The ‘rule of experts’ in making a dynamic micro-insurance industry in India

India is reported to have the most dynamic micro-insurance market in the world and the largest weather-index insurance market among developing countries. This is interesting because, paradoxically, reports readily suggest that the primary hindrance for the industry is the widespread lack of effective demand for insurance. This paper seeks to identify, understand and problematize the paradox of resolutely promoting micro-insurance and its apparent rapid growth despite a manifest absence of demand for insurance. Neo-classical theories about risk-averse behaviour do not explain the current lack of appeal of insurance among the poor. Rather, I draw on a postcolonial political economy framework to argue that expert investment in getting prices and culture right while safeguarding micro-insurance supply currently explains the celebrated dynamism of Indian micro-insurance. I argue that promoting comprehensive institutional reform for an ideal investment and entrepreneurial climate involves securing mutually beneficial linkages, collaborations and knowledge within a broad assemblage of profit motives, insurance expertise, policy-makers and professionals. Insurance experts rule by promoting the micro-insurance sector while simultaneously investing in and gaining from discursive, material and pedagogical construction of this industry. Future research should address whether such processes and products are effective in managing financial risks of the poor.     

Public Perceptions of Benefits from and Worries over Plant‐Made Industrial Products and Plant‐Made Pharmaceuticals: The Influence of Institutional Trust

Although agricultural biotechnology has been a seminal reference point in risk perception studies, public awareness of their exposure to risk deriving from this new technology has been minimal at best. However, recent events indicate there may be growing public concern as new variations of this technology appear. Understanding what drives perceptions of benefits from the third generation of the agricultural biotechnology and what determines public worries are keys for the future of this technology. To this end, this study analyzes survey data from the midsouth region of the United States to construct four separate regression models of perceived benefits from and worries over plant‐made industrial products and plant‐made pharmaceuticals. Findings suggest that while prior experience with and knowledge about agricultural biotechnology has an impact on perceptions of benefits and worries, trust in farmers plays a highly important role in determining perceptions.     

中国环境污染责任保险制度的构想

在工业化过程中,环境污染的发生不仅频繁而且后果严重。单个污染企业承担责任的能力有限,致使污染受害者和公共环境损害往往得不到应有的赔偿。为分散企业环境污染赔偿责任,最大限度的保护受害者,尽量减少社会和国家的损失,有必要借鉴国外环境保险的经验,探索建立我国的环境污染责任保险制度。     

Incoterms2010：自由穿梭于国际贸易与运输之间的新规则

国际货物买卖合同与国际运输合同在法律属性上虽然各就其位,但一直“并驾齐驱”地实践着跨国货物的输出与输入的职责,而自由地穿行于两者之间的国际习惯法便是Incoterms2010。租船订舱被视为买卖双方最重要的权利与义务之一,而新的货物风险转移标准与时俱进,无比折射着国际运输法则的理念。赋予Incoterms2010术语在国内贸易与国际贸易领域同等的效力,再次印证了国际盛行的自由贸易区演变规律。鉴于THC费用的纷争错综复杂,借助传统的公法——班轮公会反托拉斯豁免制度干预私法领域,增加了Incoterms2010保护交易的公平与秩序的砝码。     

转基因食品标签的消费者知情权比较研究

各国对转基因食品实施了不同的标签制度:强制标签与自愿标签。这两种标签制度分别建立在消费者需要知情和消费者有权知情的法理基础之上。需要知情是以产品为基础,确保消费者对客观真实的风险知情;而有权知情往往以生产过程和生产方法为基础,以风险预防为原则管理风险以减少消费者的感知风险。一个国家采取何种转基因食品标签制度,受到该国经济、文化和政治方面的影响。我国转基因食品标签立法在即,需要借鉴其他国家的立法经验,因地制宜地实施强制标签制度,以保障消费者知情权的实现。     

环境行政许可的八个立法原则

在现代社会,许可证制度是防范环境风险最主要的法律制度。目前,学界对行政许可的一般立法原则(法律保留原则、便民效率原则、信赖保护原则、公开公平原则等)探讨甚多,而对环境行政许可具有自身特色的立法原则探讨较少。环境行政许可具有风险品性、科技背景、利益权衡、代际平衡、国际关联等五个特征,因此,环境行政许可的立法,除了须遵循行政许可的一般立法原则外,还须遵循预防、谨慎行事、合理开发利用、污染者负担、科技促进、公众参与、协同合作、国家环境资源主权与不损害国外环境等八个立法原则。这八个原则对具体制度的建构均有明确的要求,并在特定情况下使许可举证责任发生转移。     

Sensory speculations:Visual discourse and the vision of visuality

It is now commonplace within the discipline of art history and visual culture to speak to theories of vision and visuality. Recent questions concerning the subject of vision, sexed positionalities and discourses of viewing are indebted to theories of visuality, which now occupy a privileged place within the study of visual culture. Theories of visuality have revealed both the terms of cultural visibilities and significantly the how of what we see. And yet despite this engagement of the opacity and duplicity of the visual, recent work into visuality has been plagued by a re‐occurring myopia regarding the corporeal This oversight within the visibilites of visual discourse is the unchallenged idea of a ‘human vision’ within the social constructivist project. In this article I assess how this universal operates as the matter for theories of visuality and of the ramifications of this for the project of the critique of vision.     

我国创业板初创期市场风险识别与防控初探——以海外创业板经验教训为借鉴

从对海外典型的成功或失败的创业板市场经验教训的分析总结来看,创业板初创期的市场是充满风险的.初创期风险的成功解决与否与创业板最终的命运存在着明显的关联.因此,对创业板初创期风险及时地识别、合理地防控成为我国创业板当前阶段应该重点关注的问题.     

Prediction of violent and sexual offences: A replication study of the VRAG in Switzerland

Abstract

The Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG) is a widely used actuarial risk assessment instrument and has been validated in different countries. However, there is no investigation supporting the predictive accuracy of the VRAG in the German language area. The VRAG scores of 79 violent and sexual offenders in Switzerland were assessed based on data from their psychiatric expert opinions. The VRAG scores were compared to subsequent recidivism as shown in the official criminal records. Consistent with past research in the English language area, the VRAG yielded a satisfying predictive accuracy (ROC area = .73), demonstrating its usefulness for risk assessment of violent delinquency in the Swiss cultural and German language area.     

风险社会背景下的公共安全与政府责任——以食品安全事件为视角

社会存在一定的风险。现代社会中的风险具有不确定性以及多样性、广泛性和人为性的特点。与风险相对应的是安全,尤其是备受关注的公共安全。其中,与民生有着密切联系的食品安全由于发生的频次高、危害范围广、原因复杂、后果严重,更是考察政府职能的一个参照。在如此的背景下,相关部门应当建立并完善风险预警机制、食品安全信息公布与通报机制、食品安全检验和检疫机制以及重大事故处置机制,以应对风险。