The Romanticisation of the Local: Welfare,Culture and Peacebuilding

The key feature of the dominant liberal approach to peacebuilding is the neoliberal marketisation of peace, rather than engagement with civil society and the agents and subjects of this peace. This is a particularly Western, liberal, and Enlightenment-derived discourse of peace, which is far from culturally and socially appropriate or sensitive, and has little chance of establishing a locally self-sustaining peace. This represents a “romanticisation of the local”, of civil society, and of the liberal culture of peacebuilding. Its cultural engagement, including its support for civil society development, is therefore little more than instrumental and is used to defer responsibility for the welfare of the local.     

Emerging concepts of security in the European order: Implications for ‘zones of conflict’ at the fringes of the EU

The broadening of definitions of security has been reflected in the conceptual development of a variety of European institutions, though a credibility gap seems to exist between their goals and objectives and their ability to take decisive action. Given the fact that the path of EU expansion has now reached into zones of instability, marred by intractable conflicts related to sovereignty, identity, development, and human rights, it is important to examine the borders at the fringes of the EU, and what their conceptual and practical significance is, both for actors already inside the union, but also for actors who are located in zones outside EU borders. It is argued here that these regions present an important challenge to the structures and norms of the EU, and to the notion of sovereignty, and raises the question of international responsibility from a variety of perspectives.     

Citizens,denizens and exiles

The New Diaspora: The mass exodus, dispersal and regrouping of migrant communities. Nicholas Van Hear, London, UCL Press, 1998, ISBN 1–85728–837–6

The Citizenship Debates: A Reader. Gershon Shafir (Ed.) Minneapolis, University of Minnesota Press, 1998, ISBN 0–8166–2881–5     

Bouvia v. County of Riverside

The plaintiff, a quadriplegic with cerebral palsy, had admitted herself voluntarily to the psychiatric department of Riverside General Hospital in September 1983. She then revealed her intention of starving herself to death, requested that hospital personnel administer only pain medication and hygienic care, and sought preliminary and permanent injunctions to prevent the hospital from either force feeding, transferring, or discharging her. The essence of her legal claim was that society was obliged to honor, and to assist her in carrying out, her privacy right to end her life. While the Superior Court recognized a patient's right to refuse life-sustaining care under some circumstances, it ruled that because Bouvia's condition was not terminal, her rights must yield to the interests of the state and other third parties in preserving life.     

认罪认罚从宽案件被告人上诉应对与反思

2018年《刑事诉讼法》修改并正式确立认罪认罚从宽制度,作为中国特色社会主义刑事司法制度的重大创新,丰富了刑事司法与犯罪治理。实践中认罪认罚制度上诉率虽低于正常刑事案件,但是出现大量空白上诉,不仅消耗司法资源,而且动摇司法权威。对认罪认罚案件上诉权与抗诉应对的合理性展开探讨,构建认罪认罚上诉机制和检察机关有条件的行使抗诉权,有助于进一步完善认罪认罚制度。     

统战工作“虚工实做”的实践与思考

县级统战工作是整个统战工作的基础。本文以重庆市大足县为例．分析了新形势下基层统战工作的新特点和新思路，以及如何正确处理好统战工作中的“三个关系”。在通过围绕中心，参与经济主战场，将“虚工做实”的具体实践中，提出了“三个转变”与“五个结合”的思考。     

Identification of the Edentulous Individual: An Investigation into the Accuracy of Radiographic Identifications*

Abstract: The dental identification of edentulous individuals can be challenging based on the lack of antemortem materials and unique features visible on radiographs. The constant resorption of the alveolar ridges further complicates the process. The purpose of this study was to quantify the error rate and reliability of dental identifications based on a comparison of synthesized antemortem and postmortem radiographs of edentulous individuals. Ten observers examined ten cases on two occasions and reported dichotomous and conclusion level decisions. These were analyzed using Kappa and Receiver Operator Characteristics. The mean area under the curve was 0.75 and the mean sensitivity was 0.57 and specificity was 0.83. These results suggest that dental identifications of edentulous individuals using radiographs alone have a high error rate and should be dual reported. These data add further weight to the argument that all dental prostheses should be labeled.     

The Use of Radio-Frequency Identification Tags for Labeling Dentures—Scanning Properties

Abstract:  The inclusion of radio-frequency identification (RFID)-tags within dental prostheses has been suggested as means of effectively labeling such devices and permitting rapid and reliable identification of the wearer. Previous studies have suggested that patients will accept denture labeling and recognize the need for such systems. However, they demand systems that are aesthetic, durable, and secure. One concern over the use of RFID-tags is that they could be scanned by third parties without the patient's knowledge. This study categorizes the scanning patterns of RFID-tags both in vitro and in vivo to provide data for patients for the consent process and for forensic dentists to ensure that they are scanning prostheses optimally. The results demonstrate that the RFID chips can only be read when the interrogator is in close proximity to the denture and thus should alleviate any concerns over privacy issues. However, evidence obtained from both the literature and experiments suggests that authorities must agree upon a unified standard for chip and reader specifications and protocols in order to avoid cases in which RFID-tags may fail to be read by an incompatible reader.     

As Violence Unfolds: A Space–Time Study of Situational Triggers of Violent Victimization Among Urban Youth

This study clarifies three important issues regarding situational or opportunity theories of victimization: (1) whether engaging in risk activities triggers violent assault during specific, often fleeting moments, (2) how environmental settings along individuals’ daily paths affect their risk of violent assault, and (3) whether situational triggers have differential effects on violent assault during the day versus night. Using an innovative GIS-assisted interview technique, 298 young male violent assault victims in Philadelphia, PA described their activity paths over the course of the day of being assaulted. Case-crossover analyses compared each subject’s exposure status at the time of assault with his own statuses earlier in the day (stratified by daytime and nighttime). Being at an outdoor/public space, conducting unstructured activities, and absence of guardians increase the likelihood of violent victimization at a fine spatial–temporal scale at both daytime and nighttime. Yet, the presence of friends and environmental characteristics have differential effects on violent victimization at daytime versus nighttime. Moreover, individual risk activities appeared to exhibit better predictive performance than did environmental characteristics in our space–time situational analyses. This study demonstrates the value of documenting how individuals navigate their daily activity space, and ultimately advances our understanding of youth violence from a real-time, real-life standpoint.