Varieties of Clientelism: Machine Politics during Elections

Although many studies of clientelism focus exclusively on vote buying, political machines often employ diverse portfolios of strategies. We provide a theoretical framework and formal model to explain how and why machines mix four clientelist strategies during elections: vote buying, turnout buying, abstention buying, and double persuasion. Machines tailor their portfolios to the political preferences and voting costs of the electorate. They also adapt their mix to at least five contextual factors: compulsory voting, ballot secrecy, political salience, machine support, and political polarization. Our analysis yields numerous insights, such as why the introduction of compulsory voting may increase vote buying, and why enhanced ballot secrecy may increase turnout buying and abstention buying. Evidence from various countries is consistent with our predictions and suggests the need for empirical studies to pay closer attention to the ways in which machines combine clientelist strategies.     

Going green: Explaining issue competition on the environment

This study addresses the dynamics of the issue space in multiparty systems by examining to what extent, and under what conditions, parties respond to the issue ownership of other parties on the green issue. To understand why some issues become part and parcel of the political agenda in multiparty systems, it is crucial not only to examine the strategies of issue entrepreneurs, but also the responses of other parties. It is argued that the extent to which other parties respond to, rather than ignore, the issue mobilisation of green parties depends on two factors: how much of an electoral threat the green party poses to a specific party; and the extent to which the political and economic context makes the green issue a potential vote winner. To analyse the evolution of the green issue, a time‐series cross‐section analysis is conducted using data from the Comparative Manifestos Project for 19 West European countries from 1980–2010. The findings have important implications for understanding issue evolution in multiparty systems and how and why the dynamics of party competition on the green issue vary across time and space.     

Toward a More Pragmatic Multiculturalism? How the U.K. Policy Community Sees the Future of Ethnic Diversity Policies

The United Kingdom is often considered a leader in multiculturalism. However, recent statements by British politicians, community leaders, and academics question the multiculturalist direction in policymaking. This article reports interviews about multiculturalism, national identity, social cohesion, and future policy directions with leading figures in the debate, including Home Affairs Select Committee members, authors of major reports, experts, researchers, and academics. The attitudes expressed when discussing overall policy directions in most cases indicate disquiet at the assumed segregative effects of current policies. However, when specific issues (sharia law, faith schooling, dress codes including veiling, dietary practices, political representation) are considered, most interviewees express a concern to accommodate differences in cultural and traditional standpoints through dialogue. We conclude that multiculturalism in Britain is not “dead,” as some have argued. Instead it is developing in a more pragmatic direction that emphasizes the importance of interaction and accommodation rather than top‐down interventions.     

民族地区基层民警思想状况调查研究

调查显示,民族地区大部分基层民警思想政治觉悟较高,但部分民警的职业认同感不强,工作压力大,有职业倦怠情绪,主要是工作任务重、执法环境严峻、工资福利不理想、业务能力有限等因素造成的。必须做好基层民警的思想政治工作,完善激励机制激发民警的工作积极性,健全民警心理压力疏导机制,正确处理公安机关与大众传媒的关系,缓解民警的思想压力,提高工作效率。     

监狱建筑功能的深层解读

监狱建筑是监狱的物质样态,它不仅是一种文化标志和刑罚符号,而且体现了监狱的惩罚、教化。对于监狱建筑功能的解读,一是物理功能,包括囚居、隔离和改善;二是教化功能,是现代监狱的主要功能,包括教育警示和规训引导。特别是在规训引导方面,更加注重监狱建筑的基本样式和监狱环境的修饰和改善。     

警务微博的功能演进与发展战略

作为中国政务微博中的支柱性力量,警务微博主要发挥着警务信息公开、舆论引导、警务办公平台三种功能。虽然警务微博兴起时间不长,但从诞生至今,警务微博走过了试验起步、整合发展和创新服务三个阶段,其功能也逐渐深化拓展。根据活跃度、传播力和引导力的不同,警务微博应选择恰当的结构战略和功能战略。警务微博的发展对于公安机关在新时期密切联系群众及创新社会管理,具有积极意义。     

转变观念 务实创新 践行社会治理新举措——永城市社会治安管理创新调研报告

河南省永城市积极探索社会治安管理创新的新举措:持续高度重视公安信息化建设与应用;深入推进"五小活动",走基层,联系群众;树立"以民意为导向"的工作理念,充分认识信访维稳工作新形势。永城市社会治安管理创新的对策建议包括:进一步推进全市高危人群的信息采集与管理工作;着力加强多发性侵财犯罪的防范与控制;密切关注新形势下农村宗教的发展动态。     

人大代表职务行为合法化探究

人大代表职务行为属于刑法中的正当化事由之一,尽管对一定的法益造成了损害,也不能以犯罪论处。人大代表职务行为的合法化条件包括前提条件、主体条件、行为条件、对象条件、限度条件以及主观条件。人大代表职务行为与律师辩护行为、控告、举报行为之间既存在着相同点,又有着明显差异。     

Correlation between saw blade width and kerf width

Most studies of saw marks have focused on morphological characteristics and their utility in identifying saws suspected to have been utilized in cases of criminal dismemberment. The present study examined the extent to which metric analysis may be used to correlate saw blade measurements with minimum kerf widths (MKWs). A sample of 56 partially defleshed white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) long bones was utilized as proxy for human remains. The long bones were cut using a variety of commercially available saws, including 11 manual‐powered and 5 mechanical‐powered saws. A total of 496 false start kerfs (FSKs) were created. Two experiments were performed, with the first test examining the MKWs of FSKs produced on specimens that were restrained using a bench vise, while the second test analyzed the MKWs of FSKs produced on minimally restrained specimens. Statistical analysis using Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) indicated a positive relationship between saw blade width (mm) and MKW, with blade width (p < 0.001) and the overall difference between the mechanical‐ and manual‐powered saws (p = 0.029) tested, reaching statistical significance. A comparison of MKWs produced using manual‐powered saws on restrained and minimally restrained bones suggests that restraint condition (p = 0.009) has a statistically significant effect. In comparisons of MKWs to blade widths, the average ratio for mechanical‐powered saws is 18.7% greater than the average ratio for manual‐powered saws. While the mode of the ratios was 1.42, thus supporting the general rule that MKW does not exceed 1.5 times blade width, multiple individual ratios did surpass 1.5.