The Management of Democratic Elections in Africa (MDEA) programme at the university of South Africa: Is this the right path towards African solutions?

There have been a number of initiatives in Africa to rid the Continent of political instability, conflict, poverty and disease. Many have argued that aid from the West has helped Africa in many ways—from stopping wars, to food relief and rescuing the African environment. Yet others have slated Western involvement which they contend, frequently leaves Africans dependant rather than capable of solving their own problems. In line with the pan-Africanist and the African Union (AU) ideals, there is now a realisation by Africans that there is a need to find African solutions to African challenges and problems. This review article explores the University of South Africa’s (Unisa’s) Management of Democratic Elections in Africa (MDEA) programme, by looking at its objectives and the reason why it must be labelled a Programme, its mandate, which is in line with the brief of the AU and pan-Africanist ideals. The article focuses on how Unisa’s programme responds to the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG); and how it has attempted to facilitate knowledge for peace in Africa, through empowering electoral officials from various African states. The article concludes by looking at the successes and limitations of the Programme over a five-year period, from its inception in 2011.     

Electoral participation in African democracies: the impact of individual and contextual factors

This paper addresses the question of how electoral participation at the individual level is affected by various political and sociological factors in new democracies in Sub-Saharan Africa. Relying on Afrobarometer (Round 5) data, the study examines the determinants of voting for over 12,000 voting aged individuals in eight countries. Findings confirm the importance of individual characteristics such as age, associational networks, discussing politics, party identification, religiosity, trust and satisfaction with democracy in predicting turnout at the individual level. But more importantly, the addition of contextual factors significantly improves the individual-level model predicting vote choice in these democracies.     

论当代西方国家的宪法变迁

西方国家从20世纪80年代开始所推行的行政改革导致这些国家的宪法在未经修改的情况下发生了巨大变迁。在民主制度方面,代议民主制转变为代议制民主、行政民主、社会民主并存的多重民主制。在人权制度方面,人权的核心内容由生存权演变为发展权,人权的义务主体从国家扩展到自治的社团。在权力制衡制度方面,国家层面的权力制衡转变为国家层面的权力制衡和国家与社会之间的权力制衡相结合的双重权力制衡机制。     

国际条约与构建国际和谐社会

国际和谐社会是人类普遍追求的理想社会,国际条约对构建国际和谐社会具有基础和保障作用。首先,国际条约协调国家之间的利益关系,避免冲突,为实现和平国际环境奠定基础;其次,国际条约平衡国家的权利和义务,既规范又约束国家行为,达到共赢,形成共同繁荣局面;再次,国际条约在促进人类与自然和谐、可持续发展方面提供依据与保证;最后提出,采取合理措施进一步加强国际条约的约束范围和效力。     

劳动违约责任:归责原则、构成要件及立法完善

由于用人单位履行劳动合同一般要承担劳动法和劳动行政规章所规定的强制性法定义务,而劳动者履行劳动合同则一般承担合同约定的义务。因而劳动立法在设定劳动违约责任时,对劳动者应以过错责任,对用人单位应以严格责任为归责原则确定违约方的法律责任。用人单位违约,不仅应对劳动者承担违约补偿责任,而且应承担劳动行政责任。劳动者违约,则应根据劳动者违约时的主观过错状态以及用人单位由此所受实际经济损失等情形,确定其应承担的经济赔偿责任。     

环境保护信托--环保资本运营的新亮点

环保信托是环保资本运营的新亮点。将环保与信托两者有机地结合起来,环保市场可以得到信托业的大力支持和严格规范,从而保证其良性发展。这主要因为信托具有提高环保资本运营效率的功能。环保信托的创设主要是利用信托的增值功能、保全功能、融资功能和避税功能。     

振兴东北旅游业的一个新视角--黑龙江省方正原始森林公园生态旅游开发规划设想

发展生态旅游是实现旅游业可持续发展、振兴东北老工业基地的重要内容。黑龙江省方正原始森林公园独特的旅游资源与自然环境造就了高质量的生态旅游资源。通过对公园的规划、计划,将为促进黑龙江省乃至东北旅游业的发展提供生态模式,为全面振兴东北老工业基地的旅游业提供一个新的发展模式。     

俄罗斯转轨时期的产物:俄罗斯新贵

俄罗斯新贵是前苏联解体后,俄罗斯向市场经济转轨过程中迅速暴富起来的人。他们追求西方的生活方式,过着奢侈腐烂的生活,道德发生了扭曲。他们的暴富没给俄罗斯国家和社会带来什么好处,反而给俄罗斯青年心理和价值观造成很坏的影响。如何运用法律手段治理这些人的违法行为,如何唤醒被他们毒害的青年人的道德理性和爱国主义思想,是俄罗斯政府和社会急需解决的大问题。     

加强山东与日韩经济合作的路径分析

山东与韩国和日本在经济合作上有着得天独厚的地缘和资源优势,同时也存在着诸多的制约因素。加强山东与日韩经济合作的路径应是在有效弥合双方差异的同时加大克服自身缺陷的力度,积极参与东北亚经济合作,加大研发投入;加大农业科技开发力度,提高农产品的国际竞争力;实施差异化发展战略,构建区域一体化新机制;着力发展制造业,实现产业升级换代。     

美朝核风波的实质与六方会谈的出路

美朝核风波再起的实质是美国霸权与朝鲜生存权的又一次政治博弈,美朝核风波的实质看成是生存权与霸权的政治博弈。进而为此展开的六方会谈框架又成为一组多方政治博弈平台。在美朝核风波愈演愈烈、几近战争临界值之际,中国从维护地区安全出发,积极出面斡旋,经三方会谈而达成了六方会谈框架。六方会谈的达成意义重大,舒解了“战争临界”;彰显了“中国作用”;取得了可视化成果。不应否认,六方会谈框架存在某种不足,却仍是解决朝核问题的最现实、最可行的方式。