A peculiar institution? Greco–Roman monogamy in global context

In what sense were the ancient Greeks and Romans monogamous, and why does it matter? This paper addresses this question from a transdisciplinary and global cross-cultural perspective. It considers the physical and anthropological record of polygyny, delineates the historical expansion of formal monogamy, and critiques complementary social science models of mate choice. This approach allows us to situate Greco–Roman practice on a spectrum from traditional polygamy to more recent forms of normative monogyny. Whilst Greco–Roman legal and social norms stressed the nexus between monogamous unions and legitimate reproduction, they accommodated a variety of men's polygynous relationships outside the nuclear family. Greco–Roman monogamy's historically most significant consequence was its role in shaping Christian and later ‘Western’ marital norms that eventually gained global influence.     

Administrative reform in the federal public service: the first faltering steps

Abstract. This paper is complementary to one by H. L. Laframboise published previously in Canadian Public Administration (14, no. 3, fall 1971, pp. 305–25), ‘Administrative reform in the federal public service: signs of a saturation psychosis.’ Where Laframboise stresses the serious concerns that have arisen on the part of many managers over an accumulation of initiatives in administrative reform and seems generally to be advocating that we slow down the pace of such reform, the position taken here is that in our managerial practices we are very seriously below the level required to handle the enormous and complex demands facing the federal public service and therefore must attend far more energetically to administrative reform, albeit more expertly. The paper identifies four key needs to be met in managing public organizations effectively, and treats each of these in some detail: placing men and women of appropriate managerial mind and bent in managerial positions; identifying, developing and using appropriately the growing range of managerial support specialties; facing up to and countering the insularity that seems to afflict even the best of managers; and assuming a managerial approach suited to the dynamic nature of what Warren Bennis has termed ‘the temporary society.’ The paper concludes with a discussion of managing as a set of paradoxes. Sommaire. Cet article traite du même sujet qu'un autre article que publiait dans I'ADMINISTRATION PUBLIQUE DU CANADA (14, no 3, automne 1971, pp. 303–25) par H. L. Laframboise, intitulé“Administrative reform in the federal public service: signs of a saturation psychosis”. Alors que Laframboise soulignait les préscupations sérieuses de plusieurs administrateus devant le grand nombre d'initiatives en matière de réforme administrative et semblait préconiser de façon générale le ralentissement du rythme de cette réforme, l'on soutient ici que nos méthodes de estion sont bien loin de pouvoir répondre aux exigences nombreuses et compexes de la fonction publique féérale, et que partant, nous devons poursuivre la réforme administrative de façon beaucoup plus dynamique et plus experte. L'article détermine quatre exigences primordiales de la gestion efficace des administrations publiques et traite chacune d'elles en détail:affecter à des postes de gestion des hommes et femmes d'esprit et de tendance idoines; déterminer, établir et employer à bon escient l'éventail de plus en plus vaste des spécialités du soutien administratif; combattre la tendance que semblent avoir les meilleurs de nos gestionnaires de se renfermer dans leur coquille; adopter une méthode de gestion adaptée à la nature dynamique de ce que Warren Bennis appelle “la société temporaire”. L'article se termine en assimilant le processus de gestion à une série de paradoxes.     

Detection of deception with fMRI: Are we there yet?

A decade of spectacular progress in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technology and systems neuroscience research has so far yielded few changes in our daily lives. The dearth of clinical applications of this prolific and academically promising research tool began raising the eyebrows of the public and the research funding agencies. This may be one of the reasons for the enthusiasm and interest paid to the growing body of literature suggesting that blood oxygenation level‐dependent (BOLD) fMRI of the brain could be sensitive to the differences between lie and truth. The word ‘differences’ is critical here since it refers to the often‐ignored core concept of BOLD fMRI: it is only sensitive to differences between two brain states. Thus, available studies report using fMRI to discriminate between lie and truth or some other comparative state rather than to positively identify deception. This nuance is an example of the extent to which applied neuroscience research does not lend itself to the type of over‐simplification that has plagued the interpretation of fMRI‐based lie detection by the popular press and the increasingly vocal academic critics. As an early contributor to the modest stream of data on fMRI‐based lie detection, I was asked by Dr Aldert Vrij to write a piece in favour of fMRI‐based lie detection, to be contrasted with a piece by Dr Sean Spence presenting an opposite point of view ( Spence, 2008 ). This seemingly straightforward task presented two hurdles: having to respond to the popular as well as scientific view of what lie detection with fMRI is and present a wholly positive view of evolving experimental data.     

Bio-Kraftstoff,Nachhaltigkeit, Boden- und Naturschutz

Zusammenfassung  Um ihr Klimapaket und die damit verbundenen Ziele im Bereich der erneuerbaren Energien umzusetzen, hat die Europ?ische Kommission eine Richtlinie zur F?rderung der Nutzung von Energie aus erneuerbaren Quellen vorgeschlagen. Um den Richtlinienentwurf rankt sich – auch noch zur Zeit – eine breite noch nicht abgeschlossene Diskussion, in deren Rahmen unter anderem Bedenken gegen die F?rderung von Energiepflanzen, die als nachhaltig deklariert wird, ge?u?ert werden, da blühende Kulturlandschaften dadurch verschandelt werden. Der Beitrag besch?ftigt sich mit der politischen und rechtlichen Diskussion des Richtlinien-Entwurfs.     

Naturschutzrechtliche Vorgaben zur Verwendung gebietseigener Gehölze

Zusammenfassung  Die genetische Vielfalt ist oft übersehenes Schutzgut des Naturschutzrechts. Sie ist der Grund, warum zunehmend gefordert wird, Anpflanzungen nur mit gebietseigenem Pflanzmaterial durchzuführen. Rechtliche Probleme stellen sich hier an der Schnittstelle von Naturschutz- und Vergaberecht. Soll n?mlich bei der ?ffentlichen Auftragsvergabe zur Anpflanzung von Geh?lzen oder beim Einkauf von Pflanzmaterial nicht gegen vergaberechtliche Vorschriften versto?en werden, bedarf es hinreichender, im Naturschutzrecht verwurzelter Gründe, um ?ffentliche Ausschreibungen ausschlie?lich auf gebietseigenes Pflanzmaterial einzuengen. Diesen naturschutzrechtlichen Verpflichtungen geht der vorliegende Beitrag nach.