Rational Choice,Agency and Thoughtfully Reflective Decision Making: The Short and Long-Term Consequences of Making Good Choices

Notions of human agency are a prominent part of some but not all criminological theories. For example, McCarthy (Annu Rev Sociol 28:417–442, 2002) argues that rational choice theory, which allows persons great involvement in decision making, is more congenial with notions of human agency than others. It would appear from his argument that rational choice theory offers fertile ground to develop a clearly defined role for human agency in criminal behavior. In this paper we have taken up McCarthy’s view and argue that an important part of what is human agency consists of thoughtfully reflective decision making. We outline four elements of thoughtfully reflective decision making, and claim that it is a characteristic that varies both across persons and within persons over time. It is in short the process by which good decisions are made because by using this process one increases the likelihood that choices made will be consistent with preferences. We develop a clear operational definition of thoughtfully reflective decision making and link it to the concept of human agency. We also articulate testable hypotheses about the short-term and longer-term implications of thoughtfully reflective decision making. We conclude with a discussion of what we think lies ahead for future conceptual and empirical work.

Delegation and digital mandates: Legal requirements and security objectives

Now that more and more legal transactions are being performed online, it is increasingly necessary to enable integration of legal mandates within identity and information management systems. The purpose of this article is to outline the legal framework surrounding delegation and to identify basic requirements for any technical application which seeks to provide recognition to legal mandates and delegation processes. Special consideration is also given to the legal implications in situations where a (presumed) mandate holder acts without or outside his authority. Based on these considerations, this article attempts to outline an approach which can significantly reduce the potential risks for both mandate issuers and relying service providers.     

论行政契约中行政主体之给付不能

在具体行政契约制度中,行政主体的给付不能之类型不应完全仿民法之立法例,而应根据行政主体之特殊性,结合依法行政原则,将其给付不能区分为法律不能与事实不能两大类型。就法律后果而言,因行政主体在行政契约中的优越地位,故应使其负担更多的契约风险,以平衡行政契约双方当事人的利益。     

Building bridges? South African foreign policy and trilateral development cooperation

As questions concerning international development climb the international agenda, so countries find themselves drawn into a burgeoning number of negotiations on issues ranging from the future shape and direction of the post-2015 development agenda to ‘aid effectiveness’ and international development cooperation. Moving from the position of a ‘beneficiary’ state in the traditional donor–recipient aid hierarchy, South Africa is looking to define its own niche within the wider development diplomacy context as a development partner. This paper provides an assessment of South Africa's evolving approach towards international development cooperation, with a particular focus on trilateral development cooperation, and what this means for Pretoria's foreign policy in bridging the divide between developed and developing country positions within the international development regime.     

仲裁发展的障碍问题探析

我国仲裁法尚未达到立法者预期的目的。其主要原因,一是社会对仲裁的认知明显不够;二是法院对仲裁存在认识上的误区;三是仲裁法在制度设计上存在缺陷;四是不少仲裁机构先天不足,自身问题较多。尽快排除这种障碍,是仲裁发展的当务之急。     

核安全全球治理:历史、现实与挑战

核安全风险超越国界,可能跨越地区,甚至影响全球,因而核安全的治理必然是全球治理。各国对核安全风险的评估、核安全意识的养成是一个演进的过程,与此同步的是核安全全球治理。核安全全球治理经历了冷战、冷战结束和九一一事件以来的三个发展阶段,治理的主要内容随着国际安全形势的变化而调整。冷战期间的核安全全球治理主要体现为建立国际原子能机构以管理核能的和平利用,防范无核国家以发展民用核能为由发展核武器,签署和履行与核安全密切相关的国际公约、培育核安全的意识;冷战结束初期,国际原子能机构强化了保障监督能力,多边出口管制机制加强了对涉核物项出口的管控,国家间展开了实质性的核安全合作;九一一恐怖袭击之后,核安全全球治理呈现加速度的趋势,国际社会日益形成核安全共识,全球性制度建设加速,多边合作加强。经过多年努力,核安全全球治理的制度建设取得了显著成就,双边和多边国际合作得到实质性推动,但核安全全球治理仍然面临如何有效减少核材料存量、如何推动相关国家切实履行国家责任等挑战。