Masters of their fate? Explaining MPs’ re-candidacy in the long run: The case of Italy (1987–2013)

Why are certain Members of Parliament (MPs) more likely to get re-candidacy for national legislative elections, therefore having the possibility to continue their career? This article answers this question by comparing political elites' long-debated explanations with more legislative behaviour-related factors. By focusing on more than 25 years of the Italian Lower House's history, we have built a novel dataset on the legislative behaviour and career patterns of more than 3500 Italian MPs. A multilevel logistic regression analysis shows that, with the exception of party switching, legislative behaviour does not seem to exert a significant impact on MPs' re-candidacy. On the contrary, the career status of parliamentarians, i.e., their parliamentary position or their ministerial historical record, strongly influences their chances of obtaining re-candidacy.     

“职能革命”、管理绩效带动政府责任实现——卡梅隆政府公共机构改革的行政学意涵及对我国的启示

在卡梅隆政府一系列激进的政府改革中,尤以公共机构改革最引人瞩目。在对英国政府出台的相关公共机构改革政策、方案进行文本编码、对改革逻辑的频数和应用强度进行统计分析的基础上,我们发现"保留机构"的逻辑是要保证其更好地履行专业职能;"改造为NDPB"的逻辑是实现职能清理;"不再作为公共企业"的思路是消除公共财政负担,等等。软件拟合的改革嵌套逻辑显示了行政学意涵:牛顿力学原理为基础的线性逻辑是改革的方向盘;职能革命是公共机构获得绩效的元工具;以公共管理带动政治责任实现的后管理主义;将公共部门看成社会的一个生产部门来拉动经济复苏。这启示我们在"十二五"期间政府机构、事业单位的改革仍要强调科学管理;机构、事业单位改革应当以"职能革命"为主线;通过改善公共管理质量破解民众不满;将政府组织、公共机构当作市场主体而非"救市者"来改进其内部管理。     

Ethical and legal issues surrounding academic research into online radicalisation: a UK experience

There is a growing body of evidence that terrorists/terrorist groups have increased their use of the Internet to include a move into online social network environments in their efforts to radicalise and potentially recruit and mobilise new members. Both the US and UK governments acknowledge that not enough is known about this phenomenon and there is an urgent need for more substantive research in the area of terrorists' use of computer-mediated communication. However, research in this area carries with it some serious ethical and legal concerns that cannot and should not be ignored. UK law makes it difficult for terrorism studies researchers and other academics to conduct this online research without potentially violating the law. With careful consideration of the ethical concerns surrounding the methods of data collection, and knowledge of and adherence to Data Protection laws, along with notification of proposed research to the proper law enforcement office to insure compliance with the UK Terrorism Act, it is however possible to move forward with academic integrity and a reasonable assurance that one will not be charged and prosecuted for violations of the Terrorism Acts.     

英国派生诉讼的最新发展：普通法的回归

股东派生诉讼源于英国普通法，历经百年发展，因其诉讼程序的繁杂、裁判标准的不明确等受到诟病。2006年的公司法以制定法的形式抛弃普通法，对派生诉讼进行重新规制。但法官在最新的案例中对新规定的解释裁判仍不清晰，包括对派生诉讼程序的混淆、具体标准的不确定，如善意、替代救济方式等，甚至在很多规则上仍借助于普通法的解释，派生诉讼的发展趋势依然离不开普通法的规则。     

基于PSG胜任力框架的英国公务员能力建设推进战略及其启示

PSG胜任力框架是一个基于多种研究方法而制定的公务员能力结构体系。以PSG胜任力框架为基础,英国政府从通用技能提升和专业技能提升两个方面采取了一系列富有创造性的公务员能力建设举措。英国政府的战略思维与创新举措对当代中国的公务员能力建设的借鉴意义具体体现在:坚持能力本位的基本理念,构建科学、全面、系统的胜任力框架作为公务员能力建设的基础;建立有效的培训激励机制,激发公务员能力建设各参与主体的积极性与创造性;将公务员能力建设工作渗透进为公务员系统输送主要人才的高等学校等各类教育机构的全过程之中,以提早塑造未来公务员的技能。     

The Sacred Kingdom and the Royal Wedding of 2011

Despite secularisation and increased religious diversity the UK state and the monarchy are religiously legitimated institutions which have their origins in protestant/catholic divisions over three hundred years ago but which remain strong enough to survive in the current era. The Church of England acts not only as the established church of England but as a church for the UK with respect to events such as the coronation and the royal wedding of 2011. Ecumenical and interfaith initiatives have been attempted by the government and the monarchy and were evident in attendance at the wedding but it demonstrated the ritual supremacy of the state church and the inevitable difficulties of seeking to achieve formal representation for religious diversity in the state. Attempts at more formally inclusive religious involvement in state institutions conflict with other goals such as gender equity and suggest that secular state institutions might be fairer to all religions, denominations and those with no beliefs.     

Defining the Job of the Member of the Knesset

In Israel, as in other democracies, there is no comprehensive definition of the job of its parliamentarians. This article explores the refusal to provide a comprehensive definition of the job, and the reasons why such a definition ought to be considered, both in Israel and elsewhere, even if the chances of doing so are slim. With regard to Israel, the main reason why a definition of the job of Knesset members (MKs) is required is related first and foremost to three provisions of the Knesset Members’ Immunity, Rights and Duties Law of 1951. The issue of remuneration for MKs and the problem of mistrust in the Knesset are additional reasons. The article explores those elements of the job that have nevertheless been defined in Israel in a piecemeal fashion – both in terms of what the job excludes and what it includes. Some of these partial definitions appear in laws, the Knesset Rules of Procedure, and the Rules of Ethics for Members of the Knesset. However, the most significant definitions have been provided within the framework of verdicts of the High Court of Justice, which has on occasion been called upon to deal with various issues connected with MKs’ rights and immunities.     

Whitewashing Hitler: ‘Revisionist’ history‐distorters at work

In April 1983 Canadians were shocked to learn of a politically active school teacher in Alberta who taught his students an antisemitic view of history. The teacher was dismissed but he had expressed antisemitic views in the classroom for years.     

Repression and reaction: militant democracy and the radical right in Germany and France

The June 2004 elections offered the British National Party unique opportunities for growth. There were three different elections being held at once: for seats on local councils, for the London mayor and the London Assembly, and for members of the European parliament (MEPs). Following boundary changes, the local council election was being conducted on a three-candidates-per-seat basis. The London and European elections were being run according to the rules of proportional representation. Both systems favour minor parties. The BNP went into the elections buoyed up by almost four years of considerable success. However, the party failed to achieve the gains anticipated. After several years that witnessed increasing votes, this was the first instance of the BNP vote stagnating. Renton explains the BNP's failure in terms of a series of factors: poor leadership, tactical errors, the hardening of Conservative anti-BNP voters, the press publicity garnered by the UK Independence Party, and the successful intervention of anti-BNP campaigners.     

英国有关海上保险法的最新修改议案及对中国的借鉴

为通过法律平衡被保险人和保险人之间的利益,反映现代保险实务的需要以及保证保险合同双方明确各自的权利和义务,英国法律委员会与苏格兰法律委员会自2006年起将保险合同法的审查和修改提上日程。法律委员会通过发布咨询文件的形式提出修改涉及英国《1906年海上保险法》多个重要条款的保险合同法的方案。整个法律修改项目预计于2012年完成,届时英国海上保险法会有很大程度的改变。通过介绍英国海上保险法的修改,为中国海商法相关问题的修改提供参考和借鉴。