Religious Relations across the Taiwan Strait: Patterns,Alignments, and Political Effects

This study of Buddhist, Taoist, and Christian relations across the Taiwan Strait elicits three observations: (1) officials on both sides of the Strait are permitting increased cross-Strait religious interaction, but each side has different calculations for doing so; (2) each side uses religion as “soft power” to obtain its political objectives, but these low-key approaches are limited—for different reasons; and (3) even though cross-Strait religious ties are defined by the governments and religious organizations in Taiwan and China in cultural terms, they have significant political implications.     

The United Kingdom Right to Request as a Model for Flexible Work in the European Union

Flexible work, the practice of giving employees some control over their working time, can transform the modern workplace. Once the province of scattered national legislation, the European Union is now considering the inclusion of flextime rights in the Working Time Directive (WTD), the leading EU legislation related to work time. In this article, we propose that the European Commission should adopt a right to request flexible work as part of the WTD. Adoption of the right to request flexible work would significantly alleviate the challenges employees face in maintaining work–life balance. The right to request flexible work can also provide benefits to employers by increasing employee loyalty and productivity. Finally, adoption of the right to request flexible work into the WTD would improve the overall effectiveness of the EU's employment law framework in an increasingly fast‐paced and competitive society.     

Homicide–Suicide in Cuyahoga County,Ohio, 1991–2016

Research on homicides followed by suicides has relied heavily on small samples and relatively short time spans of data. This study helps to fill this gap by examining 26 years of homicide–suicide data from Cuyahoga County, Ohio, between 1991 and 2016. The main data source for the study is medical examiner files. Analyses of the data indicate the rate of homicide–suicide in Cuyahoga County is consistent with other studies but fluctuates considerably across years studied. The majority of victims are female while perpetrators are overwhelmingly male. Black people are overrepresented as victims and offenders. Use of drugs and/or alcohol leading up to the incident is common among perpetrators. Both the homicides and suicides were overwhelming committed with firearms. When comparing our results to the typology of murder–suicides developed by Marzuk, Tardiff, and Hirsch (JAMA 1992;267:3179), we find amorous jealousy is a significant motivating factor in a many cases, including those involving nonintimate partners. Our findings underscore the importance of widespread use of lethality assessment instruments.     

Party Politics and Governance in Grenada: An Analysis of the New National Party (1984–2012)

Abstract

This article examines party politics and governance in post-revolutionary Grenada, using the case of the New National Party (NNP). The central question is what does the evolution of the NNP suggests about governance and democracy in post-invasion Grenada? The article traces four phases of the NNP since its formation in 1984: (1) externally imposed marriage of convenience; (2) intra-party conflict and splintering; (3) rebranding, consolidation and dominance; and (4) electoral defeat. The article contends that Grenada has transitioned to formal democracy and the NNP is a significant actor. Yet, despite this transition, Grenada has not become the showcase of democracy that the US said it would in 1984.     

Turning Points

A new book explores the dynamics of a changing world The world is becoming a complex and unpredictableplace.Andthecombina- tion of complexity and uncertainty is often volatile, especially for policy makers in business and government who prefer their     

Characteristics associated with rape attrition and the role played by scepticism or legal rationality by investigators and prosecutors

Abstract

This paper reports a multidimensional scaling analysis of features associated with rape attrition by identifying key aspects of the rape that are associated with loss of cases at the stages of police investigation, prosecutors’ considerations and in court. The research utilized a case-file analysis (n=105) consisting of all rapes reported to one division within a large UK urban police force by females over the age of 16 from April 1998 to April 2003. In addition, interviews were conducted with police officers and Crown Prosecutors to explore their understanding of the reasons why attrition occurs. The findings illustrate the extent to which prejudicial attitudes and legal logic influence police officers’ and solicitors’ modes of thinking and subsequently influence decisions for rape cases to proceed to court. Methodological and practical issues are considered.     

Becoming widowed

This article discusses the characteristics of widowhood in early 19th-century Austria, focusing on the sources of economic support. Higher proportions of the widowed population were found in inmate than in tenant households, and more women than men were widowed. Widows were more likely to live on their own than adults in general were, indicating that many widows could support their households from their own resources. For 40% of the widows, however, familial support was available in the form of a coresident extended household. Tenant households with greater resources at their disposal were better able to offer this form of support than inmate households. Less than 1% of tenant widows lived alone. Longitudinal data were analyzed to determine the relative frequency with which tenant and inmate widows succeeded their late husbands as household heads, remarried, or retired to become the mothers or mothers-in-law of the new household heads.     

Reflections on the development of the nota policy ‘working with adults and adolescents who exhibit sexually abusive behaviours: The use of sexually salient and pornographic materials’

Abstract

In 1994 the Policy and Ethics Sub-Committee of The National Association for the Development of Work with Sex Offenders developed and published a policy on the use of ‘sexually salient and pornographic’ materials in working with adults and adolescents who exhibited sexually abusive behaviours. Here, Alix Brown, one of the originators of this policy, reflects on the reasons it was brought into being and its relevance to sex offender treatment now. The policy document follows this article.