Spatial patterns of homicide and political legitimacy in Europe*

Political legitimacy, or a state's “right to rule,” has been a concern for philosophers, political scientists, and sociologists for centuries. This paper examines the relationship between European states' level of political legitimacy and violence, as represented by their homicide rate. It is theorized that political illegitimacy affects homicide through deteriorating social institutions of control, violating the rules of reciprocity between the state and citizens, and/or creating an environment of “virtual statelessness” that encourages methods of “self-help.” Focusing on the modernized societies of Europe, where legitimacy may be more important to maintaining order, the present study reveals two important findings: political legitimate states have significantly lower levels of homicide, and high and low homicide rates in Europe are significantly clustered among post-Soviet states (high) and Western Europe (low).     

The long‐term effects on children and adolescents of a policy providing work supports for low‐income parents

New Hope, an employment‐based poverty‐reduction intervention for adults evaluated in a random‐assignment experimental design, had positive impacts on children's achievement and social behavior two and five years after random assignment. The question addressed in this paper was the following: Did the positive effects of New Hope on younger children diminish or even reverse when children reached the challenges of adolescence (eight years after random assignment)? Small positive impacts on school progress, school motivation, positive social behavior, child well‐being, and parent control endured, but impacts on school achievement and problem behavior were no longer evident. The most likely reasons for lasting impacts were that New Hope families were slightly less likely to be poor, and children had spent more time in center‐based child care and structured activities. New Hope represents a model policy that could produce modest improvements in the lives of low‐income adults and children. © 2011 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.     

New Heroines for New Causes: how provincial women promoted a revisionist history through post-suffrage pageants

The selection and promotion of powerful role models was a major source of inspiration during the suffrage movement, with figures such as Joan of Arc invoked as justifying women’s rights. This research shows the tradition continued post-1914, but with a different focus. Well over a hundred amateur pageants of noble women were staged with a changing pantheon reflecting women’s new roles and aspirations. These events were staged by both religious and secular groups throughout Britain, but were most common in the small industrial towns of the Pennines, the South West and North East where Nonconformity was strong. The pageants varied from a couple of dozen performers to 1000, with newspapers frequently praising their elaborate costumes and historical accuracy. Though certain formats and characters appeared regularly, narrative choices often reflected the organisers’ tastes, sometimes introducing local heroines or reclaiming the Bible as a source of inspiration for powerful women.     

'Innocent infringement' and the Community unregistered design right: the position in the UK and Ireland

Legal context and Key Points: This article systematically examines ‘innocent infringement’—highlightsits non-uniform nature and summarizes defence it offers as toliability and/or remedies across a range of national UK andIrish IP rights—particularly copyright and design. It considers ‘innocent infringement’ in contextof community unregistered design right (directly applicablein all EC member states under EC Reg 6/2002) and assesses ifit affords defence to liability or financial remedies—suggestsanswer depends on meaning and effect of Article 19 (2), Article89 (Reg 6/2002) and consideration of; the harmonizing effectof the Enforcement Directive (2004/48/EC); the ensuing respectiveUK and Irish IP Enforcement Regulations 2006; the UK's CommunityDesign Regulations.2005. It concludes: limited scope of Reg 6/2002 indicates ‘innocentinfringement’ affords neither defence to liability nora limited defence to damages, but contrasts the role of discretionaryremedy of account of profits, and nevertheless predicts UK andIrish Design Courts may seek to justify ‘innocent infringement’offers limited defence to damages. Practical significance: Given that the community unregistered design right, applicableEC wide, is useful and of interest in many commercial fields(eg fashion, furnishings, etc.), which require short-term protectionagainst copying by over enthusiastic competitors, understandingthe status and effect of ‘innocent infringement’on liability and financial remedies is important.