Undermining the transatlantic democracy agenda? The Arab Spring and Saudi Arabia's counteracting democracy strategy

Saudi Arabian foreign policy is often declared to be countering the possible democratic transitions of the Arab Spring. As such, Saudi Arabia has been cast as a “counter-revolutionary” force in the Middle East and North Africa. This article explores the extent to which this has been the case in Egypt and Bahrain, and the extent to which Saudi foreign policy has challenged United States and European Union democracy promotion efforts in those countries. The article highlights how the transatlantic democracy promotion strategy is complicated by a conflict of interests problem, which leads them to promote democracy on an ad hoc and incremental basis. As a result, their efforts and larger strategic thinking are undermined by Saudi Arabia in Egypt. However, in Bahrain, transatlantic democracy promotion is itself muted by the strategic interest in containing Iran. As a result, Saudi Arabia can be seen as a regional countervailing power but this is implicitly in line with transatlantic policy. Tensions with Saudi foreign policy in Bahrain are over how best to manage the uprisings and maintain the status quo, rather than a conflict over political transition.     

WORK,INCOME SUPPORT,AND CRIME IN THE DUTCH WELFARE STATE: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY FOLLOWING VULNERABLE YOUTH INTO ADULTHOOD

Life‐course criminological research has consistently suggested that employment can reduce criminal behavior. However, it is unclear whether the financial aspects of employment or the social control that inheres in employment best explains the relationship between employment and reduced offending. By using longitudinal information on a sample of men and women (N = 540) who were institutionalized in a Dutch juvenile justice institution in the 1990s, this study examines the effects of employment as well as the different types of income support on crime. Random‐ and fixed‐effects models show that for men, both work and income support are associated with a reduction in the rate of offending. For women, however, although employment is correlated with a lower offending rate, receiving income support, and in particular disability benefits, is correlated with a higher offending rate. The findings support both theories that stress the financial motivation for crime as well as theories that emphasize the importance of informal social control for reducing offending.     

A general strain approach comparing the effects of victimization,social support,and perceived self-efficacy on LGBQ and heterosexual youth suicidality

LGBQ youth are more likely to consider, plan, and/or attempt suicide compared to their heterosexual peers. Evidence from the general population suggests that risky behaviors, like suicide, may be mediated by protective factors, including social support and self-efficacy. Using Agnew’s general strain theory and data from a statewide probability sample, the results of this study suggest that victimization, as a source of strain, is a risk factor for both LGBQ and heterosexual youth suicidality. While social support and self-efficacy reduce the risk of suicidality among heterosexual youth, they are not significant protective factors for LGBQ youth. Theoretical and policy implications are discussed.     

Why this Charity Begins Abroad: Comparing Nigeria’s Foreign Peacekeeping Undertakings and Domestic Counter-insurgency Operations

The Nigerian state has had a turbulent history and even more worrisome present. Its sovereignty has been flagrantly challenged and its territorial integrity undermined by domestic non-state actors. The contemporary security challenges and indeed the incapacity of the security apparatuses to contain them contrast sharply with their past records, especially in peace enforcement abroad. Thus, this paper seeks to account for the apparent gulf between past strengths and current weaknesses of the Nigerian security machinery. It explores the country’s involvement in external peace support operations and domestic counter-insurgency efforts. The author identifies the politicisation of and corruption within the military establishment as plausible explanations for the disconnect between the recorded past (victories) and the inadequacies of today. From the standpoint of this author, to address these issues there is the need for a holistic security sector reform in Nigeria.     

男性罪犯人格、社会支持和人身危险性关系的研究

采用问卷法，对在押的198名男性犯人的人格、社会支持与人身危险}生的关系进行研究，结果发现：（1）客观支持、主观支持、对支持的利用度和人身危险性之间存在着显著的相互关联；（2）财产型罪犯的人身危险性要显著高于暴力型、性犯罪和其他类型的罪犯；（3）有前科的罪犯的人身危险性显著高于无前科的罪犯，有前科的罪犯在客观支持和对支持的利用度上的得分均显著低于无前科的罪犯；（4）罪犯的主观支持、对支持的利用度、神经质和精神质对不同犯罪类型的罪犯的人身危险性有不同预测力。     

Forms of Social Support That Moderate PTSD in Childhood Sexual Abuse Survivors

Although social support has been found to attenuate psychological symptoms in victims of sexual abuse, literature does not identify the specific forms of social support that mitigate maladjustment following a sexual abuse experience. This study sought to distinguish the specific types of perceived social support that buffer the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in victims of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). One hundred and seventy-two adult females reporting CSA were administered the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL) and the Impact of Events Scale (IES). The ISEL measures the perceived availability of 4 support types. The IES measures core PTSD symptoms of intrusion and avoidance. Regression analysis indicated that social support significantly buffered PTSD development. The best model was one which contained self-esteem and appraisal support. Tangible and belonging support added little to prediction. Further, self-esteem support was identified as the most important variable in preventing PTSD development.     

论乡村法律信仰的缺失及培育

乡民对国家法律缺乏信仰,直接影响到法治建设的成败。通过田野调查发现,法律在乡民生活中未获得现实生命力,法外行政与司法权滥用抑制了法律信仰的形成。培植乡民对法律的需要,从体制上根治司法腐败,加大对乡村的法律服务供给,实为乡村社会建构法治秩序之前提。     

乌拉圭回合《农业协议》国内支持条款缺陷问题研究

乌拉圭回合《农业协议》实现了农产品到多边贸易体制的回归,但协议并不是对国际农产品贸易的永久性安排,各成员仍有义务通过后续谈判,不断提高国际市场农产品贸易自由化水平直至完全实现自由化。因此,研究《农业协议》国内支持条款的局限性与执行中存在的问题,分析新一轮农产品多边谈判中应修正的问题,对于我国实施国内支持条款和参加新一轮农业多边谈判,具有理论和实践意义。     

Are Shelter Workers Burned Out?: An Examination of Stress,Social Support,and Coping

Job stress, perceived social support, coping self-efficacy, and coping strategies were studied as predictors of emotional exhaustion and reduced personal accomplishment among a sample of 123 female shelter workers. Overall, these workers did not meet the collective criteria for burnout as defined by Maslach and Jackson (1986) and perceived social support and coping strategies did not account for unique variance in the prediction of emotional exhaustion and reduced personal accomplishment. Rather, high levels of time pressure and low levels of self-efficacy for being productive at work were identified as predictors of emotional exhaustion. Personal accomplishment was predicted by time pressure and robust levels of self-efficacy for dealing with stressors at work. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 109th annual convention of the American Psychological Association. This paper is based on the Masters thesis of Lisa M. Baker and the undergraduate honors thesis of Nazish Salahuddin, both completed under the direction of Karen M. O’Brien. Gratitude is extended to Christel Nichols and to the crisis workers who participated in this study.     

An Empirical Study of a Peer Support System in Rehabilitation of Psychiatric Patients

The application of peer-support system in rehabilitation of psychiatric patients is explored from the perspective of recovery. This paper discusses the source of the recovery theory, the foundation and the factors of the peer support system, and its localized practice. This research presents an important path for peer support by building up an organization of mutual help among the mental-disease patients, a platform of mutual support among the families of these patients, and a social support network among the peer groups. It provides positive significance in the rehabilitation of the mental-disease patients.