Producing the ‘transit’ migration state: international security intervention in Niger

Abstract

Despite a growing interest in transit migration and border controls along migration routes, there is relatively little work on the production and operation of the category of ‘transit’ itself. This article investigates how Niger emerges as a country of migration ‘transit’ and what impacts this categorisation has had on security and development interventions targeting the country. Building from the literature on the governance of transit migration and on the ‘migration state’, this article theorises transit as a political label. It argues that Niger’s status as a transit country is constructed through a ‘polyvocal’ process involving the discourse and everyday assumptions of international and local actors. The article locates this shared understanding in official texts, everyday routines, and sub-state diplomatic practices. It goes on to argue that these framings, despite divergent rationales, have effects visible in the evolution of security intervention in Niger. These include shifts in the location of border security, the blurring of migration into other transnational threats, and the creation of new domestic institutional practices. The article contributes to theorising the political construction and specificity of transit-ness and provides a fresh case for the research agenda on inter-state relations around migration governance.     

Finding a voice – the feasibility and impact of setting up a community choir in a forensic secure setting

This study reports on the feasibility and impact of running a choir for forensic psychiatric inpatients, staff and members of the local community, within the confines of a medium secure psychiatric unit. The choir ran between October and December 2013. Eight weekly workshops and a final concert performance were evaluated through participant observation and focus groups held with the participants. Between 12 and 16 male and female patients attended each workshop and the final concert. All participating patients had received a diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizo-affective disorder or personality disorder, all had committed serious violent or sexual offences and all were legally detained and receiving treatment in a forensic medium or low secure ward, under the Mental Health Act (England and Wales). Considerable benefits were reported by patients, as well as by the participating community choir members and staff. Primary benefits reported by patients included the following: improved happiness and well-being; increased confidence and self-esteem; greater emotional connectedness and reduced sense of stigma. Participating staff also reported increased feelings of well-being and happiness, greater tolerance and more positive perceptions of the functioning and capabilities of forensic psychiatric patients. The longer term benefits of music participation on the mental health and social functioning of forensic psychiatric patients require further investigation.     

Interventionism by Design or Failure: The Coalition and Humanitarian Intervention

The Coalition took office in 2010 in what seemed to be a relatively benign foreign policy environment. Since then, the international environment has become far more treacherous and the government has considered war on humanitarian grounds on three occasions. In light of the silence of early Coalition documents on humanitarian intervention, together with the two parties’ different positions on the issue, this article assesses the extent to which the Coalition has adopted a distinctive approach to humanitarian intervention. In so doing, it evaluates the relative importance of Conservative and Liberal Democrat traditions in determining the direction of Coalition foreign policy. The article also considers whether there are other, more pertinent factors driving foreign policy, and offers an explanation for its relative isolation from coalition tensions. It concludes by reflecting on the likely future of humanitarian intervention after the May 2015 general election.     

从政府干预的历史演变看政府干预的法治化与程序化

以重商主义为根据的政府干预理论与现代政府干预理论在干预的性质、范围、方式及针对的主要矛盾上均有着显著的区别。尤其重要的是 ,在政府失灵问题暴露出来以后 ,现代政府干预理论特别强调政府干预经济的法治化 ,并赋予了政府干预以程序化的内涵与外观。就目前各种矫正政府失灵的制度安排而言 ,其能发挥作用的前提 ,均不能不借助于程序而得以实现。行政法学中“控权”与“授权”在分野中趋于回归 ,最后必然与经济法对政府干预的分析趋于同路 ,转至对政府权力运行程序的探讨上来     

高速公路突发公共事件危急处理系统构建

高速公路突发公共事件具有突发性、持续性、可预测性、危害大等特点。高速公路公共危机处理系统是整个公共危机处理系统的一个重要组成部分，建议建立高速公路突发公共事件危机处理专门机构和信息发布机构；建立完备的突发公共事件处置流程；构建公共事件保障体系；组建专门的研究机构，组织力量对危机科研项目进行攻关。     

The effects of adult and peer social initiations on the social behavior of withdrawn and aggressive maltreated preschool children

The effects of programmed peer- and adult-mediated play initiations were compared for socially dysfunctional, maltreated preschool children. An N = 1, alternating treatments design was used to compare these strategies. Two withdrawn nonmaltreated (control), two withdrawn maltreated, and three aggressive maltreated children served as subjects. Dyadic play sessions were videotaped and rated at the completion of the study by naive raters according to an 18-category observation system. Overall, the control children showed no difference in levels of interaction between peer and adult conditions. The withdrawn maltreated children showed a clear preference for interaction with the peer over the adult. The aggressive maltreated children showed a clear preference for interaction with the peer over the adult. The aggressive maltreated children showed a clear preference for interaction with the adult. They also demonstrated a decrease of positive behavior and increase in negative behavior in response to the programmed initiations. Implications of these differential responses were discussed.     

FOSTERING RESILIENCE IN THE AFTERMATH OF DIVORCE: The Role of Evidence-Based Programs for Children

The negative impact of divorce is a concern with far-reaching ramifications for children's well-being. This article reviews divorce-related risks and protective factors that provide an empirical guide for the content of effective programs for children. The promising potential of child-focused interventions is highlighted, including examples of programs with evidence of effectiveness. The Children of Divorce Intervention Program is described in greater detail as an example of a preventive program with six controlled studies documenting multiple benefits to children, including reductions in anxiety, behavior problems, somatic symptoms, and increases in their healthy adjustment at home and at school. A vision for future research and practice is discussed, including best practices for adapting children's programs to court-connected services and a paradigm shift involving systematic preventive outreach to all separating parents with minor children, before difficulties become rooted and chronic.     

试论税法对环境污染行为的调控

在环境保护领域 ,市场失灵使政府干预成为必要 ;而政府干预也会失灵又需要干预政府。税法作为经济法宏观调控的重要组成部分 ,集经济手段和法律手段于一身 ;税法其实又是一个综合的领域 ,具有不同法律部门的功能。故税法既能干预市场 ,又能干预政府 ;既能解决市场失灵 ,又能解决政府失败     

EXPANDING FORENSICALLY INFORMED EVALUATIONS AND THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS IN FAMILY COURT

As the field of forensic family law has become more empirical and in need of novel behavioral health services, it has become necessary to broaden the duties of practitioners, to clarify forensic roles, and to develop more comprehensive court orders. This article introduces the application of Forensically Informed Evaluations and Therapeutic Interventions in family court; a constellation of evaluations and interventions developed to better meet the needs of children and families during and after dissolution or reconstitution. These family court appointments also meet the growing demands of the court and contribute to the trend toward discriminative application of empirically informed behavioral health services in forensic family law.     

THE POLITICS OF RESEARCH: THE USE,ABUSE, AND MISUSE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE DATA—THE CASES OF INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE

This article examines the issue of how research is utilized, abused, and misused in policy and practice in the area of intimate partner violence (IPV). The article reviews and critically analyzes facts set forth for the purpose of claiming that IPV is a significant social problem and finds that many of these facts lack empirical support. The lack of evidence that supports theoretical explanations for IPV and recommended interventions hinders the ability to adequately respond to the problem of IPV.