History writing and nation building in post-independence Tajikistan

Since the end of the Tajik civil war in 1997, the Tajik authorities have being seeking to instill a new national consciousness. Here the educational system plays a crucial role, not least the way history is taught. Through a state-approved history curriculum, the authorities offer a common understanding of the past that is intended to strengthen the (imagined) community of the present. In this article, we examine the set of history textbooks currently used in Tajik schools and compare them with Soviet textbooks, exploring continuities and changes in the understanding of the Tajik nation. We distinguish between changes in the perception of the national “self” and the new “other,” the Uzbeks, and introduce two intermediary categories: the Soviet/Russian heritage as an “external self” and Islam as an “internal other.” The main battle for the further delimitation of the Tajik “self” is likely to take place within the discursive gray zone between the two latter categories, where the authorities will have to find a balance between a continued secular state ideology and the heavy presence of Islam, as well as between a Soviet past and a Tajik present.     

“The Judge Didn't Sentence Me to Be Raped”: Tracy Neal v. Michigan Department of Corrections: A 15-Year Battle Against the Sexual Abuse of Women Inmates in Michigan

This research traces the history of Tracy Neal v. Michigan Department of Corrections, a class action lawsuit against the Michigan Department of Corrections that alleged the sexual abuse of women prisoners spanning more than two decades. The litigation resulted in combined jury verdicts of more than $30 million for the plaintiffs and a $100 million settlement that included extensive injunctive relief. This article examines the abuses and conditions suffered by female inmates in Michigan prisons, the court decisions, jury trials, and settlement. Drawing on interviews from several lead attorneys for the plaintiffs, the article provides an examination of the circumstances, discusses litigation strategy, and highlights lessons from Neal that could be relevant to civil rights scholars and advocates. The article concludes with a discussion of the impact and future implications of this case.     

行政诉讼类型化研究——以漳州市行政审判为例

行政诉讼类型化理论和制度体系是推动我国行政法治进程的重要一环,然而我国现有法律对行政诉讼类型并未作明确的规定。从现实审判需要的角度出发,针对违反法定程序的撤销诉讼判决种类过于简单、客观诉讼和规范审查诉讼标准尚无体现、诉讼类型与判决种类尚未衔接等问题,可在借鉴域外经验的基础上,完善行政诉讼类型且主张法院只能针对特定的行政诉讼类型作出特定的判决种类,以构建我国行政诉讼类型化体系。     

高等学校学生处分权研究——以教育仲裁为视角的考察

学生处分权是高等学校教育管理权内容,是高等学校依据法律、法规或大学章程对违犯国家法律、法规和学校纪律的学生实施惩戒的权力。高等学校处分权特殊性质和我国以和为贵的传统文化,都与教育仲裁机制相契合,这为我国构建教育仲裁纠纷解决机制打下了坚实的基础。     

物业费纠纷中服务不到位抗辩的司法认定

当前物业费纠纷的司法实践中,鲜有被告业主获判减付物业费继而胜诉的判例。然而,在这种“一边倒”的现象背后,物业企业确实存在着不同程度的服务不到位问题。通过研究现行的物业相关法律依据,结合发达地区的司法实践先例,可以发现被告业主完全可以通过行使同时履行抗辩权达到减付物业费的目的,而法院应当本着对业主负责同时督促物业企业改善服务的宗旨,针对物业企业部分义务未履行或履行存在瑕疵,导致相应服务目的无法实现的情形,作出相适应的减付物业费的判决。     

涉自贸区行政诉讼被告资格探析

涉自贸区行政诉讼被告资格制度是上海自贸区司法制度中的重要组成部分。涉自贸区行政诉讼被告具有复杂性、多样性和创新性三个特征。传统意义上将行政主体资格与行政诉讼被告相等同的范式在当下受到了越来越多的挑战,同样体现在涉自贸区行政诉讼中。建设上海自贸区本身是在全面深化改革的时代背景下的制度创新,为此必须对涉自贸区行政诉讼被告资格制度进行大胆改革。笔者认为涉自贸区行政诉讼被告资格的认定应当在坚持司法便民、司法效率和救济有效三个原则的前提下,有选择的借鉴国外的先进经验,综合运用行为标准、权力标准以及公务标准等多重标准,在各种具体情形下分别准确认定。     

环境信息公开公益诉讼现状考察

环境信息公开公益诉讼在我国法学界尚是一个崭新的话题,随着环境问题的日益严重及公民维权意识的增强,环境纠纷日益增多,自"环境信息公开公益诉讼第一案"被广泛公开报道以来,陆续出现了多起环境信息公开公益诉讼案件。我国环境信息公开公益诉讼存在受案的立法阻隔、环境信息公开申请实体请求受阻隔等困境。在国家立法对环境公益诉讼缺乏明确规定之时,环境公益诉讼的开创性实践"贵阳模式"值得推广,新环保法对环保公益诉讼主体的有限放开,也将为艰难前行的环境公益诉讼提供新的动力。     

Conflict Assessment in Energy Infrastructure Siting: Prospects for Consensus Building in the Northern Pass Transmission Line Project

As energy demand grows rapidly worldwide, power line infrastructure will continue to be a major development planning challenge. This study considers the environmental conflict that has arisen over a transnational transmission line project between Canada and the United States. A qualitative conflict assessment is presented to define the parameters for consensus that could prevent protracted litigation between stakeholders. Proactively designing a process to encourage consensus building during the early development phase remains the most critical determinant of compromise. In this article, we argue that in this case a consensus‐building effort could be feasible if certain design requirements were met, including gaining the participation of key stakeholders, paying attention to trust, and focusing on the issues specific to this transmission line rather than to a larger energy discussion. The research shows that despite potential pitfalls, reaching more widely accepted and ecologically sensitive solutions to environmental conflicts through participatory and collaborative approaches is possible and worth the effort.     

论抗辩与反诉的界定

被告的某项特定主张应以抗辩方式还是反诉方式提出在立法上没有确定的标准,以致司法实践中常常引起当事人的困惑.现有理论关于抗辩与反诉在性质、法律地位、提出时间、处理方式和独立性方面的区别的论述不能成为界定抗辩与反诉的判断标准.界定抗辩与反诉应视被告的主张是否超越原告诉讼请求的范围而定,如超越,就只能以反诉方式提出;如不超越,则一律可以抗辩方式提出,并且在符合诉的要求的情况下,被告有权选择以抗辩或反诉方式提出.