‘Life is Not Simply Fact’: Aesthetics,Atmosphere and the Neoliberal University

The main objective of this article is to reflect on the way in which a certain neoliberal logic and rationality have become common-sense and to contemplate the possibility of a different aesthetic. The tone or mood of this piece draws on recent work on atmosphere, affect and complexity, which will be used to explore the theme of neoliberalism within the context of the university. In the course of this discussion, I will consider questions such as: how could a different aesthetic influence the university as public space; the curriculum and academic community and friendship? How could a different aesthetic respond to epistemic, ontological and, inherently tied to them, spatial injustice?     

HALT: early prevention and repression; recent developments and research

In this article an account is given of the Halt working method in the Netherlands, which is used by 63 Halt Bureaus and is directed at combating and preventing juvenile delinquency. This working method has been successful. Recent developments and experiments directed at further extending the effects of the Halt approach and executing an even earlier reaction to criminal behaviour are considered, and the results of recent research are discussed. Finally, the pros and cons of this method of early reaction are revealed, the conclusion being that the advantages and positive effects are great, and any possible disadvantages can be further offset.     

‘My Neighbour Drinks Clean Water,While I Continue To Suffer’: An Analysis of the Intra-Community Impacts of a Rural Water Supply Project in Mozambique

Rural water planners assume the positive impacts of community water projects are spread evenly across the population. We test this assumption by looking at the distribution of benefits within communities that received handpumps in rural Mozambique. Using survey and qualitative data we analyse the characteristics of those groups who benefited from the handpumps and also explore household decision-making processes. Handpump use was determined by distance, availability of other sources, perceptions of water quality, political affiliation, and wealth. We argue that the handpumps reinforced existing social divisions related to income and political affiliation and created new geographic divisions within communities.     

Luther gulick,public administration and classical management

The late Luther Gulick (1892-1993), often known as the dean of U.S. public administration, left behind him an enormous and wide-ranging literary corpus, but no single systematic work. This essay presents both a personal and an intellectual portrait of Gulick. The personal portrait is accomplished primarily through Gulick's own words derived from relevant published works, autobiographical fragments, and a series of interviews with the author. The intellectual portrait concentrates on a single stream. of thought--classical organization theory and design--and outlines the evolution of Gulick's thought through time, with comments here and there.     

A Case of Contested Cremains Analyzed Through Metric and Chemical Comparison

Since the 1980s, cremation has become the fastest growing area of the U.S. funeral industry. At the same time, the number of litigations against funeral homes and cremation facilities has increased. Forensic anthropologists are often asked to determine whether the contents of an urn are actually cremated bone, and to address questions regarding the identity of the remains. This study uses both metric and chemical analyses for resolving a case of contested cremains. A cremains weight of 2021.8 g was predicted based on the decedent's reported stature and weight. However, the urn contents weighed 4173.5 g. The urn contents also contained material inconsistent with cremains (e.g., moist sediment, stones, ferrous metal). Analysis using XRD and SEM demonstrated that the urn contained thermally altered bone as well as inorganic material consistent with glass fiber cement. Although forensically challenging, cremains cases such as this one can be resolved using a multidisciplinary approach.     

Stability and change in subjective quality of life of adolescents in secure residential care

Subjective quality of life (QoL) is an outcome measure often used in the field of psychiatry. While upcoming strength-based rehabilitation theories place strong emphasis on subjective QoL, it has hardly ever been investigated in adolescents with severe psychiatric problems who are admitted to secure residential care. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the stability and change of subjective QoL of adolescents with severe psychiatric problems. Additionally, the effect of discharge and re-entering society on subjective QoL was studied. In a four-wave longitudinal study, the subjective QoL of 172 male adolescents with severe psychiatric problems was examined. Five subjective QoL domains remained stable over time, while five other domains changed. A decrease in satisfaction with family relations and social participation was observed for discharged adolescents. These results warrant for continuing guidance of adolescents in order for them to positively adapt to a new life outside secure residential care.     

FHA: Recent History and Future Prospects

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) deserves considerable credit for helping support the housing market during the recent financial crisis by increasing its own market share. However, as the recovery continues, the FHA can gradually return to its “traditional” role as an insurer of low-down-payment home mortgages for low-to-moderate-income and first-time homebuyers. A major concern going forward is susceptibility to increased adverse selection if it continues in nontraditional markets. Indeed, the modest market share of the FHA going into the housing collapse was important both in limiting its losses and in allowing it to maintain the market when other traditional secondary market makers failed.