The Defining Elements of Advocacy Coalitions: Continuing the Search for Explanations for Coordination and Coalition Structures

As the theoretical and practical interest in policy networks increases, so does the need for further research into how, and based on what rationales, actors within a policy subsystem engage in interorganizational collective action and form political coalitions. The aim of this paper is to continue the search for explanations for coordination and coalition structures in the setting of Swedish carnivore policy. Based on the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF) and a previous case study within the same policy subsystem, the study investigates a set of hypotheses regarding actors' coordinating behavior and the defining elements of coalitions. The empirical analysis indicates, in support of the ACF, that perceived belief correspondence is a better predictor of coordination than perceived influence. Moreover, the explanatory power of empirical policy core beliefs in general, and normative policy core beliefs in particular, is further reinforced, while deep core beliefs seemingly do not influence coalition structure. The relevance of more shallow beliefs for coalition formation cannot be dismissed and therefore calls for additional research.     

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.     

Making space for space

This article explores the effectiveness of appeals to ‘active citizenship’ as an answer to the ‘neoliberal’ political vocabulary of consumer choice and market freedom. It does so through a case study on recent reforms to post-compulsory education in Australia. A common response to education and social welfare policy is to expect government to accord with ideals of citizenship such as self-determination, participation and equality. However, the case study suggests that the governmental rationalities of modern mass-education systems are irreducible to these abstractions. Reference to the social rights of citizens is embedded in the rationales of social and education policy. Nevertheless, this should not be construed as the recognition or misrecognition of an absolute ideal or principle. Instead, the negotiation of social rights can be seen as the product of the mass school system's own capacity to apply common norms to a population and to use these norms in maintaining the settlements negotiated within expanding social welfare systems.     

The Future of Social Policy in Scotland: Will Further Devolved Powers Lead to Better Social Policies for Disabled People?

Scotland has laid claim to being ‘different’ from the rest of the UK with regards to disability policy. This article examines the evidence for that with regard to long‐term and social care, and discusses the possibilities opened up by the devolution of disability benefits. It asks whether Scotland will demonstrate policy divergence from the rest of the UK, and whether that is likely to be beneficial for disabled people. It argues that Scotland has the potential to create better social policies for disabled people, but faces significant challenges in doing so.     

交通事故社会救助基金制度建构中的问题和完善对策

道路交通事故社会救助基金是由国家设立的,用于抢救伤者而先行垫付的资金。我国《道路交通安全法》及《机动车交通事故责任强制保险条例》对其作出了规定和相关配套措施,但在实际落实过程中困难重重,最主要的是对其相关的立法不到位。救助基金的来源、管理、使用等环节缺乏系统完善的制度措施。因此,这项旨在以弥补交强险保险人赔偿不足,以保障受害人权益的制度一直未能得到真正实施。     

中国刑事技术专家数据库建设的质量控制

质量是数据库建设的核心。本文从数据库建设的实践出发,探讨了从标准化、规范化,严格建设中的工作程序,强化检索功能,加强日常性维护,增强建设人员的教育培训等五个方面加强数据库质量控制的可行性与必要性。     

中国式“老有所养”的再思考

各种数据表明,中国已开始进入老龄化社会。由于传统家庭结构的变化、社会保障机制的不健全以及人口老龄化速度与经济占人口比重递增的不协调,养老已成为一个社会问题而关乎到社会生活的方方面面,人口老龄化问题势必对我国经济社会的全面协调可持续发展产生深刻的影响。妥善解决大量人口的养老需求正成为中国面临的紧迫而严峻的课题。     

经济增长、社会发展与男孩偏好:基于治理的视角

本文基于1990、2000年全国人口普查数据和1995、2005年全国1%人口抽样调查数据,采用了多层线性模型(HLM)方法,对经济增长、社会发展和男孩偏好之间的关系进行了分析。发现较高的经济增长水平和社会发展程度有助于出生人口性别比治理绩效的实现,但受到男孩偏好强弱程度的影响。论文结尾分析了研究结论对于出生人口性别比治理的政策启示,并指出了局限性和未来改进方向。     

社会主义核心价值体系精神层面的本质研究

社会主义核心价值体系的研究一直停留在价值观的层面上,并没有达到对社会主义核心价值体系的精神层面的本质研究。而对于社会主义核心价值体系精神层面本质的研究,可以为社会主义核心价值体系上升到社会成员精神层面的最高实现提供理论基础。本文正是基于此,从社会主义核心价值体系内容质的规定性及其应具有的历史功用两个方面分析了社会主义核心价值体系在精神层面上的本质属性属于社会信仰。这一精神层面的本质的确定有利于社会主义核心价值体系的输出,把人们对信仰选择的困惑中解放出来,积极参与中国特色社会主义现代化建设,并主动为社会主义核心价值体系的丰富、完善和大众化传播做出贡献。     

基于系统变量改进的产业结构成长对策研究——发达国家的经验借鉴

产业结构的成长是每个发展阶段的国家都会遇到的问题。各种影响因素之间的博弈决定了产业结构成长的未来走向。该文基于系统科学的思想方法,认为产业结构的成长是多要素共同作用的过程,并且是一个快慢变量共同作用的过程,科技进步是产业结构系统中的快变量,而心智模式则是产业机构系统中的慢变量。通过对发达国家的产业结构成长的经验总结发现,以科技进步促进产业转型的同时,还要持续改进产业系统中的序参量,才能够持续推动中国产业结构的健康成长。