Islamic political activism among Israel’s Negev Bedouin population

This paper examines Islamic political activism among the Bedouin Arab citizens of Israel who reside in the Negev/Naqab (southern Israel). It describes how a religious-political movement became the dominant political force among the non-Jewish communities of the Negev, in doing so, this paper explores the link between religious-political ideology, represented by the Islamic movement, and tribalism, the dominant social-cultural influence among this population. While this paper is a first cut at trying to understand these linkages, I suggest that Israeli Islamist political leaders have mobilized support in two interconnected ways. First, they have attracted support through dawa (religious education), social-welfare activities, and mobilizing symbols. Second, Islamic political activists have worked within and exploited one of the most salient features of Bedouin life, tribalism, by recruiting support from the lower-status, largely urbanized, and landless tribes. These activities have taken place within the broader context of a changing landscape of identity within these communities of the Negev.     

How organizations form R&D consortia

The research-and-development consortium is a promising means for pursuing development projects that are difficult to justify by the classical criterion of return on investment to the individual firm. New consortia are being formed in many generic and industrial technologies often with the encouragement and support of government. This paper outlines a seven-stage process by which new consortia are being formed and the six strategies that motivate firms to join consortia (pooling, acceleration, sharing, blocking, linking, and multi-path). Differences in the focus, means, and policy concerns of technology transfer are outlined for each stage and strategy.     

Sex differences, parental attachment, and juvenile delinquency

This study examined the relationship between parental attachment and delinquent behavior among adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18. 133 subjects completed self-report questionnaire packets, which included a demographic survey, an attachment inventory (assessing parental attachment and attachment to the father and mother separately), and a delinquency questionnaire. The relationship between sex, delinquency level, and attachment score was statistically tested using a multivariate analysis of variance. Results indicated a significant relationship between delinquency level and parental attachment, attachment to father, and attachment to mother, suggesting that the more attached adolescents are to their parents, the less delinquent they are. The effects of sex on attachment were not significant, nor were the effects of sex by delinquency on attachment. Mean attachment scores to the mother were not significantly higher than mean attachment scores to the father and females reported far less criminal activity, but more delinquent activity, than did males. Implications of the findings are discussed.     

Meeting the demand for skilled and experienced humanitarian workers

The humanitarian aid sector faces a growing skills shortage, at a time when it aspires to expand the scale, quality, and impact of its response to humanitarian needs. Rapid staff turnover has been identified as one of the major constraints on both staff capacity building and organisational learning. A study undertaken for Oxfam GB supports previous findings that traditional human-resource practices in the humanitarian field, with many staff employed on short-term contracts, have inhibited skills development and constrained programme and organisational learning.     

Milosevic on Trial

International Law is argued to have a “civilized” component, but viewing the actions of supposed “civilized” states, it is hard to agree. An example is the case of Slobodan Milosevic, the former head of Yugoslavia, who was put on trial (until his death in The Hague) for acts, which were in fact committed by many, including heads of state who are not subject to similar charges let alone trials. A close examination of the articles on which this purported international law rests reveals serious doubts about the legal basis for the trial, while agreeing that the acts of Milosevic might well have been morally reprehensible.Emeritus Distinguished Professor of International Law     

Non State-wide Parties in Spain: An Attitudinal Study of Nationalism and Regionalism

The contribution of regional parties to the development of thestate of the autonomies in democratic Spain is the focus ofthis article. One of the most important features of the transformedstate is non-statewide parties (NSWPs) that have emerged asa result of diversity and expressions of regionalism. The levelof electoral strength and institutional presence, attitudinalbases of their electoral support, and perceptions of the territorialspace and representation of NSWPs are analyzed.