Dutch real estate search engine found to provide lawful deep linking to websites of realtors

In preliminary relief proceedings against the Dutch search enginezoekallehuizen.nl, the Dutch court turned down the claims ofthe Dutch association of real estate agents (NVM) that the provisionof deep links to its members' websites infringed the copyrightand database rights of those realtors, but found that the NVMinfringed competition law by asking its members to make it impossiblefor zoekallehuizen.nl to provide deep links to their websites.     

A closer look at the information provision rationale: Civil society participation in states’ delegations at the UNFCCC

The previous literature contends inter alia that states may welcome the participation of civil society groups in global environmental governance due to their provision of information. The following research takes this argument as a starting point for a closer examination of its validity within the international climate change regime (UNFCCC) and, specifically, with regard to civil society involvement in states’ negotiation delegations. First, the author theoretically unfolds the information provision argument from a demand, i.e., state perspective along the bureaucratic quality of a country, the salience of a negotiation issue, and regime type. From this foundation, secondly, new data on the composition of states’ negotiation delegations in the UNFCCC is analyzed. The results seem to indicate that the information provision mechanism is unlikely to apply in the context under study. The paper, thus, concludes by providing alternative explanations.     

Reflexive engagements: the international development blogging evolution and its challenges

Writing weblogs (blogs) has become a substantial part of how development is discussed on the Internet. Based on research with development bloggers and the authors' own social media practice, this article is an exploratory case study to approach the impact of blogging on reflective writing, work practices, as well as knowledge management. Based on interviews with bloggers, the article undertakes an analysis of bloggers' motivations and the potential as well as limitations of blogs for different sectors of the industry, for example in academia, inside aid organisations, and in understanding expatriate aid workers. Finally, the article explores the question of whose voice is represented in blogs.

Engagements basés sur la réflexion : l’évolution des blogs consacrés au développement international et les défis qu'elle présente

Les blogs sont devenus un élément considérable de la forme que prennent les discussions ayant trait au développement sur internet. Cet article se base sur des recherches menées auprès de blogueurs dans le secteur du développement et sur la propre pratique des auteurs en matière de médias sociaux, et présente une étude de cas exploratoire visant à aborder l'impact des blogs sur l’écriture réflexive, les pratiques de travail, ainsi que la gestion des connaissances. Sur la base d'entretiens avec des blogueurs, l'article entreprend une analyse des motivations des blogueurs et du potentiel, ainsi que des limites, des blogs pour différents secteurs de l'industrie, par exemple dans le milieu universitaire, au sein des organisations d'aide et au moment de comprendre les travailleurs humanitaires expatriés. Enfin, cet article examine la question de savoir quelles sont les entités dont la voix est représentée sur les blogs.

Intercambios reflexivos: la evolución del blog en torno al desarrollo internacional y sus retos

Los blogs se han convertido en un componente sustancial de la discusión sobre desarrollo que tiene lugar en Internet. Apoyándose en investigaciones realizadas con blogueros del desarrollo y en las experiencias de los autores con medios sociales, el presente artículo hace referencia a un estudio de caso exploratorio, cuyo objetivo se orientó a conocer el impacto que han tenido los blogs en los artículos analíticos, en las prácticas laborales y en la gestión de conocimientos. Mediante entrevistas realizadas a blogueros, el artículo analiza sus motivaciones, así como el potencial y las limitaciones de los blogs a nivel de distintos sectores —por ejemplo, en la academia, en las organizaciones de ayuda humanitaria y en la comprensión de los funcionarios de estas organizaciones en el extranjero. Para finalizar, el artículo examina la pregunta ¿de quién es la opinión que se expresa en los blogs?

Engajamentos reflexivos: a evolução de blogs sobre desenvolvimento internacional e seus desafios

Escrever weblogs (blogs) tem se tornado uma parte expressiva de como a questão sobre desenvolvimento é discutida na Internet. Baseado em experiências de blogueiros, este artigo realiza um estudo de caso investigativo para abordar o impacto dos blogs sobre textos reflexivos, práticas de trabalho e gestão de conhecimento. Tendo como base entrevistas com blogueiros, o artigo realiza uma análise das motivações dos blogueiros e o potencial e as limitações dos blogs para setores diferentes da indústria, como por exemplo na academia, dentro de organizações de ajuda humanitária e no entendimento de trabalhadores expatriados de ajuda humanitária. Por fim, o artigo examina a questão relativa a quais vozes são representadas nos blogs.     

