Managing resources that are common property: From Kathmandu to Capitol Hill

Nepal's forests are common property; and because they are common property, they are abused. In this respect, they are like the many common resources around the world, including the public fisheries and grazing lands of the United States. All share similar problems that point to similar solutions. Increasing human populations are likely to increase the seriousness of the problems associated with the use of common property, especially for those types of common property that are geographically fixed. Underinvestment is probably a bigger problem than overconsumption for such stationary resources. Even when people do not overconsume a commonly owned resource, they often consume the wrong mix of products from such a resource. If political constraints prevent a government from shifting to a less destructive basis of ownership, mimicking the incentives that would exist if the common property were under the control of a single manager may help solve common-property problems.     

Enabling Citizenship: Gender,disability and citizenship in Australia

This paper queries the absence of disabled voices in contemporary citizenship literature. It argues that the language and imagery of the citizen is imbued with hegemonic normalcy and as such excludes disability. Feminist perspectives, such as those which argue for a form of maternal citizenship, largely fail to acknowledge disability experiences. Exclusionary practices are charted and links are made between gender, race and disability in this process. A citizenship which acknowledges disability is fundamental to re-imaging local, national and international collectivities.     

Addiction as Defect of the Will: Some Philosophical Reflections

Law and Philosophy -     

Adolescents' Commitment to Developing Talent: The Role of Peers in Continuing Motivation for Sports and the Arts

The role of peer relationships in supporting or hindering adolescents' talent development has received little research attention, despite the importance of peers in adolescents' lives. We conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with 41 adolescents talented in sports or the arts, and their parents, to investigate (a) the role of peer relationships in adolescents' continued involvement in their talent activities, (b) possible differences in this role by activity domain, and (c) possible gender differences. Thematic analysis indicated that peers typically played a positive function in supporting the continued involvement of talented adolescents in their talent activities. There were differences in opportunities for peer relationships and social satisfaction between in-school and out-of school activities, but not between activity domains. Both males and females mentioned equally social benefits of such involvement. However, females mentioned receiving negative peer attention more frequently than males, and more often cited social dissatisfaction as a significant contributor to decreased involvement or quitting.     

Why is the Bodiless (aṅanga) Gnostic Body (jñāna-kāya) Considered a Body?

Journal of Indian Philosophy - This paper analyzes the reasons for which the incorporeal ultimate reality called the “Gnostic Body” (jñānakāya) is categorized as a...