Supporting farmer participation in formal seed systems: lessons from Tharaka,Kenya

This article examines contemporary challenges of formal seed sector participation for resource-poor farmers in Tharaka and engages in a wider discussion of national seed policy and formal seed sector development in Kenya. While many farmers reported utilising modern seed varieties developed by the formal seed sector, the majority of these were introduced through seed aid and maintained through seed saving, supporting seed system integration strategies. Building on these findings, the article discusses ways in which national seed policy in Kenya might be refined to better meet national and regional development goals focused on decreasing the incidence of hunger and poverty.     

Economic Discussion of Conflict between Public Education Policies and Common Good Arts in the United States

Arts education in the United States, especially in public schools, has been neglected and its public funding has decreased. This is partly due to the difference in the conception of public education policies and the arts. The theory of economic goods and an analysis of two current education policies demonstrate that public education is treated as a public good that is needed by all people, and therefore funded with tax dollars. Because the arts are common goods that different people value in their own terms, education in the arts is treated as nonessential and funded sporadically in public school settings. Based on the theory of the commons, the author suggests that nonprofit arts organizations are equipped to deal with the common good and diverse nature of the arts and can provide sustainable arts education that fills the gap of arts education in public schools.     

The power of small-scale solar: gender,energy poverty,and entrepreneurship in Tanzania

Energy poverty is a major challenge in the developing world, with an estimated 1.2 billion people lacking household electricity. Although energy poverty affects both men and women, the burden of household energy supply disproportionately affects women in low-income countries in the developing world. This article examines the impact of a women-oriented solar lighting social enterprise, Solar Sister, in Tanzania for both solar entrepreneurs and customers, demonstrating that solar lanterns positively impact household savings, health, education and women’s economic productivity and empowerment. Our study argues that Solar Sister’s approach is successful because of its explicit gender lens. Providing energy access to women translates to a pro-woman, pro-child, and pro-family development intervention.     

试论跨国社会运动的特点及其对当代国际格局演变的影响

冷战之后迅速勃兴的新一轮跨国社会运动,出现了运动范围的全球化、社会诉求的多样性、组织形式的网络化以及运动目标的去革命化等特征,这些都与以往的跨国社会运动形成很大区别。更为重要的是,当代跨国社会运动通过不断地冲击着国家在国际格局中的垄断地位,推动非国家行为体走向全球治理的前台,促使国际格局向着多元化的方向不断发展,以及促进国际规范结构的重构而推动着当代国际格局的演变。     

社会保障体系完善与社会经济可持续发展——基于城乡差异和区域差距视角的统计分析

社会经济的又好又快发展,是我国社会保障体系可持续发展的坚实依托。而消费需求不足则是长期制约我国经济持续健康发展的瓶颈之一,在当前国际金融市场动荡、外部需求下降的情形下,扩大内需就显得更加紧迫。本文从定量的角度开展我国社会保障支出水平与社会保障可持续发展影响因素的关联序分析,认为确保社会保障支出可持续发展是实现我国经济可持续发展的前提;从城乡差异和区域差异的视角,通过实证分析,探讨城乡社会保障水平与扩大内需之间的关系,考察了社会保障支出项目对居民消费作用的城乡差异和区域差距。在此基础上提出,改善社会保障水平区域不平衡现状、建立覆盖城乡的全国社会保障体系、实施全国统一的社会保险关系转续办法和建立多部门协同管理的社会保障统计体系,将是我国扩大内需、促进经济稳定增长的长期战略。     

Using social network analysis to target criminal networks

Using social network analysis (SNA), we propose a model for targeting criminal networks. The model we present here is a revised version of our existing model (Schwartz and Rouselle in IALEIA Journal, 18(1):18–14, 2008), which itself builds on Steve Borgatti’s SNA-based key player approach. Whereas Borgatti’s approach focuses solely on actors’ network positions, our model also incorporates the relative strength or potency of actors, as well as the strength of the relationships binding network actors.

从“经济建设型政府”转向“公共服务型政府”——新时期中国政府治理模式初探

由于全球化和资讯时代的冲击,政府—市场—社会的三元社会结构范式逐渐取代了政府—市场的二元社会结构范式,从而改变了政府治理的规模和传统边界。针对这种大变革时期的发展趋势,中国政府必须重新认识和改革传统体制的政府治理模式,充分发挥三元社会结构共同治理模式的互补优势,在中国渐进改革的演进发展中构建出一种新型的、有中国实践特色的政府治理模式,即实现从经济建设型政府向公共服务型政府的转变。     

公众参与社会管理机制研究

公众参与社会管理具有重要意义。改革开放以来,我国关于公众参与的法律规范不断完善,法制发展呈现出一些新的特点。当前,我国公众参与社会管理机制创新的路径选择是加强党的领导、强化政府职责、推动社会协同、动员公众参与。这几方面密切关联,均对公众参与社会管理产生影响,有必要分别从公众参与的视角加以分析。     

应对公共健康危机的药品专利强制许可实施困境与对策

药品专利强制许可作为一项应对公共健康危机的制度在国内外均得到了立法与政策体认.鉴于其所关涉利益关系的复杂性,这项制度从产生至今仍然争议不断.具体到这项制度的实施,其程序和效果存在更多不确定性.尽管当前一些国家已经通过实施强制许可以应对新冠肺炎疫情,但是围绕发展中国家能力不足、除了专利之外药品所涉其他知识产权许可的不确定...     

The Issue of Ethics and Authority for Licensed Mental Health Professionals Involved in Parenting Coordination

We examine the ethics of licensed mental health professionals accepting the authority inherent in binding arbitration when acting as parenting coordinators (PCs). PCs execute their duties under the umbrella of their professional identity and standards of practice. Fundamental differences exist in how the law and the behavioral sciences conceive human behavior and authority, in particular, authority by role and authority by status. Ethical concerns arise when licensed mental health professionals accept the authority to render binding judgments and ask clients to surrender their autonomy through informed consent. We offer recommendations for PCs to avoid these ethical complications.