New York, 2009), Chiao (Crim Law Philos 4:37–55, 2010), Walen (Crim Law Philos 3:71–78, 2009)]. We then turn to some influential theories that articulate a direct role for intentions [e.g., Duff (Answering for crime: responsibility and liability in the criminal law. Hart Publishing, Portland, 2007), Husak (Crim Law Philos 3:51–70, 2009)]. While we endorse the commitment to such a role for intentions, we believe that extant theories have not yet been able to adequately address certain objections or solve certain puzzles, such as that some attempt convictions require criminal intent when the crime attempted, if successful, requires only foresight, and that some intended harms appear to be no more serious than non-intended ones of the same magnitude, for example. Drawing on a variety of resources, including the specific version of the Doctrine of Double Effect we have developed in recent published work, we present solutions to these puzzles, which in turn provide mutual support for our general approach to the role of intentions and for thinking that using others as means is itself a special kind of wrongdoing.     

论对抽象行政行为的司法监督

抽象行政行为是具体行政行为的直接依据。然而,理论界对它的法律监督问题不够。本力图从司法监督的角度分析对抽象行政行为司法监督的法理依据和现实需求,论述对抽象行政行为进行司法监督的可靠性,并认为实行司法监督的可行性途径是充实检察监督和完善审判监督。就此作提出了一些具体做法。     

关于将松北新区建成高能级发展科技创新城的调研报告

盖如垠书记到任哈尔滨后,提出了“北跃、南拓、中兴、强县”的发展战略构想,并经市委十二届七次全会丰富完善已成为哈尔滨未来发展的战略取向。通过学习市委全会精神,我们认为,这一战略构想符合哈尔滨的发展实际,十分及时地抓住了哈尔滨发展的关键和主轴,是哈尔滨经济社会实现跨越式发展的重要抉择。近期,我们班的全体学员对实施“北跃”战略——将松北新区打造成具有高能级发展功能的科技创新城问题进行了调研和思考,形成了此报告,供市委决策参考。     

《行政许可法》的实施对县级行政体制改革的影响

行政许可法的实施 ,对于推动县级行政体制改革将产生积极的影响。取消县级政府对行政许可的设定权 ,有助于促进政府管理到位 ,理顺政府部门之间的关系。     

企业改制必须善待职工--对江苏省原市直化工企业保障职工权益情况的调查

尊重和保障职工权益是衡量企业改制中公平与效率、衡量企业改制成败的基本因素,也是建设和谐社会的根本要求.根据调查,本系统改制企业保障职工权益的现象喜忧参半、不容忽视,保障职工权益的工作任重而道远.     

工会会员发展工作亟待突破的领域--关于公有制企业、事业单位进城务工人员加入工会情况的调查

在公有制企事业单位从业的进城务工人员加入工会组织问题,由于受经济关系、利益关系、劳动关系、会籍关系等因素的影响,一直未能很好地解决.必须突破工运理论、劳动经济理论及用工制度的束缚,创新工会组织形式,最广泛、最大限度地把他们组织到工会组织中来,使之成为提高工会组建率和职工入会率新的增长点,从整体上推进全国工会组建和会员发展工作.     

关于流动型务工人员加入工会的思考

随着企事业单位劳动人事制度改革的深入,流动型务工人员已经成为社会主义现代化建设的重要力量。及时吸收他们加入工会组织,有效地保护他们的合法权益,充分凋动他们的劳动热情和积极性,是工会组织义不容辞的责任。吸收流动型务工人员入会要从转变观念、建立必要的规章制度做起,同时要在全社会形成共识,尽快建立起与之相适应的协调机制。