Human security and Africa: Polemic opposites

A critique of the lack of transparency in international economic institutions and the impact this has on democracy and development.     

From 'Fightback' to 'Biteback': The Rise and Fall of a National Dental Program

This paper presents a case study of policy introduction, implementation and termination. It demonstrates how the coupling of a well-defined problem with a workable solution by advocates can generate policy change, even in an area where there has previously been scant governmental interest. It also reveals that increased public funding associated with policy implementation can provide administrators with the legitimacy and authority to advance reform. Finally, this case study indicates the fragility of policies which: have short histories of governmental attention and financing; cross major party political differences towards federalism and Commonwealth/state responsibilities; and solely benefit repressed interests.     

If Brain Scans Really Detected Deception,Who Would Volunteer to be Scanned?

Abstract: Recent neuroimaging studies investigating the neural correlates of deception among healthy people, have raised the possibility that such methods may eventually be applied during legal proceedings. Were this so, who would volunteer to be scanned? We report a “natural experiment” casting some light upon this question. Following broadcast of a television series describing our team’s investigative neuroimaging of deception in 2007, we received unsolicited (public) correspondence for 12 months. Using a customized template to examine this material, three independent assessors unanimously rated 30 of an initial 56 communications as unequivocally constituting requests for a “scan” (to demonstrate their author’s “innocence”). Compared with the rest, these index communications were more likely to originate from incarcerated males, who were also more likely to engage in further correspondence. Hence, in conclusion, if neuroimaging were to become an acceptable means of demonstrating innocence then incarcerated males may well constitute those volunteering for such investigation.