Overcoming US-North Korean Enmity: Lessons from an Eclectic IR Approach

ABSTRACT

Periods of mutual enmity in US-North Korean relations are typically interrupted by more conciliatory gestures. How can the many twists and turns in this relationship be explained and hopefully overcome so that more long-lasting détente is accomplished? Drawing eclectically on realism and constructivism, we conclude that a nuclear deal should address not only North Korea’s interests in security and regime survival, but also its status concerns. Applying the same theories to the other part of the dyad – the US – we conclude that it may now have material interests in ameliorating the relationship, but that such a development requires US foreign policy discourse to cease depicting North Korea as “irrational” and “evil”.     

The limited job prospects of displaced workers: evidence from two cities in China

The economic restructuring in China over the past decade has resulted in displacement of millions of workers who had been employed in the state sector. This has posed tremendous challenges economically, socially, politically, and culturally. For several years, Chinese policies attempted to cushion the shock by requiring state-owned enterprises to provide living allowances and reemployment services to workers who had been displaced. There have been few empirical studies that have tracked the experiences of these displaced or xiagang workers. This study uses survey data from two large industrial cities covering the period 1998–2000 to analyze the labor market situation of over 2,000 workers 2 years after they had been observed as displaced and unemployed. The findings point to the high rates of labor force withdrawal and a low proportion who find another wage job in the formal sector. It also documents the large number of workers who find work in the informal sector which seems to act as an important safety net. Not surprisingly, education is an important determinant of post-layoff labor market outcomes. Active labor market interventions do not seem to make a substantial difference although there is some evidence from the duration analysis that training does help workers find employment more quickly than they would have otherwise.

SUPPORTING FAMILY STRENGTH: THE USE OF TRANSFORMATIVE MEDIATION IN A PINS MEDIATION CLINIC

This article describes, and explains the rationales for, the establishment of an innovative program in which a law school and two social services agencies are collaborating in a mediation clinic that uses the transformative model of mediation to serve clients in cases that seem ideally suited to benefit from this approach to practice—so-called "PINS" (persons in need of supervision) cases involving conflict within families, between parents and their adolescent children. The article first describes the evolution of the PINS system and the changing views of its purpose, especially in New York State. It then offers a brief introduction to the unique features of the transformative approach to mediation and explains why that approach in particular is likely to mesh with current understandings of the needs of the families involved in these cases. Finally, the article describes the innovative "Family Solutions Program" and how it uses transformative mediation to help these families and suggests that experience of this program shows how use of the transformative model, in particular, could be valuable not only for clinical education but also for effective volunteer training and supervision in mediation programs generally.     

“平等主体”民法调整对象限制语研究综述

我国《民法通则》第2条规定：“中华人民共和国民法调整平等主体的公民之间、法人之间、公民与法人之间的财产关系和人身关系。”可见对所调整的社会关系加了“平等主体”的限制语。对民法学界关于这一限制语存在的当否问题的证成研究和证伪研究两方面进行疏理,进而启发学人的思考,显得十分必要。     

论跨国公司之法律主体地位

跨国公司作为主体参与国内国际社会活动的能力与事实并存.依法律主体资格的唯一衡量标准——法是否直接赋予其权利义务,跨国公司享有国内法主体地位,但不享有国际法主体地位.对法赋予跨国公司主体地位的可能性分析须从法的根本目的出发,并结合现实社会实践综合考量.作为国内国际社会的重要参加者,跨国公司对现有法律体系下各法律主体享有权利承担义务及法所保护的社会秩序均有重大影响,这决定了其享有相应国内国际法主体地位的发展趋势.     

论动物福利立法的限度及其定位——兼谈动物福利立法中动物的法律地位

从道德和道德法律化的角度看,给予动物福利其实就是科加人对动物的道德义务,而动物福利立法的实质便是把这种道德义务上升为法律义务,即实现动物道德的法律化。不过,动物并未就此获得法律主体地位,它只是一种"物格"弱于一般客体物的"准物"而已。由于道德法律化是有条件的,动物福利立法也应有限度,只有那些获得社会普遍认同和共同遵守的基本动物道德,才可通过立法程序上升为法律规范。对此,我们可用"利益关系分析法"和"利益层次分析法"来大致界定"基本动物道德"的范围;用自卫原则、对称原则、最少损害原则、分配正义原则以及补偿正义原则,来对动物福利立法进行较明确的定位,以妥善处理动物福利和人的利益的关系。     

论业主委员会的法律地位

业主委员会的性质和地位问题,是《物权法》颁布前后一直没有明确的问题。应当尽快通过制定配套法律法规、实施细则和司法解释等途径来解决这一问题。立法上应当借鉴外国立法经验,仔细研究法国、德国等国相关立法现状,确认符合条件的业主团体的法人资格,细化业主委员会相关制度,加强政府有关部门对业主委员会工作的指导和协助,进一步理顺业主与业主大会和业主委员会的关系,以此解决我国《物权法》实施过程中在业主委员会制度方面可能出现的问题。     

中小物流企业信息化的现状与发展对策

我国中小物流企业信息化程度较低,绝大多数中小物流企业尚不具备运用信息技术处理物流信息的能力,这与物流行业的快速发展极不相称。为解决制约我国中小物流企业信息化建设的瓶颈问题,政府部门应加强宏观环境的规范化和标准化建设,企业内部应加快自身信息化建设,社会机构则应加快物流信息技术人才的培养。只有这样,才能有效地推动中小物流企业的信息化发展。     

《国际备用证惯例》中通知人之法律地位及其权责探悉

与《跟单信用证统一惯例 (1993年修订 )》相比 ,《国际备用证惯例》中通知人有着独特的法律地位和权利义务 ,在实践中通知人应当注意防范风险。     

论国际法上的国家身份建构

国家不仅是一种建立在实效性原则上的实体,也是一种国际主体身份的建构与认同。国际社会里的共识观念、秩序和规则对国家身份的建构有着极为重要的作用,但在现代国际社会里所逐步形成并可把握运用的主要是一些基本的框架和原则。而建立在客观基础上博弈互动的承认则对国家身份建构具有重要的构成性质、意义和作用。国家作为一种主体身份是可以独立存在和传承、延续的。因而,把实效性要素与主权要素等非实效性要素相结合的国家身份建构是恰当合理的,国家身份的建构不能简单地依靠国际法规则的制订与完善,它只能是在一定的国际法框架、原则基础上由各种因素复杂博弈而成。