A Robust Transformation Procedure for Interpreting Political Text

Georg Vanberg Department of Political Science, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3265 e-mail: gvanberg{at}unc.edu (corresponding author) In a recent article in the American Political Science Review,Laver, Benoit, and Garry (2003, "Extracting policy positionsfrom political texts using words as data," 97:311–331)propose a new method for conducting content analysis. TheirWordscores approach, by automating text-coding procedures, representsan advance in content analysis that will potentially have alarge long-term impact on research across the discipline. Toallow substantive interpretation, the scores produced by theWordscores procedure require transformation. In this note, weaddress several shortcomings in the transformation procedureintroduced in the original program. We demonstrate that theoriginal transformation distorts the metric on which contentscores are placed—hindering the ability of scholars tomake meaningful comparisons across texts—and that it isvery sensitive to the texts that are scored—opening upthe possibility that researchers may generate, inadvertentlyor not, results that depend on the texts they choose to includein their analyses. We propose a transformation procedure thatsolves these problems. Authors' note: We would like to thank Ken Benoit, Michael Laver,three anonymous referees, and the editor for comments on earlierversions of this article.     

Die Vertretung der AG bei Rechtsgesch?ften mit dem Vorstand (§ 97 Abs 1 AktG). (1. Teil)

"Der Aufsichtsrat ist befugt, die Gesellschaft bei der Vornahme von Rechtsgesch?ften mit den Vorstandsmitgliedern zu vertreten [und gegen diese die von der Hauptversammlung beschlossenen Rechtsstreitigkeiten zu führen]." In den letzten Jahren haben sich einige Vertreter der Lehre von der bis dahin einhellig vertretenen Auslegung von § 97 Abs 1 AktG abgewendet. Sie pl?dieren für ein Vertretungsmonopol des Aufsichtsrates bei Rechtsgesch?ften der Gesellschaft mit Vorstandsmitgliedern. Dem eigentlich klaren Wortlaut von § 97 Abs 1 AktG wird dabei mittels einer fragwürdigen teleologischen Reduktion ein Inhalt beigemessen, den er nicht hat.     

The Pivot between Containment,Engagement, and Restraint: President Obama’s Conflicted Grand Strategy in Asia

This article examines the formulation and implementation of American grand strategy under the Obama administration, and how the “pivot to Asia” functions within this strategic context. It argues that President Obama attempts to secure continued American hegemony through a combination of cooperative engagement and restraint. This exposes a fundamental dilemma at the heart of America’s rebalancing: increased engagement with US allies and partners in the Asia-Pacific is fueling political, economic, and military competition with China. Sequestration and questions over American strategic coherence and consistency are simultaneously undermining the credibility of the pivot, both at home and abroad. The article concludes that this dilemma makes it unlikely for the pivot to succeed in its stated aims, unless the United States re-emphasizes cooperative engagement with China.     

Dominant Rail Undertakings under European Competition Policy

Abstract: For the last 30 years, railway transport has been in steep decline within the Community. It is argued that such a decline is not inevitable, but it is partly due to regulatory distortions that favour other transport modes. As a result of the delay in liberalisation, railways lose out in comparison to air and road transport where market opening triggered a restructuring process of the industry much earlier. An important step towards more competition has been taken with a new ‘railway package’, which liberalises rail freight transport from 2003 on. This article gives an overview of recent developments in the sector, including the status quo of liberalisation and the recently adopted legislation. Taking into account recent jurisprudence, it then analyses competition policy issues with a focus on obligations that arise for dominant railway companies under Article 82 EC. The article lastly discusses what structural changes are required to deal with structural obstacles to a competitive European railway market. It is argued that a complete separation of infrastructure operation and transport services would be the solution most compatible with the railway directives and Article 86 EC.     

Grundlagen der Soziologie der Arbeitsflexibilität

First I present some terminological instruments in order to analyze the flexibility of work and to demonstrate how it can be connected with an encompassing theory of society. In the next two steps I sum up the development of the older debate on working-time flexibilization and how it broadened within the dimensions of work flexibility, namely time, qualification and space. Than I shall offer a systematization of different types of flexibility of work, link it with the concept of flexicurity and add some considerations about chains of flexibilization. The article results in further questions concerning the relationship between improvements of economic efficiency and gains in individual autonomy, as well as concerning consequences of a flexible work society.     

Psychological Assessment of Chief of Police Candidates: Scientific and Practice Issues

This report examines issues associated with the selection of a Chief of Police. A review of the literature indicates minimal progress in specifying appropriate objective selection procedures for the Police Chief. This is attributable to a research focus on broad leadership styles, rather than specific competencies, and an inattention to the unique needs of individual jurisdictions. As a potential alternative, a hiring process model is offered that includes a systematic job analysis within the given jurisdiction, and the use of a reliable and well-validated instrument to assess job candidates’ leadership potential and skills. This approach is illustrated by a case study of a medium-size city that followed the recommended procedures to make a hiring decision that has been sustained across more than a year’s time, and which appears to be working out. The uses of testing results to help the Chief of Police to enhance personal capabilities within the new position also are discussed.     

Zu den Voraussetzungen der Einverleibung aufgrund eines Erbteilungsübereinkommens

Es liegen keine tragenden Gründe vor, die die von einem Teil der Rsp und Lehre vorgenommene teleologische Reduktion der in § 13 AO nach seinem Wortlaut generell angeordneten Grundbuchssperre nur auf die nach § 10 Abs 1 AO unzul?ssigen Eintragungen rechtfertigen k?nnten.     

Sozialstaatliche Kürzungspolitik in Deutschland: Nur eine Mär? Eine quantitative Gesetzgebungsanalyse 1974–2014

Quantitative analyses on welfare state dynamics have to cope with the “dependent variable problem”, as studies on social spending reach different conclusions than analyses of replacement rate data. This article suggests a way around this problem by presenting results from a fine-grained analysis of welfare state legislation in Germany between 1974 and 2014. We show that the German welfare state has seen both cuts and expansions occur in all decades. Moreover, we show by means of a regression analysis that partisan politics play a role. Supporting the “Nixon-in-China”-thesis, social democratic governments are associated with a higher probability of cutbacks—especially in times of budgetary pressure—whereas expansions are more likely under Christian democratic governments.