Is cooperation cost reducing? An analysis of public–public partnerships and inter-municipal cooperation in Brazilian local government

ABSTRACT

In local government systems worldwide, financial pressures have obliged local authorities to focus on cost-efficient methods for providing local services, including inter-municipal agreements and public–public partnerships. However, in comparison with municipal mergers, privatisation and other approaches to the problem, the cost impact of the cooperative provision has not yet been thoroughly examined empirically. Moreover, available empirical research has largely concentrated on waste disposal in developed countries. The present paper seeks to contribute to the empirical literature on inter-municipal agreements and public–public partnerships by comparing their impact on costs with ‘stand-alone’ provision in a range of non-waste local services. In contrast to the bulk of existing studies, our analysis takes place in a developing country context by examining Brazilian local government over the period 2013/15. We found that – on the whole – cooperative provision is less expensive than the ‘stand-alone’ provision for the services studied. Our results can be explained by the size and composition of the population, together with the politics for cooperation.     

Transnational cooperation: a network analysis of town twinning in the Baltic Sea region

The patterns of cooperation between regions and urban spaces are no longer influenced, to the same extent, by national borders. Political integrative events changed the extent of transborder urban cooperation in the Baltic borderlands, a region that has undergone extensive changes. A social network analysis of cooperative ties in the form of town twinning indicates that the end of the Cold War strongly changed the network of town twinning in this region, whereas the effect of the various EU enlargement rounds seems to be more nuanced.     

关于合作共赢的认识和思考:基于新型国际关系理念

合作共赢是中国在国际关系问题上首倡的一个价值理念,对于构建新型国际关系和人类命运共同体、站在人类道义和历史进步的制高点、促进世界持久和平和普遍繁荣、推动人类社会文明发展、实现全球有效治理等具有非常重大和深远的意义。习近平总书记深入、系统、现实地推进了合作共赢理念的完善和发展,使之成为当今中国对外关系思想的重大新理念和显著特色之一。实现合作共赢的关键在于价值上求同存异,根本在于寻求各国利益交汇点,长远考虑在于提升全人类的现代文明素养。     

Dealing with natural disasters

Over the past two decades, natural disasters have severely hit the Southeast Asian region causing dramatic environmental, economic and social consequences. Through the lens of Beck's risk society framework and the theory of reflexive modernization, this article attempts at empirically taking stock of how the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is addressing disaster risk through the creation of new regional institutions and mechanisms. In particular, it argues that the accumulation of the experience of catastrophes is leading ASEAN members towards the development of new precautionary initiatives to deal with disasters, and to forge a new way forward for the promotion of disaster cooperation and joint emergency response. The article is divided into five sections, which will only consider initiatives endorsed within the ASEAN framework. The first introduces risk societies as forms of modern societies and of the insecurities of the present world. In the second section attention is drawn to natural disasters as a paradigmatic example of Beck's risk society. The third section explores how ASEAN normative governance is evolving to include the issue of disaster management within its security and social agenda. Then the main institutional and operational innovations and tools through which ASEAN is preparing to deal with disaster risk are explored. Finally, the article suggests that despite ASEAN overall institutional innovations, the practice of cooperation still is effected by several factors, above all the lack of adequate resources and the difficulty of reconciling principles of solidarity with national sovereignty, which hinder ASEAN effectiveness in this area.     

新世纪以来我国女大学生就业研究领域计量分析

对 CNKI 数据库中2000年至2015年女大学生就业研究领域的1440篇文章进行计量分析的结果表明,新世纪以来对我国女大学生研究领域关注度日益增强,2012年研究热度有所降低;高产作者主要分布在华东、华北、华中地区,且作者更倾向于独自发表文章;高产研究机构主要分布在江苏、湖北、山东、新疆、北京等地区;该领域的合作广度、深度都较低;来源期刊具有明显的女性研究、就业及教育研究的特征;研究热点主要集中在性别歧视、就业困境、对策、就业指导、就业现状、就业心理、就业能力上。     

Public assistance of police during criminal investigations: Russian experience

This study examines the high levels of public unwillingness to assist police in criminal investigations in Russia. Variables of public trust of police, fear of crime, victimization, and prior contact with police are used to explain this phenomenon. Also included in the study are variables of police fear and avoidance of police. The findings suggest that higher levels of distrust in, as well as fear and avoidance of police are strong predictors of citizens’ unwillingness to assist police in Russia. The paper discusses potential implications of these findings for the 2011 police reform in Russia.     

《反恐法》中的境外反恐问题研究

恐怖主义犯罪已成为当今世界各国面临的头号安全问题。恐怖主义犯罪不仅造成严重的人员伤亡、财产损失,还对民族团结和国家统一带来了恶劣影响。为此,我国颁布了《反恐怖主义法》以严厉打击恐怖主义犯罪。其中,境外反恐成为一大亮点。境外反恐具有多方面的必要性。当前,我国在境外反恐上存在反恐合法性、管辖权、恐怖主义犯罪认定与程序、证据交换、境外侦查与引渡等现实难题。对此,我们可以通过建立新型反恐刑事司法合作机制,完善国内立法与司法,以及加强与他国反恐合作等方式予以解决。     

“一带一路”战略下的反腐败刑事司法合作

"一带一路"战略是中国提出的重大战略,其已经成为世界经济增长的"引擎"。经济合作是"一带一路"的战略核心,然而经济合作的重点在基础设施建设、金融合作、货物贸易、能源开发等领域。面对这些领域的经济利益,部分沿线国家法治落后,权力得不到有效制约,导致这些领域很容易产生贪污腐败。由此沿线各国应重点加强联合侦查、证据交换、犯罪引渡、赃款追缴等领域的反腐败刑事司法合作,这对打击腐败行为,确保"一带一路"战略实施尤为关键。     

长江三角洲地区横向府际关系——从法律视角提出的要求

府际关系即政府之间的关系,包括中央政府与’地方政府之间、地方政府与地方政府之间的关系。我国的府际关系多靠政策调整,且随意性大。应当将府际关系纳入法律调整的范围,使其满足经济、社会发展的需求。本文选取长江三角洲地区作为研究对象,探讨了该地区当前府际关系的现状和存在的主要问题,试从法律的角度对横向府际间关系提出新的要求。     

"08雪灾"民间救助的法律思考

"08雪灾",灾情严重,但民心稳定,体现出民众对政府的信任。"08雪灾"启示危机管理中政府与社会合作互助的法制建设亟待加强。"08雪灾"的民间救助呼唤加快慈善立法。