Diffusion of Compliance in the ‘Race towards Brussels?’ A Spatial Approach to EU Accession Conditionality

Previous studies identified several determinants that help explain candidate states’ compliance with EU accession conditionality. However, one influence has largely been neglected so far: states’ spatial dependency. Is it possible to observe diffusion to the extent that states’ interlinkages allow their compliance with the acquis communautaire to be assessed? Are candidate states more – or perhaps even less – likely to comply with EU law when other candidates do? The paper seeks to address these questions. By building on existing research on policy diffusion, it develops a theoretical framework for studying candidates’ compliance with EU law over the accession process according to their spatial dependence. The theoretical argument focuses on ‘competitive learning’ and is tested with quantitative data. The results suggest that candidates’ levels of compliance are indeed driven by spatial interlinkages; however, free riding seems more prevalent than enhanced compliance.     

Legal aspects of sexual violence—Does forensic evidence make a difference?

A survey was done of 307 alleged victims of sexual violence reported to the police departments in Greater Aarhus, Denmark, in 1999–2004. The legal disposition was ascertained and related to victim and assault characteristics together with the forensic medical and laboratory findings. The police pressed charges in more than half of the cases and 11% turned out to be false allegations. Nineteen percent of all cases ended with sentencing of the defendant. Sperm was detected in 35% of the examined and analysed cases, and in 46% consumption of alcohol prior to the assault was reported. Information in the forensic report regarding injury documentation, intoxication, and detection of sperm and DNA match between victim and alleged assailant did not aid in the prosecution of the case. Severe coercion used by the assailant increased the likelihood of conviction. Intoxication estimation and sperm detection suffered from low sensitivity compared with laboratory analyses. Results suggest the need for new research and optimising the sexual assault examination protocol to strengthen the legal impact of forensic evidence.     

Peacebuilding does not build peace

The concept of peacebuilding is a buzzword of the development policy and practice mainstream. The recent introduction of managerial tools and the focus on measuring the ‘effectiveness’ of peacebuilding have marginalised and depoliticised critical questions about the causes of violent conflict, and have replaced them with comforting notions for donors that peace can be built and measured without challenging Western understanding of economy, governance, and social aspirations of people.     

The Impact of Institutional Coup-Proofing on Coup Attempts and Coup Outcomes

Coup-proofing pertains to political leaders’ strategies that will prevent groups inside or outside the state apparatus from seizing power via a coup d’état. One particular form of these strategies divides a country’s military into rivaling organizations, thereby creating an artificial balance between and structural obstacles for the armed forces. Despite the general claim that this institutional coup-proofing is indeed effective, a recent empirical study does not obtain evidence for a negative impact on the risk of coup attempts or coup outcomes. The authors take this finding as a motivation for their re-evaluation of the effect of institutional coup-proofing on coup risk and outcomes. By developing an argument that rests on the concepts of collective action and polarization, it is contended that institutional coup-proofing and coups are characterized by a U-shaped relationship: Institutional coup-proofing is likely to lower the likelihood of coup onsets and successful outcomes, yet only until a tipping point of about two equally strong military organizations. After this turning point, the risk of coup onset as well as coup success may increase again. Using time-series cross-section data for 1975–1999, the authors find strong and robust support for their claims in terms of coup onset, but not coup outcomes.     

What price makes a good a status good? Results from a mating game

This contribution provides a game theoretical derivation of market demand for status goods as a function of the level and distribution of income: if (1) the price is sufficiently low, everyone buys the good; if (2) the price is sufficiently high, only the rich buy the good (a status good in a narrow sense). If (3) the price is located in very high or in middle range, demand collapses. Thereby, we explain the critical price from which a status good acts as a distinctive signal. In addition, this approach shows the potential welfare-improving impact of conspicuous consumption.