‘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?     

SERVICES FOR CHILDREN OF INCARCERATED PARENTS

“Services for Children of Incarcerated Parents” provides an overview of the history, design and outcomes of human service programs provided for children of prisoners in the United States. The article examines services based in correctional settings and services sited in the community, using examples from the core programs and projects conducted by the Center for Children of Incarcerated Parents from 1990 through 2010. An analysis of the utility of specific services to children and families, and the effectiveness of those services in improving child outcomes is provided.     

On security of collateral in Danish mortgage finance: a formula of property rights,incentives and market mechanisms

Specialized mortgage intermediaries in Denmark have for over 200 years provided owners and buyers of real property wide access to credit. The present paper sets out to explore the safeguards that nurtured development of a robust, market based financing system and a deep mortgage market. Observations are made on the nature of collateral performance in respect to property rights, mortgage law and market development in search of general features of required institutional arrangements. The robustness of the Danish mortgage finance system is largely accredited to the securitization model based on the balance principle that assigns risks and responsibility to market players in a self-disciplinary manner and protected the mortgage banks against cash flow mismatches even during deep crisis, as history attests. It is shown how property registers and effective enforcement have created transparent property rights and practically reduced legal risks of mortgaging to zero. Standardization and scale of economics supported collateral efficiency, as measured in terms of simplicity, transparency, rapidity and costs. The Danish mortgage finance system illustrates the critical role of government in insuring the quality and enforceability of mortgage collateral, and reducing uncertainty for market players throughout the entire process. The paper suggests that sound incentive structures of the securitization model, strong commitment mechanisms and the market mechanisms constituted a complex formula of safeguards that—rather than specific capital coverage requirements—created the preconditions required for a well-functioning mortgage market.     

Party identification and campaign dynamics

This paper considers the role of party identification in the 1988 Canadian General Election campaign, using data drawn mainly from a rolling cross section survey. Canadians exhibited party commitments remarkably like those we have come to expect for U.S. respondents. These commitments shaped respondents' reaction to the events of the campaign: Issue positions lined up with party identification, as did perceptions of the one leader rehabilitated by the campaign. But the campaign also cut through party groups. Such a mixture of reinforcement and displacement might well typify campaigns in Canada and elsewhere. The paper concludes by arguing that academic observers in the United States should take campaigns more seriously than they have to date and that they should consider adopting some of the measurement and analysis strategies of the 1988 Canadian study.Data in this paper are drawn from the 1988 Canadian Election Study, for which the author is the principal investigator. Coinvestigators are André Blais, Henry E. Brady, and Jean Crête. Support for the study was supplied by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Fieldwork was carried out by the Institute for Social Research, York University, under the direction of David Northrup. Henry Brady was, as usual, an invaluable sounding board and source of advice. None of these individuals or institutions can be held responsible for analyses or interpretations in this paper.