The education skills trap in a dependent market economy. Romania's case in the 2000s

We discuss the political economic development of Romania since 1989, with a focus on the evolution of higher education (HE). First, we place this evolution in the context of demand for HE by prospective students and employers, focusing on the low demand for skills in the MNC-dominated Romanian economy. Second, we provide empirical insight on indicators of quality, enrolment, and funding as key features of the HE system. We argue that Romania has evolved into a dependent market economy entrenched in a low-skills equilibrium, and that the weakness of the HE system is a key element in this process.     

The Threat Environment Created by International Terrorism from the German Police Perspective

International terrorism motivated by Islamist ideology poses completely new challenges to the security authorities of the affected states in terms of manner of commission and impact. The present contribution describes the threat created by international terrorism from the German police perspective. It begins by describing the threat represented by the terrorist crime phenomenon in terms of motivation, perpetrator and crime profiles, and organisational structure. This is followed by comments on how and to what extent international terrorism threatens German interests, as well as how German legislators have reacted. However, the main emphasis is placed on the counter-strategies of the German security authorities, in particular on mutual networking and intensified efforts to close ranks with other actors engaged in the battle against international terrorism.     

Modification of hematoma findings in the breast region

Subcutaneous bruises caused by blunt injury are common findings in medicolegal case work. If the hematoma involves the anterior thoracic wall, bruises are mostly absent in the region of the nipples and the surrounding areola. A similar phenomenon has already been described for hypostatic skin hemorrhages. A possible explanation for both phenomena is the special tissue texture in the nipple–areola complex. Based on four cases from the forensic autopsy material and two cases from clinical forensic examinations, the macromorphological findings and the histological correlates are presented.     

If only .... The ongoing search for method in counter‐insurgency

Armed Forces and Modern Counter‐Insurgency edited by Ian F.W. Beckett and John Pimlott Croom Helm, London, 1985. vi plus 232 pp. including maps, notes and index. £19,95.

Counter‐Insurgency in Rhodesia by J.K. Cilliers Groom Helm, London, 1985. 266 pp. including tables, figures, bibliography and index. £16,95.     

Entgrenzte Erwerbsarbeit als Chance oder Risiko?

In the German sociology of work and industrial relations, there is an ongoing discussion on the de-limitation of work. It is assumed that the de-standardization and growing flexibilization of work may result in a dissolution of the boundaries between work and private live, whereas a separation of both spheres was characteristic of the Fordist period. Up to now, there has not been much empirical research on these issues. To get a broader perspective on the changes of work in different occupational fields, the paper compares results from a study on mobile care services with the findings of a research project on freelancers in the New Media and the cultural industries. The authors ask whether the assumed de-limitation of work really is a general trend. Are there possibly countervailing tendencies in some fields? Do workers just cope with the changes of work or do they develop their own, active strategies to re-define the boundaries of work and to find a new work-life balance? How are opportunities and risks spread among different groups of workers? What can be learned from this perspective for the debate on a delimitation of work?     

Human rights commissions and public policy: The role of the Canadian Human Rights Commission in advancing sexual orientation equality rights in Canada

Abstract: This article examines the capacity of human rights commissions to foster public policy change by focusing on the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) and its role in advancing sexual orientation equality rights in Canada. The case study is informed by commission annual reports, speeches by past chief commissioners, presentations by the commission to parliamentary committees, and an examination of 442 sexual orientation complaints closed by the commission by 2005. The study shows that, from its inception, the commission had a simple and consistent message: sexual orientation should not be the basis for denying individuals employment, services or benefits. Using a variety of strategies, the CHRC facilitated the incorporation of this message into the Canadian Human Rights Act by promoting the designation of sexual orientation as a prohibited ground of discrimination. Subsequently, the commission became actively involved in securing equal access to employment‐related benefits in the federal sphere for same‐sex couples and also added its voice in support of legal recognition of same‐sex marriage. The authors conclude by discussing how the unique position of human rights commissions gives them the potential to play an important role in public policy development, even when there may be a lack of political will or public support. Sommaire: Le présent article examine l'aptitude des commissions des droits de la personne à encourager les changements dans la politique publique en mettant l'accent sur la Commission canadienne des droits de la personne (CCDP) et son rôle dans la promotion des droits à l'égalité en matière d'orientation sexuelle au Canada. L' étude de cas tire ses informations des rapports annuels de la commission, des allocutions prononcées par d'anciens présidents de la commission, des présentations faites par la commission aux comités parlementaires, et d'un examen de 442 plaintes relatives à l'orientation sexuelle traitées par la commission jusqu'en 2005. L' étude indique que, depuis sa création, la commission avait un message simple et unanime : l'orientation sexuelle ne devrait pas être un motif invoqué pour refuser de l'emploi, des services ou des avantages sociaux à des particuliers. Grâce à diverses stratégies, la CCDP a facilité l'intégration de ce message à la Loi canadienne sur les droits de la personne en faisant en sorte que l'orientation sexuelle soit désignée comme un motif de discrimination interdit. Par la suite, la commission a été active sur la scène fédérale pour assurer que les conjoints de même sexe bénéficient de l' égalité d'accès aux avantages liés à l'emploi, et elle a également soutenu la reconnaissance légale du mariage des conjoints de même sexe. En conclusion, les auteurs discutent la position unique des commissions des droits de la personne qui leur offre le potentiel de jouer un rôle important dans l' élaboration des politiques gouvernementales, même avec un manque de volonté politique ou de soutien public.