Government Rulemaking as a Brake on Perestroika

The Soviet political system is made up of three major institutions: the Communist Party, the parliament, and the government. Whereas the first two have changed dramatically under perestroika, the government has continued to function in more traditional ways. Most worrying to reformists, the government–the Soviet Union's "executive branch"–has used its broad rulemaking authority to impede the transformation of Soviet politics and society. This essay examines the role of governmental rules in the Soviet political and lead system It concludes, following the lead of Soviet reformists, that without a fundamental restructuring of government making authority, legal, political, and economic reform in the Soviet Union cannot be institutionalized.     

Calculating Point of Origin of Blood Spatter Using Laser Scanning Technology

The point of origin of an impact pattern is important in establishing the chain of events in a bloodletting incident. In this study, the accuracy and reproducibility of the point of origin estimation using the FARO Scene software with the FARO Focus^3D laser scanner was determined. Five impact patterns were created for each of three combinations of distances from the floor (z) and the front wall (x). Fifteen spatters were created using a custom impact rig, scanned using the laser scanner, photographed using a DSLR camera, and processed using the Scene software. Overall results gave a SD = 3.49 cm (p < 0.0001) in the x‐direction, SD = 1.14 cm (p = 0.9291) in the y‐direction, and SD = 9.08 cm (p < 0.0115) in the z‐direction. The technique performs within literature ranges of accepted accuracy and reproducibility and is comparable to results reported for other virtual stringing software.     

Introductory essay to symposium on modes of production and social formations in Asian Societies

Abstract

The Committee of Concerned Asian Scholars and the Bulletin of Concerned Asian Scholars have always attempted to provide alternatives to “established” scholarship in the Asian studies field. When CCAS came into existence in the mid-1960s, the main task was to formulate a critique of the cold war inspired scholarship of the 1950s, and to attempt to counteract the prevailing views concerning the communist countries and national liberation movements of Asia. This in turn led to an analysis of the structure of academic inquiry and academic funding in the United States, and to a realization of the political character of the “apolitical” stance of the Asian studies academic establishment.     

Fostering rural sense of place: the missing piece in Uturu,Nigeria

This article argues that the absence of a sense of place in rural Nigeria impedes development. It uses the case of Uturu to show that understanding the relationships people share with natural features and phenomena around them is important in their development. It proposes a framework constituted of rural mind, rural life, and rural character; and argues that strengthening one or the other pillar of this framework will likely lead to strengthening sense of place. Using in-depth interviews and historically informed observation, the authors show that a weak sense of place leads to poor development, and provide suggestions for improvement.

Encourager le sentiment d'appartenance en milieu rural : la pièce manquante à Uturu, au Nigéria

Cet article soutient que l'absence d'un sentiment d'appartenance dans le Nigéria rural entrave le développement. Il se sert du cas d'Uturu pour montrer que la compréhension des relations que les personnes ont avec les caractéristiques et phénomènes naturels les entourant est importante pour leur développement. Il propose un cadre constitué de l'esprit rural, de la vie en milieu rural et du caractère rural, et soutient que le renforcement d'un ou plusieurs piliers de ce cadre donnera lieu au renforcement du sentiment d'appartenance à un lieu. À l'aide d'entretiens approfondis et de l'observation à la lumière de l'histoire, les auteurs montrent qu'un sentiment faible d'appartenance donne lieu à un développement faible et proposent des suggestions pour améliorer la situation.

Fomentando un sentido de lugar en el ámbito rural: la pieza faltante en Uturu, Nigeria

El presente artículo sostiene que la falta del sentido de lugar en la Nigeria rural impide el desarrollo. A partir del caso de Uturu, se demuestra que un elemento importante para lograr el desarrollo de las personas es comprender las relaciones que establecen con los elementos naturales y con los fenómenos que las rodean. El artículo propone un marco analítico integrado por la mente rural, la vida rural y el carácter rural, sosteniendo que al fortalecer uno u otro de los pilares de este marco, probablemente se fortalezca también el sentido de lugar. Apoyados en entrevistas a profundidad y en observaciones respaldadas por la historiografía, los autores demuestran que un sentido de lugar débil conduce a un pobre desarrollo, formulando sugerencias para mejorar la situación.

Promovendo o senso de pertencimento rural: a peça que falta em Uturu, Nigéria

Este artigo argumenta que a ausência de um senso de pertencimento na zona rural da Nigéria impede o desenvolvimento. O autor utiliza o caso de Uturu para mostrar que compreender as relações que as pessoas compartilham com características e fenômenos naturais que as cercam é importante para o seu desenvolvimento. O artigo propõe uma estrutura constituída de mentalidade rural, vida rural e caráter rural e argumenta que fortalecer um ou outro pilar desta estrutura levará provavelmente ao fortalecimento do senso de pertencimento. Utilizando entrevistas aprofundadas e observações com bases históricas, os autores mostram que um senso de pertencimento fraco leva a um desenvolvimento ruim e oferecem sugestões para melhoria.     

Job Stress and Job Satisfaction Among Jail Staff: Exploring Gendered Effects

Despite increased representation in correctional work settings, women still encounter obstacles in this male-dominated occupation—obstacles that have the potential to affect their levels of job stress and job satisfaction. Although gender-based differences in job stress and job satisfaction have been analyzed in several prison settings, much less work has been conducted in the often neglected correctional arena of jails. The current study fills this empirical void by examining jail staff at a large county correctional system in Orlando, Florida. Ordinary least squares regression analysis indicated that different facets of the work environment differentially affected the job stress and job satisfaction of 419 women and 493 men working in a large urban jail system. Specifically, role ambiguity, perceived dangerousness, coworker relations, input into decision making, and administrative support had larger effects on job stress for women compared to men. For job satisfaction, the only workplace variable to have a gendered effect was administrative support, which also had a greater effect for women than men. The findings reveal gender-related differences, especially in terms of job stress.     

Perceived Parental Investment in School as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Socio-Economic Indicators and Educational Outcomes in Rural America

Each year, 1.3 million students fail to graduate, dropping the United States’ high school graduation rate to 69%. One of the most salient predictors of high school dropout is socio-economic status (SES), which makes important an improved understanding of the reasons why SES affects educational outcomes. In this study, multilevel mediation models were utilized to examine parental investment in school as a mediator of the relationship between SES and educational outcomes among an ethnically diverse sample of 64,350 7th to 9th grade students from 199 rural communities and towns in the U.S. (50% male, 63% non-Hispanic White). These relationships were assessed at the individual and school district level. Results indicate that parental investment is an important mediator at both levels. Within school districts, 28% of the effect of SES on the expectation to graduate from high school is mediated by perceived parental investment. Between school districts, 60% of the effect of concentrated disadvantage on the district’s high school graduation rate and nearly all (87%) of the effect of concentrated disadvantage on the average expectation to graduate from high school among students in the district is mediated by perceived parental investment. Implications for prevention are discussed.