Disproportionality and voter turnout in new and old democracies

A long-standing puzzle in electoral research is why the disproportionality of electoral systems has a negative effect on voter participation in established democracies, but not in new democracies. We propose a learning theory of electoral system’s effects, and test it in a cross-national analysis and by using Spain as a case study. Electoral disproportionality is unrelated to voter participation in early elections after democratization, but the relationship is increasingly visible as democracies grow older. The case study uncovers two mechanisms: small parties optimize their mobilization strategy only after the first democratic elections, and the difference in the turnout rates of small party supporters and large party supporters grows over time. Time is needed before the consequences of electoral systems are fully revealed. Importantly, the findings suggest that studies carried out just after an electoral system is created or reformed may provide downward biased estimates of their long-term consequences.     

Provisional Measures: Binding and Persuasive? Enabling Human Rights Adjudicators to Follow up on State Disrespect

Netherlands International Law Review - Given the importance of the rights at stake (the right to life, the prohibition of torture and cruel treatment and the right of individual petition as such)...     

Assessment of the stability of 30 antipsychotic drugs in stored blood specimens

The accuracy of antemortem diagnosis of pulmonary embolism is within the range of just 10-30%, so representing one of the most frequent missed diagnosis in sudden, unexpected death. We describe 43 fatal cases of pulmonary embolism as confirmed by post-mortem examination. The aim of our study was to verify the systematic search for the most common genetic thrombophilias (Factor V Leiden (G1691A) and FII (G20210A) gene variants) and dating the thrombus. As a whole, 41 patients (95.3%) had at least one risk factor. Pre-existing symptoms are described just before fatal embolism in 18 (41.9%) out 43 patients. In 18 out of 43 (41.9%) it was not possible to find the thrombotic site. In 24 out of the remaining 25 cases the involvement of the deep veins of one leg was shown; in 1 case the thrombus was localised in the inferior caval vein. 10 (41.7%) were iliac vein thromboses, 7 (29.1%) femoral, 2 (8.3%) popliteal, 3 (12.6%) posterior-tibial, 1 (4.1%) anterior-tibial and 1 (4.1%) peroneal vein thromboses. In our cohort of patients, 4 (10%) out of 40 cases carried the 20210A prothrombin gene variant in heterozygosis. One (2.5%) out of 40 carried the Factor V Leiden (G1691A) gene variant in heterozygosis. Patients carrying these gene variants in homozygosis or carrying both were not present in our case-series. We strongly underline the relevance of a complete methodological approach, integrating clinical data by means of autopsy findings and histological study. On the contrary, investigating common inherited thrombophilia is not warranted.     

The Democratic Anchorage of Governance Networks

Governance through the negotiated interaction of a plurality of public, semi-public and private actors seems to provide an efficient means for governing our increasingly complex, fragmented and multi-layered societies. However, the big question is whether governance networks also contribute to the democratic governance of society. Governance network theory and post-liberal theories of democracy claim that there are both democratic problems and potentials associated with interactive network governance. In order to be able to assess, and possibly improve, the democratic performance of governance networks, the authors of this article develop and substantiate an analytical model for measuring the democratic anchorage of governance networks in different political constituencies and in an appropriate set of democratic rules and norms. In addition, it is argued that politicians should play a key role in efforts to ensure the democratic anchorage of governance networks.     

Beyond dependency,autonomy, and exchange: Prosocial behavior in late-life adaptation

This paper focuses on prosocial and altruistic behavior in late life. Empirical data on prevalence of helping behaviors among the elderly and the range of motives underlying their helping are reviewed. The authors consider implications of these data for theories of social behavior in late life. Questions are raised regarding the universal applicability of models of social behavior which have been implicit in much of existing research in social gerontology. Data on helping by the elderly are related to dependency and autonomy models of social interaction. Futhermore, the potential for altruistic as opposed to extrinsic motivations for helping among older adults is considered, challenging the exclusive reliance on exchange principles for understanding social interactions by older persons. Empirical evidence of prosocial behavior in late life is placed in the context of life-span developmental theories of personality and a contributory model of late life social behavior is proposed.     

Organised Informality and Suitcase Trading in the Pearl River Delta Region

ABSTRACT

Suitcase trade is a common activity along state borders in Asia. Existing scholarship has often viewed such suitcase trade as locally embedded activities characterised by informality. This article contends that this perception underestimates the diversity and complexity of suitcase trade. This is illustrated with a case study of the Pearl River Delta region of southern China, where thousands of suitcase traders carry goods across the borders between mainland China and its two Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macao. Several patterns of operation run in parallel, ranging from petty traders working alone to highly-organised group operators. While each individual transaction is small scale and based on informal networks, the entire chain of operations is run by syndicates that are highly organised, commercial, with well-defined divisions of labour, and on a large scale. We describe such a combination of organisational competence and informal networks as “organised informality.” The concept allows us to expand the analytical horizon to cover those cross-border exchanges that incorporate modern commercial practices in otherwise non-formal settings. It also bridges the oft-criticised dichotomies of formal-informal and licit-illicit.     

How Western Marxism is attempting to survive the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe

She is the author of Fragile Democracy: The Use and Abuse of Power in Western Societiesrecently published by Transaction.     

Sex crime legislation: Proactive and anti-therapeutic effects

Therapeutic jurisprudence may have its major role within law practice, but analysis of the law from a therapeutic perspective is a task that should not be neglected; how a piece of legislation is designed and formulated certainly influences the therapeutic outcome of a legal process. This article uses sex legislation as an example to demonstrate how the old rape law based on coercion has anti-therapeutic effects on rape victims. If the law requires resistance, it implies that a woman is sexually available until she resists physically, resulting in an attitude that a woman reporting rape without injuries should be mistrusted. This mistrust of the victim and the victim's attendant feelings of self-blame aggravate the victim's trauma. On the other hand, a modern rape law based on lack of consent gives the signal that a woman is not available until she has given her consent, resulting in a different starting position for the investigation. Since the will of the victim must be respected, the victim herself must be respected in the legal process. Furthermore, being able to tell one's story in a respectful atmosphere can be more important for the well-being of the victim than the outcome of the reported case.