Active in Not Being Active (AINBA): how East Asian powers accept R2P

This article explores and compares the positions of two major powers in East Asia—China and Japan—towards the ‘Responsibility to Protect’ (R2P) norm. R2P calls for collective international responsibility in the event that states are unwilling or unable to protect their people. Evaluating the mainstream argument in the literature that China and Japan have recently been welcoming the R2P norm, we ask the following questions: To what extent have China and Japan aligned themselves with R2P? How do international and national factors play out to influence their R2P stance? To summarize our findings up front: unlike what much of the current literature says, China and Japan's acceptance and practice of the R2P norm are largely pro forma. We argue that they both appear active in participating in the debates but only in order to remain inactive. In other words, they are active participants in the debates and discussions on R2P, but their aim is not to further its usage but to contain its effects. Their current stance on R2P is characterized by what we will call ‘Active in Not Being Active’ (AINBA). The article discusses the key sources and rationale for their AINBA policy with regard to R2P.     

Responsibility attribution in coalition governments: Evidence from Germany

Models of coalition governance suggest that political parties pursue the interests of their electorate through the ministerial control of policy in their portfolios. Yet, little is known whether voters reward or punish coalition parties for policy performance in their portfolios. This study investigates voters’ evaluations of the policy priorities of coalition parties and their responsibility attribution in twenty policy areas using survey data from Germany. Specifically, we investigate whether voters attribute policy responsibility equally across coalition parties, along the jurisdictional lines of ministerial portfolios, or to the dominant party in the coalition. Our findings suggest that party size, prime minister status, and ministerial portfolios are decisive for responsibility attribution.     

Security challenges and institutional responses: An Austrian perspective

Common wisdom is that NATO's future hinges solely on the outcome of the International Security Assistance Force mission in Afghanistan. While the state of Afghanistan will impact the future of the Alliance for better or for worse, it will not be the sole or even primary factor to influence the future of NATO. In many ways, Afghanistan has become an excuse for the Alliance to ignore some of the in-built problems of the organisation. The allies' inability to define clearly the nature of the Alliance and its core missions, a lack of capability and poor funding, topped off by exceedingly weak and troubled relations with other international organisations, particularly the European Union, all pose significant challenges that the alliance must address to remain relevant, coherent, and equipped to engage effectually in future operations.     

Sweat or No Sweat: Foreign Workers in the Garment Industry in Malaysia

In the last decade factory owners, in response to brand-name Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) parameters, have joined associations that verify (through a monitoring and audit system) that management does not exploit labour. There have been no reports of violations of codes of conduct concerning Malaysian workers but for foreign workers on contract there are certain areas that have been reported. These areas, including trade union membership, the withholding of workers' passports and unsuitable accommodation, generally escape notice because auditors who monitor factory compliance do not question the terms of contracts as long as they comply with national labour standards. This paper is based on research with foreign workers in Malaysia and argues that despite the success of the anti-sweatshop movement in a global context, the neo-liberal state in Malaysia continues to place certain restrictions on transnational labour migrants which breach garment industry codes of conduct. Available evidence does not support the assumption that CSR practices provide sufficient protection for both citizen and foreign workers on contract in the garment industry.     

法行为的性质

法行为是法所要规范的核心内容,但对法行为的认识在法学界一直存在着争议,特别是在当代混合社会和信息社会条件下,这种争议的条件已经发生了较大的变化。这时,重新认识法行为的性质,使其摆脱传统法律思想的束缚而面对现实,对当代立法和司法具有重要的指导意义。特别是我国正处于一个建立和完善社会主义法律体系时期,这一研究就显得更加重要。法行为实质上是一种权利义务(权力职责)的统一。     

责任政府建设的路径选择

责任政府的建设是政府民主管理制度化、规范化、程序化的重要保障,是新一轮民主政治建设与政治体制改革的重要目标。因此,责任政府建设需要我们在认清现状与问题的基础上选择理性的路径。     

安南联合国改革报告评析

安南秘书长2005年3月21日提出的题为《大自由:实现人人共享的发展、安全和人权》的改革报告,试图为联合国应对新世纪国际和平与安全面临的威胁“建立一个全球合作和具体行动的新时代的蓝图”。报告提出了不少新的概念和建议,但主要反映美国为首的西方大国的观点和主张。从各方反应看,各国对报告的分歧意见和提出的问题很多,主要集中在7个方面:什么是当前世界面临的主要威胁、把所谓“集体保护的责任”作为“新的(国际)规范”问题、使用武力的合法性标准问题、防止大规模杀伤性武器扩散问题、恐怖主义定义问题、设立小规模的人权理事会问题和安理会改革问题。     

确立义务与法律责任：预防青少年网络社会问题

青少年网络沉溺以及由此引发的青少年违法犯罪等青少年网络社会问题，不但严重危害青少年的健康发展，也扰乱了我国的社会秩序与和谐。但网络不是导致青少年网络社会问题的根源性因素，相关责任主体的缺失是青少年网络社会问题增长的根本原因。必须通过立法，确立政府、学校、社会主体以及父母及其他监护人的法定义务，明确规定其不履行义务时的法律责任，从而建立有效的预防青少年网络社会问题的法律干预机制。     

医疗过错:现实立法与学者意向--基于《医疗事故处理条例》和《中国民法典*侵权行为(法)篇草案建议稿》的分析

本文以新出台的<医疗事故处理条例>和学者们提出的<中国民法典*侵权行为 (法)编草案建议稿>为对象进行比较研究,试图探讨有关医疗过错的现实立法态度和学者们的意向,并对医疗过错立法提出个人的观点,希望能对我国民法典的起草起到一定的参考作用.     

建设责任政府需要深入推进行政问责制度

建设责任政府是我国政府管理体制改革与行政改革的重要目标之一。有效推进行政问责制度是建设责任政府的必然要求和有效途径。当前进一步推进行政问责制度的重点是要明确问责范围,规范问责程序,建立健全行政问责制度及保障行政问责有效实施的配套制度。