Book notes

The Emergence of East Central European Parliaments: The First Steps edited by Attila Agh. Budapest: Hungarian Centre of Democracy Studies, 1994. Pp.306. NP. ISBN 963 7415 96 3

Nonviolent Struggle and the Revolution in East Germany by Roland Bleiker. Cambridge, MA: The Albert Einstein Institution, 1993. Pp.53. NP. ISBN 880813 07 6

The Russian Press from Brezhnev to Yeltsin: Behind the Paper Curtain by John Murray. Aldershot: Edward Elgar, 1994. Pp.280; index. £45 (hardback). ISBN 1 85278 885 2

A Voice for the Excluded by Matthias Stiefel and Marshall Wolfe. London: Zed Books, 1994. Pp.xciii + 265; index; references; four annexes. £39.95 (hardback); £15.95 (paperback). ISBN 1 85649 247 8 and 248 6

Democratization in Eastern Europe: Domestic and International Perspective edited by Geoffrey Pridham and Tatu Vanhanen. London: Routledge, 1994. Pp.xiv + 274; index. £40 (hardback); £12.99 (paperback). ISBN 0 415 11063 7 and 11064 5

Grasping the Democratic Peace by Bruce Russett. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1995. Pp.xi + 165; references; index. $13.95/£11.95 (paperback). ISBN 0 691 00164 2

Lobbying the European Union: Companies, Trade Associations and Interest Groups edited by R.H. Pedler and M.P.C.M. van Schendelen. Aldershot and Brookfield: Dartmouth, 1994. Pp.xii + 311. $59.95. ISBN 1 85521 609 4

The Victorious Incumbent: A Threat to Democracy? edited by Albert Somit, Rudolf Wildenmann, Bernhard Boll and Andrea Rommele. Aldershot and Brookfield: Dartmouth, 1994. pp.311; index; bibliography. £40 (hardback). ISBN 1 85521 515 4

Uncommon Opportunities: An Agenda for Peace and Equitable Development. UN International Commission on Peace and Food. London: Zed Books, 1994. Pp.210; index. $55 (hardback); $19.95 (paperback). ISBN 1 85649 305 9 and 306 7

The Resurgence of Central Asia: Islam or Nationalism? by Ahmed Rashid. London: Oxford University Press; Zed Books, 1994. Pp.278; index; bibliography; appendices. £36.95 (hardback); £14.95 (paperback) ISBN 1 85649 131 5 and 132 3

Greece and Europe in the Modern Period: Aspects of a Troubled Relationship edited by Philip Carabott. London: Centre for Hellenic Studies, King's College, 1995. Pp.xvi + 130. £8 (paperback). ISBN 1 897747 01 2     

Democracies only: When do IMF agreements serve as a seal of approval?

Conditional lending by the IMF is predicated, in part, on the belief that IMF programs are associated with increased capital inflows to participating countries. This belief is generally consistent with theoretical arguments in the academic literature (e.g., Bird and Rowlands 1997; Bordo et al. 2004) but the empirical literature often finds otherwise (e.g., Jensen 2004). This paper argues that the effect of IMF agreements on a country’s access to foreign direct investment (FDI) depends on its domestic institutions. Access to FDI depends on a country’s ability to credibly commit to implementation, and this ability varies systematically across regime type. The theory is empirically tested using a treatment effects model with a Markov transition in the treatment equation in a dataset covering 142 countries from 1976 to 2006. We find that in democracies IMF program participation has a strong positive effect on FDI inflows and in autocracies participation has a weak negative effect.     

Governmental Efforts on Homeland Security and Crime: Public Views and Opinions

This paper examines views of the respondents regarding homeland security and traditional crime in the United States. Using questions from the 2007 Penn State Poll, a sample of 862 Pennsylvanians participated through a telephone interview. Participants were questioned about their concerns regarding the effectiveness of homeland security, their fear of crime (white-collar, property, violent and terrorist attacks). The results revealed that citizens were satisfied with the effectiveness of homeland security since the September 11, 2001, attacks. The results indicate that fear of crime is different for demographics, and we were able to show that those that thought homeland security had been effective increased the likelihood of fear of white-collar crime. We were also able to show demographic differences for national spending on crime. In addition, we were able to show that those who believed that homeland security was effective did not believe that national spending was at the proper level for property, violent, or white-collar crime. The implications of these results are discussed.     

A 28-year (1963-90) study of homicide in Marion County, Oregon.

We describe 240 consecutive homicidal deaths that occurred in Marion County, Oregon, over a 28-year period (1963-90). An epidemiological assessment of the homicides yielded the following information: More than 91% of these deaths were primary homicides. In primary homicide, 63% of the victims and 88% of the offenders were male. In secondary homicide, 76% of the victims and all of the offenders were male. A high percentage of victims (83%) and offenders (84%) in primary homicide were Caucasian, as were 100% of victims and offenders in secondary homicide. About 12% of victims and 10% of offenders in primary homicide were Hispanic. Fifty-nine percent of primary homicides were intrasexual, as compared to 87% of secondary homicides. An intraracial pattern was found in 90% of primary homicides and in 100% of secondary homicides. The most frequent means of death in both primary and secondary homicides were firearms, physical beating, and stabbing. Strangers committed 80% of secondary homicides. This was in marked contrast to the victim-offender relationship found in primary homicides, where strangers were responsible for approximately 16% of the total, acquaintances for approximately 36%, and family members for approximately 48%. The overall clearance rate (i.e., the identification and charging of a suspect for the death) was 88%.     

Socratism as a Vocation

This paper discusses the rhetorical problems teachers face in presenting Socratic activity to students, and it then argues that parallel problems arise in presenting liberal education to many academic colleagues. Given the nature of philosophy and the nature of expertise in today’s academy, most academics will not understand, and perhaps be hostile to, philosophy, and philosophers may sometimes seem to them both arrogant and ignorant. The contemporary academy, dominated by assumptions Weber articulates in “Science as a Vocation,” does not make room for philosophical activity and practitioners of philosophy in the classroom (in various departments) must adopt rhetorically appropriate postures in order to create safe spaces for Socratic activity.