Questions of gender in a multicultural society

The relationship between multiculturalism and feminism has been hotly debated both theoretically and politically. This article approaches the issue through a critical assessment of Susan Moller Okins article, "Is multiculturalism bad for women?" (1999) and argues that some forms of feminist critique of multiculturalism run the risk of upholding and strengthening monoculturalism in its most excluding form. Norwegian integration politics are critically evaluated in light of this discussion.     

Injuries due to deliberate violence in areas of Denmark. I. The extent of violence

As part of a transcultural investigation of violent behavior in Denmark and South America an analysis was made during a one year period of the incidents involving deliberate violence as registered at 3 Danish emergency wards, and at the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Copenhagen. In the three emergency wards a total of 1316 victims of deliberate violence were observed corresponding to a rate of about 3.3/1000 per year in a provincial/rural district, the catchment region of Holbaek County Hospital, 5.5/1000 per year in a mainly middle income area of the metropolis Copenhagen, the catchment region of Frederiksberg Hospital, and 7.6/1000 per year in a mainly low income area of Copenhagen, the catchment region of the Rigshospital. The highest risk, 28/1000 per year, was found for young men between 15 and 19 years of age living in the low income area of Copenhagen. The risk was low for people greater than or equal to 60 years of age in all three areas investigated, ranging from 0 (men) to 1.3/1000 per year (women). Skilled and unskilled workers were greatly over represented as victims of violence, considering their share of the background population. Seventy percent of the victims were men. At least 44% of the men and 32% of the women were alcohol intoxicated when arriving in the emergency ward. The incidents took place in restaurants or in the vicinity of restaurants for 30% of the male and 11% of female victims respectively, while 45% of the women had been subject to deliberate violence at home. The rate of fatal cases of deliberate violence in the Eastern part of Denmark, the catchment area for the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Copenhagen, was found to be 0.02/1000 per year. The risk of becoming a victim of deliberate violence has not increased during the last 4 years comparing with similar investigations from other parts of Denmark. However, the rate of homicide seems to have increased, and so has the severity of the injuries caused by deliberate violence. The pattern of deliberate violence appears to be associated with socio-economic and cultural factors, and to be closely linked with alcohol intoxication.     

Factionalism and secession in North Sulawesi Province,Indonesia

This article begins with an analysis of the national programme of economic decentralisation and regional autonomy that was introduced in Indonesia in 2001. It discusses the impact of decentralisation in North Sulawesi Province by examining the changes in its ethnic and religious composition during 1998–2001 and the consequences of these changes. Unlike other provinces in Indonesia, North Sulawesi has not experienced any ethnic and religious conflict as it is dominated by Christians and protected from attacks by Muslim organisations by four Christian militias. However, the decentralisation programme has strengthened the regencies at the expense of the provinces and can result in a third generation of conflicts in Indonesia between the provincial governments and the regencies, and between the regencies themselves.     

SNAKE CONFLICT-MITIGATION IN INDIA: THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE IRULA TRIBE

Nearly 46,000 people die from snakebite in India every year, so there is a real need for effective mitigating action. This depends on an understanding of snake behaviour in which the Irula excel. They are a traditional snake catching tribe and with the benefit of their knowledge it was possible to draw up a list of measures which could be taken to minimise contacts between snakes and humans.     

Book reviews

Consuming Public Services, Nicholas Deakin and Anthony Wright (eds), 1990, pp. ix + 222, Routledge, £30.00.

Managing under Pressure: Industrial Relations in Local Government, Martin Laffin, 1989, pp. 207, Macmillan, £30.00 hardback, £8.95 paperback.

Targeting Urban Employment Initiatives, Ivan Turok and Urlan Wannop, Department of the Environment (Inner Cities Directorate), HMSO, 1990, £8.50.

Tourism and the Inner City: An Evaluation of the Impact of Grant Assisted Tourism Projects, Polytechnic of Central London, Leisureworks and DRV Research, Department of the Environment (Inner Cities Directorate), HMSO, 1990, £15.50.

Five Year Review of the Bolton, Middlesbrough and Nottingham Programme Authorities, PEIDA Ltd, Department of the Environment (Inner Cities Directorate), HMSO, 1990, £16.50.

Getting People into Jobs: Good Practice in Urban Regeneration, Keith Hayton, Department of the Environment, (Inner Cities Directorate) HMSO, 1990, £13.00.

US Experience in Evaluating Urban Regeneration: Reviews of Urban Research, Tim Barnekov, Douglas Hart and Wilhelm Benfer, Department of the Environment (Inner Cities Directorate), HMSO, 1990, £7.70.

American Development Control: Parallels and Paradoxes from an English Perspective, Richard Wakeford, HMSO, 1990, pp. 277, £25.00.

Urban Government in the 1990s: Lessons from the USA, Robin Hambleton, School for Advanced Urban Studies, University of Bristol, 1990, pp. 129, £7.45.

Shropshire County Council: A Centenary History, D. C. Cox, Shropshire County Council, 1989, pp. 104, £5.95.

A History of Devon County Council 1889–1989, Jeffrey Stanyer, Devon Books, 1989, pp. 105, £3.95.

Government and County. A History of Northamptonshire County Council 1889–1989, Jonathan Bradley, University of Bristol Press, pp. 280.

Political Parties and Coalitions in European Local Government, Colin Mellors and Bert Pijnenburg (eds), Croom Helm, 1989, pp. 311, £35.00.

London 2001, Peter Hall, Unwin Hyman, 1989, pp. 226, £17.95

Abolition: The Reform of Metropolitan Government in England 1983–86: A Review and Bibliography, Ken Young and Lesley Grayson, 1988, Technical Communications, pp. 186.