The Impact of Child‐Care Subsidies on Child Development: Evidence from Geographic Variation in the Distance to Social Service Agencies

In this paper, we examine the impact of U.S. child‐care subsidies on the cognitive and behavioral development of children in low‐income female‐headed families. We identify the effect of subsidy receipt by exploiting geographic variation in the distance that families must travel from home to reach the nearest social service agency that administers the subsidy application process. Using data from the Kindergarten cohort of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, our instrumental variables estimates suggest that children receiving subsidized child care in the year before kindergarten score lower on tests of cognitive ability and reveal more behavior problems throughout kindergarten. An auxiliary analysis of longer‐run outcomes shows that these negative effects largely disappear by the time children finish first grade.     

The Localism Act 2011: The Hollow Housing Law Revolution

In November 2011, the Localism Act was passed and, on one view, reflects the widest‐ranging reforms to housing law for over a half century. Ambitious in its stated aims, the legislation was trailed as representing a broad shift in power from central Whitehall to local communities and individuals. The article critically examines the central changes introduced by the 2011 Act as they pertain specifically to housing law in England, namely the new flexible tenancy regime, the changes to homelessness duties under Part VII of the Housing Act 1996 and the reforms concerning the allocation of social housing. The article interrogates the extent to which the reforms realise the stated localist agenda and highlights areas of difficulty in interpretation and application. It concludes that rather than bestowing greater power on local communities, the reforms to housing law will instead effect a perceptible reduction of power in the hands of local people.     

非洲冲突后重建：中国日益增长的作用

随着中非关系的快速发展,中国在非洲的利益正从促进向着保护的方向发展,这与非洲安全面临的挑战和国际体系转型的压力一道,呼吁着中国在非洲冲突后重建中发挥更大的作用。中国已通过派遣维和部队、提供冲突后重建投资及其他支持活动,为非洲冲突后重建作出了重要贡献。尽管如此,由于多重不确定性的存在,中国未来在非洲冲突后重建中的作用仍有待进一步观察。