Semiotics of corruption: ideological complexes in Mexican politics

ABSTRACT

This article analyses a complex text and event to examine the role of ramifying contradictions in strategic social semiotics analysis. The focus was a paradoxical intervention into corruption by then-Mexican President Peña, who responded to an unprecedented wave of popular criticisms of corruption by simultaneously launching an Anticorruption System and apologizing for his own corruption. We asked: how did this contradiction work, in this conjuncture, with what effects, and how analyse them? We combined the concepts of the Ideological Complex and Wittgenstein’s “duck-rabbit” to explain unstable contradictions in a multiscalar, multimodal analysis of a diachronic corpus, to expose discursive strategies and identify points of vulnerability.     

‘Royal supremacy restored?’ Scottish parliamentary independence in the Restoration era, 1660–88

SUMMARY

The constitutional settlement instituted by the Scottish Parliament in 1661–63 has traditionally been seen as a victory for the crown and a disaster for the parliamentary estates, since all of the hard-won constitutional gains introduced during the Covenanting era were largely swept away in favour of a complete reassertion of the king's prerogative powers. Nevertheless, despite the initial flourishing of royalist enthusiasm that marked the early Restoration period, in only a matter of years Scotland's political elites were once more engaged in battle with an authoritarian monarch and his increasingly dictatorial ministers of state. By as early as the mid-1660s, armed rebellion had erupted in the localities, religious non-conformity threatened to fragment the church, and rumbles of dissent within the parliamentary chamber itself were becoming more difficult to ignore. Can it be concluded, therefore, that it would prove impossible to imagine away the momentous events of the Covenanters' radical experiment in government, and that some of those constitutional and ideological principles survived into the Restoration era, effectively sowing the seeds of what would become the Revolution of 1689–90?     

Win–Win? Early experience from local area agreements

Local Area Agreements (LAAs) are a mechanism for delivering improved outcomes for local people, through recasting governance relationships between central government and localities and between local agencies. This paper assesses the effectiveness of LAAs in reforming these critical relationships, drawing on research carried out in 2004–06 into the round one and two negotiations. These early negotiations highlighted the complexity of ‘central–local relations’; a coherent approach across Whitehall was hampered by differences in departmental culture and in the nature of relationships with local delivery agencies, while the new role for Government Offices was ambiguous. Nevertheless the early LAAs represented a major step forward in terms of local–central relations. Within localities, the process of developing LAAs proved challenging and highlighted governance weaknesses; however in the main participants report that partnerships have been greatly strengthened as a result. These early experiences provided rich learning, and policy has developed significantly since the pilots. At the time this research ended there was not yet any conclusive evidence on the balance of costs and benefits. However, over time LAAs have the potential to bring about a transformation in governance relationships and, in turn, the delivery of services to address cross-cutting outcomes.     

Cohabitants, Property and the Law: A Study of Injustice

With cohabitation outside marriage becoming increasingly common, the law's response to the problems that arise on separation has become a key issue for public and family policy. This article draws upon the findings of a qualitative empirical study of how property disputes are handled when cohabitants separate. It argues that the unfairness of the current law is best understood as stemming from a failure to recognise the situation that arises as one of unjust enrichment. It shows that the complexity and unpredictability of the law make it difficult to bargain effectively in the shadow of the law. It suggests that the need for reform goes beyond the introduction of a discretionary regime, such as that proposed by the Law Commission, to reform of conveyancing and property law and practice to facilitate initial, as well as post-separation private ordering.     

Fatal case of Rapunzel syndrome in neglected child

Rapunzel syndrome is very extreme form of trichobezoar formation where the tail of the trichobezoar extends from the stomach into the small intestine. Death resulting from this condition is rare and is usually associated with gastric or intestinal perforation. We report a fatal case of Rapunzel syndrome in a 3 years and 10 months old girl. Review of the literature indicates that this case involves the youngest child to have died from this syndrome. Furthermore, this case is unique due to the clear association with the parent's neglect with failure to provide the child with adequate health care.     

Validation of the MiniFiler™ Kit in archaeological samples

We evaluate the usefulness of MiniFiler™ Kit in the field of ancient DNA. A set of samples belonging to different locations from Iberian Peninsula, with ages ranging from Neolithic to XVII century, was tested. Results could be replicated in only one burial site, probably due to the taphonomic conditions. Other cases could only produce partial or none genetic profiles.     

Forensic evaluation of sudden death due to tuberculosis

Abstract:  The emergence of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) poses a major threat to TB control efforts. We report a case of a 50-year-old man with pulmonary TB. The scene investigation had initially suspected for homicide; however, the result of medico-legal autopsy demonstrated natural cause of death. Statistical data suggest that the rates of national mortality by respiratory TB decreased in the last decades in Hungary; however, an increasing TB mortality was detected in the capital Budapest. Facing a new mortality trend in TB, the forensic scene investigation and determination of manner of death represent new challenges for practitioners.     

Planerische Steuerung von privilegierten Vorhaben im Außenbereich

Durch das Europarechtsanpassungsgesetz (EAG Bau) werden die planerischen Steuerungsmöglichkeiten von Außenbereichsvorhaben unter Übernahme des Darstellungsprivilegs in § 35 Abs. 3 S. 3 BauGB um einen Teilflächennutzungsplan (§ 5 Abs. 2b BauGB) und Zurückstellungsmöglichkeiten (§ 15 Abs. 3 BauGB) ergänzt. Der Beitrag stellt die gesetzlichen Neuregelungen vor und behandelt die Frage, welche Verbindlichkeit die planerischen Ausweisungen für die Betroffenen haben und ob die Flächennutzungspläne und Raumordnungspläne (Gebietsentwicklungspläne) damit zu unmittelbar geltenden Rechtsnormen werden. Zugleich wird über die Rechtsprechung zu Windkraftanlagen berichtet. *) Bernhard Stüer lehrt an den Universitäten Münster und Osnabrück das Öffentliche Baurecht, Fachplanungsrecht, Raumordnungsrecht, Umweltrecht und Kommunalrecht und ist Richter im Nebenamt am Anwaltsgerichtshof des Landes NRW. Eva Stüer ist in anwaltlicher Beratung und Prozessvertretung mit Fragen der planungsrechtlichen Zulässigkeit von Außenbereichsvorhaben befasst, vgl. auch die Schrift der Verfasserin Außenbereichsbebauung: Entwicklung und geltendes Recht (§ 35 BauGB 1998), Beiträge zum Siedlungs- und Wohnungswesen und zur Raumplanung, Bd. 177, Münster 1997.

---