Effective Global Economic Governance by the World Trade Organization

The World Trade Organization (‘WTO’) is the principalinternational institution for the management and regulationof the process of economic globalization. Its effectivenessin fulfilling this important task, however, leaves much to bedesired. On 4 and 5 February 2005, the Faculty of Law of MaastrichtUniversity organized an international research conference entitled‘In Search of Effective Global Economic Governance: TheCase of the World Trade Organization’. This conferencebrought together academics, WTO officials, government diplomats,national trade officials, representatives of business associationsand NGOs to discuss a wide range of issues, including: possibleimprovements to and alternatives for consensus decision-makingin the WTO; issues of transparency, democratic legitimacy andthe participation of civil society in WTO decision-making; secondarylaw-making by WTO bodies; and an expanded role for the WTO Secretariat.It is important that legal and political science scholars focustheir research efforts on the reforms needed to transform theWTO into an instrument of effective global economic governance.The main objective of the conference was, therefore, to definea comprehensive agenda for research into the institutional reformof the WTO. This article is, above all, a report of the conferenceand summarizes the main arguments made by the participants.     

A New Conceptual Framework for Analysing a Case Study on ICT and the Sanctity of the Home

The case study shows the complex reality with respect to processes of meaning construction. Ruiters framework provides a more sophisticated instrument to analyse these complex processes. Unlike the classic models of legal communication, based upon a linear causality between norm and action, and unlike the dual model of interplay between legal institutions and institutional legal facts developed by MacCormick and Weinbergers Institutional Legal Theory (ILT), the tripartite model of interplay between rule, application, and social practices, stemming from Ruiters analysis of ILT, can contribute to a more refined model of legal communication.     

Managing Public Service Contracts: Aligning Values, Institutions, and Markets

The contracting of public services has been an integral part of public managers’ work for a long time, and it is here to stay. This essay sums up current research on the topic for busy practitioners and scholars. Where are we today with respect to the problems and pitfalls of contracting out, from balancing equity with efficiency to confronting the frequent problem of imperfect markets?     

Managed Liberalization of the Dutch Welfare State: A Review and Analysis of the Reform of the Dutch Social Security System, 1985–1998

In this article the changes that have been implemented in the Dutch social security system are analyzed. The extensive changes are characterized as a form of "managed liberalization." This characterization points to the paradoxical nature of these changes. On the one hand a certain liberalization can be observed (an increase of social insurance and the administration of social security via the market) while on the other hand the control of the system by the state is also increasing. This process of managed liberalization, however, takes place under an umbrella of lasting universal social protection: entitlements are still determined by law and remain collective. In this article the changes in the Dutch social security are described extensively, interpreted theoretically and analyzed in their consequences for the level of social protection. By following the process of institutional change the system of social security has undergone, the authors also try to find out what the causes of the changes are and what determines the direction the process has taken.     

An unusual case of railway suicide

A rare case of suicide in which the victim had been lying along the railway track in a supine position and with extended extremities is described. The wheels of a train caused longitudinal hemisection with complete evisceration. Epidemiological data on train suicides are given and the relationship between this method of suicide and mental illnesses and consumption of alcohol are discussed.     

Empirical evidence of paradoxes of voting in Dutch elections

In this paper we analyze four national elections held in 1982, 1986, 1989 and 1994 in the Netherlands on the occurrence of the Condorcet paradox. In addition, we investigate these elections on the occurrence of three so-called majority-plurality paradoxes. The first paradox states that a party having a majority over another party may receive less seats. The second states that a Condorcet winner may not receive the largest number of seats and even may not receive a seat at all. The third says that the majority relation may be the reverse of the ranking of parties in terms of numbers of seats.     

21世纪的大学

在本演讲中 ,作者论述了“2 1世纪的大学”这一主题。首先 ,作者探讨了全球化背景下大学与社会关系的变化及大学应对自身的全球化的方式。作者评述了关于大学与政府、社会关系的不同观点 ,指出了大学开展科研、服务社会的重要性 ,同时当前大学承受着来自政府、社会的过高期望。作者反思了在大学卷入社会活动、推动经济发展中的利弊 ,指出了长远规划、科研合作、国际流动、教学与科研相结合的重要意义。作者认为在技术创新和技术转化中 ,大学需要处理好科学与技术、开发的关系 ,以及大学与工商界的关系。作者特别探讨了大学 -工业合作间的复杂关系 ,指出了二者间的合作可能及不同性质 ,并介绍了牛津大学的有关策略。在结论部分 ,作者提出了他关于大学的使命的观点 :探索自然和人类世界 ;培养独立思考的、负责任的下一代。作者认为 ,把大学在社会中的作用仅仅局限在推动经济发展方面 ,是对大学目标的一种误解     

AIR TRANSPORTATION POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION AT THE MILLENNIUM

This article examines air transportation policy and administration at the millennium. It reviews and analyzes major problem areas and focuses on issues that have to be dealt with to streamline the policy and administration in the field as it becomes more integrated in our increasingly intermodal transportation system. The first part of the article sets the stage for the changes experienced after deregulation: It utilizes an analytical model to examine: airports; airline industry management; terrorism and security; and safety, equipment and human resources. The second part of the article focuses more specifically on a policy and administration analysis itself. It demonstrates how we have evolved into a customer model more aligned with the market place, efficiency, and risk taking; while moving away from a safer and less entrepreneurial period identified as the citizen model period. With the canage of models, we find trust diminished. Passengers, customers and citizens, become more disenchanted and cynical, to the point of organizing through elected officials to promote an airline passenger bill of rights and reform the system.