Consenting to Exclude? Empirical Patterns of Democracy and Immigrant Integration Policy

Studies explaining immigrant integration policies commonly focus on single aspects such as right-populist party politics or the immigration legacy of a country. This neglects the overall character of the democratic system within which policy-making unfolds. Research on empirical patterns of democracy, in turn, suggests that consensus democracies pursue ‘kinder and gentler’ policies and outperform majoritarian democracies in terms of minority representation. The article tests whether this conclusion holds for the specific group of immigrant minorities and analyses the relationship between patterns of democracy and immigrant integration policy using a new dataset on empirical democracies in 30 European and North American countries. Simultaneously estimating the character of democratic systems in terms of power dispersion and its effect on integration policies, the analysis reveals a distinct ‘Janus-faced’ pattern: while proportional power dispersion tends to coincide with more inclusive immigrant integration policies, pronounced veto structures tend to foster exclusion.     

Governments,decentralisation, and the risk of electoral defeat

In the last three decades several countries around the world have transferred authority from their national to their regional governments. However, not all their regions have been empowered to the same degree and important differences can be observed between and within countries. Why do some regions obtain more power than others? Current literature argues that variation in the redistribution of power and resources between regions is introduced by demand. Yet these explanations are conditional on the presence of strong regionalist parties or territorial cleavages. This article proposes instead a theory that links the government’s risk of future electoral defeat with heterogeneous decentralisation, and tests its effects using data from 15 European countries and 141 regions. The results provide evidence that parties in government protect themselves against the risk of electoral defeat by selectively targeting decentralisation towards regions in which they are politically strong. The findings challenge previous research that overestimates the importance of regionalist parties while overlooking differences between regions.     

论著作权法的范式转换 从“权利”到“行为规制”

现行著作权法条文的构造具有浓厚的自然权理论色彩,重视对著作人身权的保护,且在处理著作财产权时拘泥于物权构造。静态思维的权利范式缺乏体系化思维,将著作权误解为对作品这一无体"物"享有的权利。然而,著作权的本质是行为规制,其对私人行动自由的限制程度较高。因此,著作权法的思维方式也需要从静态思维的权利范式转向动态思维的行为规制范式。动态思维的行为规制范式,既可以纠正政策形成过程中的利益倾斜问题,也可以弥补著作权法条文与使用者普遍认知之间的偏差。     

A comprehensive GlobalFiler™ autosomal STR reference dataset for Southern Africa

In this study a total of n = 832 autosomal DNA profiles from Southern Africa are analysed using the GlobalFiler™ STR panel. The dataset includes South Africa (SA) profiles (n = 541) produced by Ristow et al. 2016 and includes newly generated data for SA Sepedi (n = 96) and Lesotho populations (n = 195). For the newly generated (n = 291) genotypes, we report a large degree of rare and novel variation. This included (n = 7) off-ladder allele variants and (n = 7) TPOX tri-alleles. We report forensic summary statistics and genetic diversity parameters. Expected heterozygosity and observed heterozygosity ranged between (0.7– 0.9) with SE33 as the most polymorphic and TH01 the least. For SA and Lesotho genotypes the combined match probability was (1.13 ×10^-24 and 6.035 ×10^-24) and the combined paternity index (1.4 ×10⁹ and 2.44 ×10⁸) respectively. The power of exclusion (0.9999) was similar for each dataset and no significant departures from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) were observed after Bonferroni correction. Population comparisons were performed by MDS and neighbour-joining and population structure inferred by STRUCTURE and DAPC unsupervised clustering.     

Investment sensitivity to interest rates in an uncertain context: is a positive relationship possible?

This paper shows a non-linear relationship between investment and interest rates under uncertainty. Since the interest rate’s variance is positively related to the investment’s value (through the discount factor) and, generally, is also positively related to the interest rate’s level, then, at the same time, a negative (classical) and a positive (through the interest rate’s variance) relationship links interest rates to investment. Hence, an ultimate and even positive relationship between investment and interest rates’ (expected) level may occur. A specific model is proposed and the conditions upon which the positive effect occurs are derived. Some estimates are also proposed.

Fight or flight: Integral emotions and violent intentions

The effect of proximate emotions on risk perceptions is of central importance to criminal decision‐making theory, but has been understudied. We investigate the role of two integral (situational specific) emotional responses, anger and fear, in a decision‐making context regarding the choice to commit assault. We draw on dual‐process models of information processing and appraisal theory to propose a theoretical model in which integral emotions influence decisions and behavior. Using data from an experiment embedded in a survey to a nationwide sample of adults (N = 804), we test the interrelated roles of anger, fear, and traditional rational choice considerations on the intention to commit assault. We find a strong direct association between emotions and intentions to commit assault. Additionally, anger and fear moderate the effect of cognitive deliberations on behavioral intentions and provide a lens through which to evaluate a criminogenic opportunity.     

市场竞争导致的银行集中、制度与净利息边际收入

研究银行集中与效率的关系主要有银行集中-管制效率论、银行集中-结构效率论和银行集中-制度效率论三种理论。本文基于面板数据,实证分析了后两种由市场竞争导致的银行集中与效率的理论。结果表明银行集中度与银行效率有显著的正相关关系,控制制度变量后,银行集中度与银行效率仍有显著的正相关关系,但制度变量不显著,银行集中-结构效率论成立。所以,提高银行效率必须改善银行市场结构,调整业务结构和加强银行监管,努力实现市场竞争导致的银行集中,建立防范金融风险的“隔离墙”。     

论活力社会建设

改革开放在一定意义上是中国社会转向活力社会的一个重要标志。所谓活力社会就是充满生机活力的社会,每个社会细胞都健康活跃,这样的活力社会必然是开放、自由、包容和创新的社会。使社会始终充满生机活力,是我国国家制度和国家治理体系的一个显著优势,今后不但要继续发挥好这个显著优势,而且要将大力建设活力社会纳入国家发展战略,转化成为一项自觉的社会行动。当前,我国已全面建成小康社会,正在开启全面建设社会主义现代化国家新征程。在这一新时代背景下,明确提出、提倡并大力建设活力社会尤其具有重大的现实意义和深远的时代意义。