Strengthening Efforts to Engage the Hispanic Community in Citizen‐Driven Governance: An Assessment of Efforts in Utah

How can the Hispanic community in Utah strengthen its active engagement in government? Interviews by the authors with key government and community‐based organization representatives offer evidence on (1) who is being engaged in the Hispanic community, (2) what are the barriers to engagement, and (3) which modes of engagement are likely to be effective and under what conditions. Findings indicate that only a small elite in the Hispanic community is currently involved. Even for the elite, engagement is fairly superficial. Historical patterns characterize the Hispanic community limited interaction. The peculiar nature of Utah government also reduces their participation. Pragmatic lessons are drawn to enhance substantially improved partnerships, build comprehensive action plans, and strengthen government commitment to civic inclusion that transcend Utah and apply to diverse minority communities everywhere.     

Population growth and the adoption of new technology in colonial Taiwanese agriculture

This paper argues that one response to the mortality decline in Taiwan and the consequent rapid population and labour force growth which increased the labour—land ratio was the adoption of a new labour using output‐increasing variety of rice. The differential rates of adoption of the new rice in the seven prefectures of Taiwan and across time are analysed in terms of the lagged natural increase in population, i.e. increased in the labour‐land ratio. The results are then contrasted with the Malthusian model.     

Changes in homeland security activities since 9/11: an examination of state and local law enforcement agencies’ practices

This study investigated differences in state and local law enforcement agencies participation in homeland security activities within the year after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and 13 years later. Further, this investigation assessed whether there were regional differences for these practices during these same time periods. Activities assessed were based on a homeland security initiatives index. Data suggest that, in the year after the attacks, agencies’ participation in all of Stewart and Morris’ homeland security activities was not high and statistically significant differences existed across several regions for some of these practices. However, since then, the number of agencies participating in all of Stewart and Morris’ homeland security activities increased and statistically significant differences between regions decreased. The increase in participation may be attributed to incentives provided by the federal government. Nevertheless, data suggest that support may be waning within law enforcement agencies to participate in homeland security activities.