Why revolution ain’t easy: violating norms,re‐socializing society

Society is not only structured by major hierarchical institutions, but also by the unwritten rules, called norms, that govern the practice of daily life within those institutions. Peoples’ unreflective observance of these norms helps to perpetuate inequality and domination in society. Norms are transmitted through a process of socialization, by which every member of society is subtly trained to appreciate and follow these norms. While disobeying norms, or deviance, is possible, it is also fraught with problems and challenges. Ultimately, many things prevent the creation of new, anarchistic norms. Still, even with formidable obstacles in their path, anarchists have attempted to re‐socialize themselves and others in order to adhere to more egalitarian, horizontal, and cooperative norms.     

Pragmatic persuasion in counterterrorism

This article approaches a hitherto understudied topic in counterterrorism discourse, namely argumentative speech, as it relates to measures impacting on human rights. Frame analysis is applied for the first time in this area to statements and other types of ‘public speech’ communicated by the main US and EU executive institutions between September 2001 and September 2010. After detailing some methodological considerations, the article focuses on the pragmatic justification pattern and assesses its persuasion potential along a series of resonance criteria. It then argues for a more rigorous analysis of normative argumentation along a series of inductively derived analytical concepts and for a switch in focus from the liberty versus security trade-off and from the notion of exceptionalism towards that of pragmatism, given the increased odds of ‘success’ of this type of argumentation in the context of de facto normative change.     

Using social norms to reduce men's rape proclivity: Perceived rape myth acceptance of out-groups may be more influential than that of in-groups

Abstract

Feedback about a reference group's rape myth acceptance (RMA) has been shown to affect men's rape proclivity (Bohner, Siebler, & Schmelcher, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 32, 286–297, 2006). In two experiments with male university students (total N=294), this research was extended by varying the in-group vs out-group status of the reference group. Results showed that feedback about other men's RMA influenced self-reported RMA (Experiment 1) and rape proclivity (Experiments 1 and 2). Overall, participants' rape proclivity was affected by feedback about both in-groups' RMA and out-groups' RMA. The strongest reduction of rape proclivity was produced by low-RMA feedback about an out-group that participants expected to be high in RMA (Experiment 2). Implications for theory and intervention are discussed.     

The future of self-determination and territorial integrity in the Asian Century

Abstract

The twentieth century saw the rise of two important and interrelated norms. The first is the norm of self-determination, which advances the right of stateless nations to govern themselves. The second is the norm of territorial integrity, which upholds the principle that political borders should be respected. A consequence of these norms has been an increase in secessionism, a decline in conquest, and a proliferation of states. This paper will examine the development of these norms, their interrelationship, and their prospects for the future. Attention will be given to three important questions: (1) Under what conditions does a norm endure beyond a power transition? (2) How likely is an ascendant China or India to support the norms? (3) What does a power transition and the corresponding support of these norms augur for the future of secession, conquest, and the number of sovereign states?     

Does the world agree about standards of electoral integrity? Evidence for the diffusion of global norms

Drawing upon theories of the diffusion of global norms, this study addresses two issues: is there a shared consensus among experts about standards of electoral integrity? And do evaluations by elites reflect ‘Western/American’ values, or do they coincide with the judgments of ordinary people living in diverse cultures, suggesting the existence of internalized global norms?     

Risk and the limits of governance: Exploring varied patterns of risk‐based governance across Europe

Risk‐based approaches to governance are widely promoted as universally applicable foundations for improving the quality, efficiency, and rationality of governance across policy domains. Premised on the idea that governance cannot eliminate all adverse outcomes, these approaches provide a method for establishing priorities and allocating scarce resources, and, in so doing, rationalise the limits of what governance interventions can, and should, achieve. Yet cursory observation suggests that risk‐based approaches have spread unevenly across countries. Based on a comparison of the UK, France, and Germany, this article explores the ways in which, and why, such approaches have “colonised” governance regimes in the UK, but have had much more limited application in France and Germany. We argue that the institutionally patterned adoption of risk‐based governance across these three countries is related to how entrenched governance norms and accountability structures within their national polities handle both the identification and acceptance of adverse governance outcomes.     

The communal/exchange distinction and some implications for understanding justice in families

This article briefly reviews 10 years of research on a distinction between communal and exchange norms. Communal norms dictate benefits should be given in response to the other's needs. Exchange norms dictate benefits should be given in response to specific benefits received in the past or with the expectation of receiving specific benefits in the future. Choice of norms is shown to be influenced by the type of relationship desired or existing between two people. Evidence of chronic individual differences in tendencies to follow communal and to follow exchange norms in relationships is also presented. We argue that most people believe that communal norms should be followed in family relationships and we outline implications of the research reviewed for understanding justice in the family. Implications of (i) behavior in accord with exchange norms (e.g., quick repayment of benefits received, keeping track of individual inputs into joint tasks), (ii) behavior in accord with communal norms (e.g., helping, expressing emotion) and (iii) individual differences in relationship orientations are discussed.     

Aggressive reactions to social injustice by individuals and groups as a function of social norms,gender, and anonymity

Two conflicting approaches to the study of group aggression are compared: the deindividuation theory of Zimbardo (1970) and the emergent norm theory of Turner and Killian (1972). To test these two conflicting hypotheses, the frustration-aggression theory of Brown (1986) is used which assumes that individuals and groups, male or female, will react with angry aggression when important social justice norms are violated. It was hypothesized (i) that groups will be more aggressive than single individuals; (ii) males will be more aggressive than females; and (iii) that more aggression will occur when people can be easily identified than when they remain anonymous to each other. These hypotheses received some support. Unexpected interactions between these variables are discussed in some detail. Generally, more support is found for the emergent norm theory than for deindividuation theory.     

论和谐社会语境下刑法的人文关怀

和谐社会从本质上说是以人为本、保障人权、体现人文关怀的社会。人文关怀是和谐社会的内在要求和必然选择。刑法作为一种重要的法律规范,在构建和谐社会的过程中应该体现人文关怀,发挥其重要作用,而在我国公众和公权行使者对刑法存在非常态的认知和误读的情况下,更应该强调刑法的深层意蕴,即人文关怀。刑法的人文关怀属性是由刑法机能决定并展开的,也是能与和谐社会相契合并且良性互动、协调发展的。我国现行刑法制度、条文规范在体现人文关怀意蕴的同时,还存在着缺失,有必要根据情况加以改进。     

司法认定中的显形规范与隐形规则——置于罪刑法定制度构造中

司法认定包括对法律的认定与对事实的认定.贯彻罪刑法定原则的刑事司法认定特别是其中的对刑事法律的认定表现出对刑法正式规则、显形规范的巨大期待.这种期待表现为立法者对法典编纂的热切和司法办案人员对成文法及所确立的正式规则、显形规范的强烈渴望和绝对的依赖.但是,纯粹的正式规则、显形规范治理的理想主义模式是不存在的.贯彻罪刑法定原则的司法运作同样需要非正式规则、隐形规则的介入,这是由刑法正式规则、显形规范的局限性及法律运作、司法认定的规律所决定的.