Rape as terror: The case of Bosnia

When ethnic minority parties are excluded from government coalitions, are group attributes such as religion related to the groups’ use of political violence? We argue that extremist factions within minority groups make use of divergence in religion to mobilize support for violent action when the group is excluded from government. Thus, we posit that while religion per se is not a source of violence, extremist elements of ethnic minorities, whose religion differs from the majority, may use religious divergence to mobilize group members to perpetrate terrorism. Specifically we test the hypotheses that extremist factions of an excluded group will be more likely to carry out terrorist attacks when the group's members belong to a different religion as well as when they belong to a different denomination or sect of a religion than the majority. To test these propositions, we use data on ethnic minority party inclusion in government coalitions, ethnic minority group religion, and the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) by matching perpetrators with ethnic groups for all democracies, 1970–2004.     

On protectionism

Whose Congress?

John C. Berg, UNEQUAL STRUGGLE: CLASS, GENDER, RACE AND POWER IN THE U.S. CONGRESS (Boulder, CO: Westview Press (Harper Collins), 1994).

Karl Mannheim's Liberalism

David Kettler and Volker Meja, KARL MANNHEIM AND THE CRISIS OF LIBERALISM: THE SECRET OF THESE NEW TIMES (New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers, 1995).

Red Not Dead

Constance Coiner, BETTER RED: THE WRITING AND RESISTANCE OF TILLIE OLSEN AND MERIDEL LE SUEUR, New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995.

For further reading

Mendel LeSueur. Corn Village. Sauk City, Wisconsin: Stanton and Lee, 1970.

The Girl. Cambridge, Mass.: West End Press, 1978.

Tillie Olsen. Tell Me a Riddle. New York: Delta/Seymour Lawrence, 1989.

Silences. New York: Dell, 1978.

My Mother The Teacher

Ruth Jacknow Markowitz, MY DAUGHTER, THE TEACHER: JEWISH TEACHERS IN THE NEW YORK CITY SCHOOLS (New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1993).

A Personal Response     

Are healthier people happier? Evidence from Chile and Uruguay

Based on data from the Latinobarómetro, this study analyses data on happiness to establish the probability that an individual is happy. The focus is put on self-reported health status as a key aspect in increasing levels of happiness. The probability of being happy is econometrically estimated by probit models for each country. Results show that the main relationship is between happiness and health status. Whether this is a causal effect or only a correlation, is not clear. This issue is explored by using propensity score matching methods. These show that good health status increases the probability of being satisfied with life by between 13 and 17 percentage points. In line with the literature, we find that the relationship between age and happiness is U-shaped, with happiness at its lowest point at the age of 48.2.

Les personnes en bonne santé sont-elles plus heureuses ? Données concrètes en provenance du Chili et de l'Uruguay

Sur la base de données tirées du Latinobarómetro, cette étude analyse des données sur le bonheur afin d'établir la probabilité du bonheur de personnes données. L'accent est mis sur l'état de santé présenté par la personne elle-même comme aspect clé du niveau croissant de bonheur. La probabilité de bonheur est estimée économétriquement au moyen de modèles probit pour chaque pays. Les résultats indiquent que le principal rapport est celui qui relie le bonheur et l'état de santé. Quant à savoir si c'est là une relation de cause à effet ou seulement une corrélation, ce n'est pas évident. Cette question est traitée au moyen de méthodes d'appariement par score de propension, qui montrent qu'un bon état de santé accroît la probabilité de se sentir satisfait de sa vie de 13 à 17 pour cent. Conformément aux documents écrits sur ce thème, nous constatons que le rapport entre l'âge et le bonheur est en forme de U, le bonheur atteignant son niveau le plus bas à l'âge de 48,2 ans.

¿Son más felices las personas sanas? Hallazgos en Chile y Uruguay

A través del Latinobarómetro para Chile y Uruguay 2007, se estima a través de modelos probit la probabilidad de que un individuo sea feliz. La principal correlación positiva se da entre la felicidad y el buen estado de salud. A efectos de controlar la potencial heterogeneidad observable de esta variable, se utilizan técnicas de correspondencia encontrando que tener buena salud aumenta entre 13 y 17 puntos porcentuales la probabilidad de ser feliz para los datos agrupados regionales. Consecuentemente con la literatura, se encuentra una forma convexa con respecto a la edad, siendo los 48.2 años la edad de mínima felicidad.

As pessoas mais saudáveis são mais felizes? Evidências do Chile e Uruguai

Baseado em dados do Latinobarómetro, este estudo analisa dados sobre felicidade para estabelecer a probabilidade de um indivíduo ser feliz. O enfoque é dado na condição de saúde auto-relatada como aspecto-chave para aumentar os níveis de felicidade. A probabilidade de ser feliz é econometricamente estimada por modelos probit para cada país. Resultados mostram que a principal relação é entre felicidade e condição de saúde. Se isto é um efeito causal ou apenas uma correlação, não está claro. Esta questão é explorada utilizando-se métodos PSM (Propensity Score Matching). Estes métodos mostram que boas condições de saúde aumentam a probabilidade de satisfação com a vida em cerca de 13 a 17 pontos percentuais. Em sintonia com a literatura, constatamos que a relação entre idade e alegria tem a forma de U, com a alegria em seu ponto mais baixo na idade de 48.2.     

Suicidal poisoning with barium chloride

A 49-year-old male pharmacist suffering from depression phoned the emergency services telling of how he had ingested barium chloride. He was found semicomatose in bed and resuscitation attempts were to no avail and he died at the scene. A white plastic container labelled "Barium chloride... Poison", and a book with a writing on a blank page... "give sulphate... SO(4)" were found.At autopsy, 1l of whitish-yellow fluid was found in the stomach.Autopsy barium levels were: blood 9.9mg/l; bile 8.8mg/l; urine 6.3mg/l; gastric 10.0g/l.Cause of death was given as cardiorespiratory arrest due to barium chloride poisoning.The issue of barium toxicity in a variety of itatrogenic and non itatrogenic situation is discussed together with the two only other cases of suicidal barium ingestion, and the feasibility of early intervention at the scene by an emergency team.     

Burgeoning directions for the prevention of youth violence. Introduction

Despite focused efforts toward the prevention of youth violence within the United States, it continues to adversely affect the lives of children and families within our communities and society at large. The articles in this issue address risk and protective factors that affect violence among urban youth to inform prevention and treatment. Pathways to youth violence are complex and may begin early. Prevention efforts in school, family, and community settings that address risk and protective factors within a socially, culturally, and ecologically valid context early in human development are crucial. While challenges remain for the prevention of youth violence, research suggests opportunities to improve our efforts. Federal agency initiatives in partnership with communities are currently underway to increase the knowledge base and advance prevention of youth violence among diverse populations.