Pushing the Envelope for Representation and Participation: the case of homeowner activism in Beijing

This article discusses the evolution of urban homeowner activism in two senses: internally (growth through internal diversity) and externally (advancement in interaction with the state). The combination of these two aspects has directed the activism toward the expansion of its boundaries, as well as advanced representation and participation. Based on cumulative fieldwork carried out since 2007, I discuss two homeowner organizations in Beijing as core cases. Rights activism by homeowners has grown beyond the state-set boundaries of individual neighborhoods and has begun deploying innovative strategies and adapting existing institutions for its own use. Rights awareness and manifestation by social actors has evolved continuously. This evolution suggests the emergence of a complex interplay between state and society which goes beyond a confrontational or lopsided relationship.     

Compensation for industrial accidents and incentives for prevention: a theoretical and empirical perspective

This paper examines the compensation systems for industrial accidents in Belgium, Germany and Great Britain, thereby taking into account some recent empirical data on industrial accident rates and (although hardly available) amounts of compensation paid out to employee victims. The key question of this paper, derived from past research in law and economics, is whether these particular compensation systems include elements that may contribute to the prevention of industrial accidents. While the three countries examined here all have at least some incentive-based elements, notably in the way those systems are financed, there appears to be room for improvement both in Belgium and Great Britain. The German case study leads to the proposition that giving an organisation the responsibility for both compensation and prevention may have a beneficial effect on the accident rate.