Nord-Mali: les frontières coloniales de l’Azawad

RÉSUMÉ

La revendication en 2012 de l’indépendance de l’Azawad a été strictement limitée au seul Mali et à ses frontières septentrionales, d’origine coloniale. Un “État (pan)touareg” regroupant les populations touarègues (Algérie, Mali, Niger, Burkina-Faso, Libye) n’a pas non plus été revendiqué. Cette situation ne peut s’expliquer sans tenir compte des héritages anciens. La définition des territoires impériaux, et des frontières coloniales, connut un processus très différent de ce que suggère le mythe de la conférence de Berlin. Les logiques à l’?uvre témoignent d’une co-construction des frontières avec les populations locales, ou pour le moins le résultat de stratégies croisées de l’administration coloniale et des pouvoirs africains. Les rébellions récurrentes, et le séparatisme récent, ne peuvent donc avoir comme seule explication les tracés frontaliers. Il faut intégrer dans l’analyse les histoires locales, et surtout la gestion politique et économique des marges par l’administration française puis par les États indépendants.     

Accuracy and reliability in sex determination from skulls: a comparison of Fordisc® 3.0 and the discriminant function analysis

Identification in forensic anthropology and the definition of a biological profile in bioarchaeology are essential to each of those fields and use the same methodologies. Sex, age, stature and ancestry can be conclusive or dispensable, depending on the field. The Fordisc(?) 3.0 computer program was developed to aid in the identification of the sex, stature and ancestry of skeletal remains by exploiting the Forensic Data Bank (FDB) and computing discriminant function analyses (DFAs). Although widely used, this tool has been recently criticised, principally when used to determine ancestry. Two sub-samples of individuals of known sex were drawn from French (n=50) and Thai (n=91) osteological collections and used to assess the reliability of sex determination using Fordisc(?) 3.0 with 12 cranial measurements. Comparisons were made using the whole FDB as well as using select groups, taking into account the posterior and typicality probabilities. The results of Fordisc(?) 3.0 vary between 52.2% and 77.8% depending on the options and groups selected. Tests of published discriminant functions and the computation of specific DFA were performed in order to discuss the applicability of this software and, overall, to question the pertinence of the use of DFA and linear distances in sex determination, in light of the huge cranial morphological variability.     

How Citizens’ Education,Occupation, Personal Economic Expectations and National Identity Interact with One Another to Sway Public Opinion on the EU

Abstract: This article examines the pattern of interactions between education, occupation, personal economic expectations and feelings of national identity and how these interactions affect public support for the EU. Using Eurobarometer data from 1993 to 2006, the results in this paper demonstrate that occupation mediates the relationship between EU support and education. It is also found that the sway of citizens’ personal financial expectations on EU support is not conditioned by education and occupation. Finally citizens’ personal economic expectations are not found to condition the relationship between EU support and feelings of national identity. In the light of these findings the paper draws implications.     

Considerations on the ASTM Standards 1789‐04 and 1422‐05 on the Forensic Examination of Ink

Abstract: The ASTM standards on Writing Ink Identification (ASTM 1789‐04) and on Writing Ink Comparison (ASTM 1422‐05) are the most up‐to‐date guidelines that have been published on the forensic analysis of ink. The aim of these documents is to cover most aspects of the forensic analysis of ink evidence, from the analysis of ink samples, the comparison of the analytical profile of these samples (with the aim to differentiate them or not), through to the interpretation of the result of the examination of these samples in a forensic context. Significant evolutions in the technology available to forensic scientists, in the quality assurance requirements brought onto them, and in the understanding of frameworks to interpret forensic evidence have been made in recent years. This article reviews the two standards in the light of these evolutions and proposes some practical improvements in terms of the standardization of the analyses, the comparison of ink samples, and the interpretation of ink examination. Some of these suggestions have already been included in a DHS funded project aimed at creating a digital ink library for the United States Secret Service.     

Case based reasoning in criminal intelligence using forensic case data.

A model that is based on the knowledge of experienced investigators in the analysis of serial crime is suggested to bridge a gap between technology and methodology. Its purpose is to provide a solid methodology for the analysis of serial crimes that supports decision making in the deployment of resources, either by guiding proactive policing operations or helping the investigative process. Formalisation has helped to derive a computerised system that efficiently supports the reasoning processes in the analysis of serial crime. This novel approach fully integrates forensic science data.     

Improved enhancement of ninhydrin developed fingerprints by cadmium complexation using low temperature photoluminescence techniques

Fingerprints developed with ninhydrin form stable, colored complexes when treated with various metal salts. Many of these colored complexes can be used to increase the sensitivity of detection of latent prints because of photoluminescent properties. The intensity of this photoluminescence is increased at low temperature (77K), and this is a common characteristic of each of the complexes formed with salts of the IIb group of the Periodic Table. Spectral characteristics of these Group IIb metal complexes and the influence of environmental factors on their formation are reported. These data have helped determine optimal conditions for the enhancement of ninhydrin developed fingerprints. Taking into account spectral characteristics, solubility, versatility, stability, and reproducibility, the use of the cadmium nitrate tetrahydrate complex is advocated for general use for fingerprint enhancement. The use of zinc nitrate is favored if toxicological considerations are paramount, but ninhydrin development has to be carefully controlled if optimal results are to be obtained. Limited applications for mercuric complexes are found when a red shift is desired to remove background effects.     

Concentrations of lidocaine and monoethylglycylxylidide (MEGX) in lidocaine associated deaths

Concentrations of lidocaine and MEGX were determined in a variety of tissues and other samples collected at autopsy. In 13 of the cases examined in which lidocaine was associated with death, tissue concentrations were greater than 15 mg/kg. Tissue concentrations in other patients treated with lidocaine were significantly lower.