Constrained majoritarianism: Westminster constitutionalism in Malta

This article discusses Malta's constitutional system as a variation on the ‘Westminster model’. Despite proportional representation, Malta maintains a strictly majoritarian (Lijphart, 1999 Lijphart, A. (1999). Patterns of democracy: Government forms and performance in thirty-six countries. Yale: Yale University Press. [Google Scholar]) core of ‘delegation and accountability’ (Strøm et al., 2005), from the people, through Parliament, to the Government, structured through a two-party system. This majoritarian core is balanced, however, by peripheral institutions (such as the Constitutional Court, Ombudsman, President, and Electoral Commission), which partially constrain the exercise of majoritarian power. Using a typology developed by Glover and Hazell (2008 Hazell, R. (2008). Conclusion: Where will the Westminster model end up? In R. Hazell (Ed.), Constitutional futures revised: Britain's constitution to 2020 (pp. 285–300). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.[Crossref] , [Google Scholar]), Malta is presented as an example of a ‘Westminster Constitutionalised’ polity, combining majoritarian rule and concentrated powers with entrenched, legal constitutionalism.     

A preliminary investigation of insect colonisation and succession on remains in New Zealand

A preliminary, systematic field study on the process of decomposition and associated insects was conducted, for the first time, in New Zealand. Using pig carcasses as an animal model for human decomposition, insect colonisation and succession was monitored in three different habitats in the Auckland region where remains are likely to be found. A significant difference in the rates of decomposition was found among the three different habitats of an open field, coastal sand dune area and native bush during the autumn/winter season. The primary colonisers of all carcasses were Calliphora stygia Fabricius (Calliphoridae), Chrysomya rufifacies Macquart (Calliphoridae) and Hydrotaea rostrata Robineau-Desvoidy (Muscidae). Two species were identified as possible representatives of the habitats in which they were found; Fannia sp. (Fanniidae) in the open field habitat and Calliphora hilli Patton (Calliphoridae) in the native bush habitat. Also identified was Sylvicola sp. (Anisopodidae) as a possible indicator of damp habitats as well as a likely indicator of a longer postmortem interval. This preliminary investigation presents a broad outline of the insects associated with remains and the order in which they appear in the Auckland region.     

China in Africa: presence,perceptions and prospects

This article reports and analyzes China's presence in Africa with an emphasis on how that has been perceived by the Africans. Based on the findings from surveys and field research conducted in eight sub-Saharan African countries and interviews with scholars and practitioners from other African countries as well as Chinese and Americans in Africa, we outline the diverse, complicated and evolving African perceptions about China's explosive presence in general and the booming Chinese business activities in particular that now range from love to suspicion. Our findings about how China is perceived in Africa suggest that Beijing has acquired substantial goodwill in Africa yet is developing deep issues and facing uncertain challenges and growing obstacles.     

A psychological perspective on moral reasoning,processes of decision-making,and moral resistance

ABSTRACT

This article presents a psychological approach on the development of social and moral judgments that has relevance for the topics of public justification and world politics. In contrast with approaches assuming that morality is primarily determined by emotions and non-rational, the research discussed shows that moral development involves the construction of thinking about welfare, justice, and rights. In parallel with judgments in the moral domain, individuals construct judgments about conventions in the social system and areas of personal jurisdiction. Research documents that moral and social decisions involve processes of coordination, or weighing and balancing, moral and non-moral considerations and goals, as well as different moral goals. Processes of coordination are also involved in decisions about cultural practices that include social inequalities and relationships between those in dominant and subordinate positions in social hierarchies. Judgments about the fairness of practices entailing inequalities produce social opposition and moral resistance.     

The survival of oral streptococci on human skin and its implication in bite-mark investigation

Ten-microlitre aliquots of whole saliva applied to human skin were sampled for periods up to 6.25 h. The rate of loss of recoverable bacteria was 45–50% per hour. After 6.25 h, viable oral streptococci could be recovered. The implications for using a “fingerprint” typing method for these bacteria with regard to the identification of bite-marks are discussed.