Can't get no satisfaction? The recognition of revisionist states

Attributions of satisfaction or dissatisfaction to states forman important foundation of theories about international relations,especially with respect to the outbreak of war among major powers.This paper addresses several conceptual and empirical problemsin the application of these attributions. It first offers acritique of the conventional denotation of states as putativelysatisfied or dissatisfied. It then presents the multiple connotationsthat this distinction has been associated with. This is followedby the suggestion of an alternative indicator, based on theextent of a state's participation in international governmentalorganizations (IGOs), for assessing and tracking national satisfaction/dissatisfaction.The paper then proceeds to a discussion of prior studies ofthe power-transition theory, and presents a serial reading ofnational satisfaction/dissatisfaction on the part of the maincontenders for international leadership from 1860 to 1949. Givenits central role in the wars among these contenders, Germany'sscores are the subject of special scrutiny. The proposed measureof satisfaction/dissatisfaction, when combined with the occurrenceof power shifts as determined by prior research, shows a strongassociation with the timing of past wars between major powers.The conclusion discusses some further theoretical and policyimplications of the perspective presented.     

The Quality of Forensic Psychological Assessments,Reports, and Testimony: Acknowledging the Gap Between Promise and Practice

During the past decade, the field of forensic psychological assessment entered a period of standard setting, reflected in the publication of specialty guidelines for practice and in the proliferation of educational opportunities, training programs, and credentialing and certification procedures for forensic examiners. Representing significant efforts to advance the quality of psychological assessments in legal contexts, these developments foreshadow the promise of forensic assessment. During this same time period, new evidence emerged regarding the quality of forensic practice. This article reviews this evidence and evaluates current practice against the promise of forensic assessment. Forensic reports appear to be of higher quality than those described by commentators in the 1970s and early 1980s; nevertheless, the level of practice falls far short of professional aspirations for the field. The review identifies significant areas of weakness that demand the attention of professional organizations, accrediting agencies, educators, lawmakers, practitioners, and consumers.The truth is what is, not what should be.--Lenny Bruce     

The functioning of large-scale cooperative enterprise in the south: A case study from Nicaragua

This paper examines the functioning and performance of a large cooperative federation in Nicaragua, concerned mainly with retailing. Set up in late 1985, in response to undersupply to smallholders, especially those in the mountainous interior, it has followed a strategy of rapid expansion. By using a federal structure which has allowed middle and junior management freedom to take the initiative, and by adopting mostly simple, appropriate, and non-bureaucratic procedures, the federation has succeeded in mounting an impressively large operation, with over 190 shops selling a wide variety of goods. On the other hand, at the centre, sales have grown sluggishly since 1988, costs have risen, and liquidity has become a problem. Moreover, the organization has lost capital, largely through its pricing policy. These can be blamed partly on the federated structure, the lack of a medium-term strategy, and dependency upon external donors; and partly on the trading environment of recession and uncertainty. The case study illustrates the difficulties in establishing large-scale cooperative enterprise, and the need in the long run to realise comparative advantage.