Violence in young adolescents' relationships: a path model

A structural equation model based on social cognitive theory was used to predict relationship violence from young adolescents' knowledge, self-efficacy, attitudes, and alternative conflict strategies (n = 143 male and 147 female grade 7-9 students). A direct causal effect was supported for violence-tolerant attitudes and psychologically aggressive (escalation/blame) strategies on physical violence against dating partners and friends. Knowledge and self-efficacy contributed to using reasoning-based strategies, but this reduced violence only in boys' friendships. Knowledge reduced violence-tolerant attitudes, thus reducing escalation/ blame and physical violence. Attitudes toward male and female dating violence (ATMDV and ATFDV) were indicators of general attitudes toward violence among non-dating students but ATFDV affected physical violence and ATMDV affected psychological aggression for both dating boys and girls.     

Next-Level Friendship

On a hot September night in 1984, I set foot in China for the very first time. After a long wait at Beijing International Airport, I decided, out of sheer despair, to hail a taxi, even though my Chinese was very limited. On the way to the (then) Beijing Institute of Foreign Languages, I started an alarmingly hesitant conversation, more body language than anything, with the driver.     

“Here we give advice for free”: the functioning of plant clinics in Rwanda

Although plant clinics are considered an important mechanism in the service delivery to farmers, not much is known about their functioning in the daily reality of plant doctors and farmer-clients. This article reports on an exploratory study describing the functioning of eight plant clinics in Rwanda. Personal and organisational commitment, publicity, and proactive communication with farmers and local leaders are key factors explaining higher attendance of some clinics. Farmer attendance is under-reported by 40–50%. Data management needs improvement to make clinic records reliable tools for decision-makers. This type of assessment can help improve operations and realise the plant clinics’ potential.     

One-way conversation with Philippe Van Parijs

This essay reacts to Philippe Van Parijs’s arguments in favor of English as the global lingua franca and in favor of the territorial protection of the languages of minority nations. I agree with both arguments. But I see the case for the lingua franca as a matter of convenience rather than justice. And I don’t link territorial protection to the emergence of English, but instead ground it as a fundamental right of national self-determination.