The Protection of Freedom of Expression in the Public Service Media in Southern Africa: a Botswana Perspective

This paper critically examines the public service media (PSM) in Southern Africa with particular emphasis on Botswana. The PSM, which is considered to be one of the key institutions that needs to be strengthened if the current transition to democracy and the building of an open and accountable system in Africa is to take root, faces many challenges due to its vulnerability to state control and manipulation. After an analysis of the PSM concept and an examination of how the public service media was introduced into and has evolved in the region, particularly in Botswana, it concludes that this medium of communication, on account of its reach, remains the most important means of disseminating information, education and entertainment for the foreseeable future. Nevertheless, it is argued that for it to effectively accomplish these objectives certain important reforms must be carried out designed to disentangle it from the state and make it more independent and accountable. It is made clear that the new PSM model neither requires a public monopoly or public sector control nor that the state should be totally cut off, but rather a new redefined role for the state. The new model is built around at least five fundamental principles that should be crafted into any new media legislation dealing with the public media which will ensure public accountability, independence from partisan manipulation and a level playing field for all political actors.     

The primary runoff as a remnant of the old South

During the Jim Crow era, the American South developed a distinctive one-party political structure. One important feature of that structure was the primary runoff, which was adopted to require candidates to generate majority support in the nomination process and to stimulate competition within the Democratic Party (thus keeping the Republican Party irrelevant). In this piece, I argue that although the South has become a two-party region and the runoff has lived beyond its original purposes, it continues to do many of the things it was put into place to do. As in decades past, the runoff still has an impact on such things as candidate emergence, the competitiveness of primaries, and the ability for voters to reevaluate their choices.     

泰南冲突的文明模式

泰南冲突是文明冲突的典型例子.为研究泰南冲突的文明模式,本文基于塞缪尔·亨廷顿的文明冲突论,并对亨氏断层线战争的一般结构模式进行借鉴和修正,提出泰南宗教与民族冲突的文明模式,认为泰南冲突是冲突双方都没有文明核心国家的宗教与民族冲突.该模式提供了将冲突控制在最小范围和最低烈度、避免升级为国际战争的方法,可以为其它类型的文明冲突提供思维方式和参考模型.     

南贵昆经济区开发与加快民族地区发展

南贵昆经济区足国家确定的西部人开发三个重点区域之一,该区域又是我国少数民族人口最多的三个省区。本文阐述南贵昆经济区开发将有利于加快滇黔桂民族地区经济社会的快速发展,并提出用科学发展观指导南贵昆经济区的开发。     

浅谈陕南地区发展生态旅游的战略选择

陕西南部三市拥有较为优越的自然生态资源,但也受到经济水平、行政区划、专业人才、发展矛盾等因素制约。发展生态旅游应在可持续发展理念的指导下,通过加强生态文明教育、以竞合模式为动力促进区域合作、以人才培养为后劲提高区域软实力,从而实现生态文明建设和经济建设的双赢。     

宋僧石溪心月与日僧无象静照交往考

日本禅僧无象静照于南宋淳祐十二年(1252)来华,咸淳元年(1265)归国。在华前四年在浙江杭州径山寺参禅,住持石溪心月对他悉心指导,帮助他实现开悟。静照最终嗣法心月。归国后,静照牢记心月教诲,开创禅寺,宣扬禅法,为禅宗扎根日本不遗余力。     

The use of technology and leadership in enhancing strategic cooperative policing within the SADC region

ABSTRACT

The globalisation processes driving development and the transnational nature of crime require the collaboration of police within regions using sophisticated technology to combat crime. This article examines the role of technology and leadership in enhancing cooperative policing. Following a successful safety strategy during the 2010 Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) Soccer World Cup (SWC) tournament in South Africa, the aim of the article is to demonstrate how technology and strategic leadership contributed to the success of this event. The research conducted consisted of an extensive review of existing research publications on the state of policing in southern Africa; and a conference presentation by Lieutenant-General Pruis about policing the SWC from which key policing lessons have been extracted. The literature survey revealed the challenges of police forces and policing in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) as being primarily resource constraints, and socio-political environments that are not always conducive to effective policing. Conclusions drawn are that some of the lessons from the SWC, such as planning, budgeting, strategic leadership, regional and international cooperation of security personnel, community involvement, an informed media strategy and the use of technology to support these processes, can be replicated in regional policing operations.     

Voting rights for nationals of the Southern African Development Community countries living in member states

ABSTRACT

The right to vote remains one of the most critical ways in which individuals influence government. However, the disenfranchisement of certain classes of people – notably non-citizen residents – is the norm in Africa, whereas many countries in Europe recognise the right of non-citizen residents to vote as a key element in the continent's political integration. In the Southern African Development Community (SADC), where the political integration of the region is recognised as an essential contributor to economic integration, the question of extra-national forms of regional citizenship and voting rights does not receive sufficient attention. This article looks at SADC and selected countries within SADC, to determine whether laws and treaties can be amended and developed to broaden the scope of citizenship and extend the right to vote to non-citizen residents.     

The need to improve the living conditions of women in Nuba Mountains,Southern Kordofan

ABSTRACT

The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) not only ended Africa's longest civil war, it aimed to transform Sudanese society. A critical element of this transformation is uplifting the status of women. This article surveys the conditions faced by women in two villages in Nuba Mountains/Southern Kordofan, principally their ability to access land for farming, credit facilities and barriers to education and health services, and whether the implementation of the CPA has resulted in any concrete changes.     

In Defense of Sovietology

A leading specialist on the Soviet economy presents a detailed overview and evaluation of the history of Western studies of the Soviet economy. Foci of the article include: debates about the nature of the Soviet economic system; the uses of qualitative and quantitative evidence; controversies over rates of economic growth and growth of productivity, comparative size of the economy and the burden of defense expenditures; analyses of the severity of economic problems and their implications for the future viability of the system. The article concludes with an evaluation of the accomplishments and shortcomings of economic Sovietology. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: P27, P24, P52.