Disputes over the 15-point agreement on normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia

This paper examines the 15-point agreement on normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia. Two mainstream discourses have prevailed since the agreement was ratified by both countries: on one hand, the Government of Kosovo has branded this agreement as historic, given the fact that in the last century no agreement has ever been reached between Kosovo and Serbia. On the other hand, Kosovo's political opposition has critiqued this agreement stressing that the 15-point agreement devastates Kosovo's statehood. Beyond both extreme stances, we argue that an enhanced autonomy for four northern Serb municipalities ought to be seen as a tool for integration, rather than disintegration of Kosovo statehood. This paper concludes that the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia as a top-down arrangement lacks transparency, and this might jeopardize the achievements reached through this process. Moreover, the EU position should be clearly articulated that redrawing and rearranging the borders of Kosovo and Serbia might overturn the EU's and USA's immense investments in stability, peace, and prosperity in the Western Balkans.     

Who is poor in China? A comparison of alternative approaches to poverty assessment in Rural Yunnan

Despite widespread recognition of the multidimensionality of poverty among social scientists and policymakers, the monetary approach still dominates poverty assessment. However, it is possible that different poverty assessment methodologies identify dissimilar households as poor, leading to disparate policies for poverty reduction. This empirical research applies four approaches to poverty identification to the same population of rural households in Wuding County, Yunnan Province, PRC. These approaches include China's official poverty identification method, participatory poverty assessment (PPA), the monetary approach to poverty assessment, and use of multidimensional poverty indicators (MDI). This study discovered that these four approaches generate different aggregate poverty incidences, identifying different households with distinctly different characteristics as poor. Each approach evaluates different aspects and dimensions, highlighting some characteristics while concealing others. There is very little overlap among the poor households identified by each methodology. This has implications at the conceptual, methodological, and policy levels. The conceptual understanding of poverty should be broadened to include multidimensional and multidisciplinary socioeconomic indicators. Multiple approaches must be applied in order to avoid marginalising some aspects of poverty. Poverty reduction strategies should shift from promoting short-term income-generating activities to a broader combination of strategies that address the inter-linked structural causes of poverty.     

Hydro-politics and hydro-power: the century-long saga of the Inga project

The proposal to build the world’s largest hydro-power project on the Congo River is a century old. This article argues that the Grand Inga project could become the political, diplomatic, and economic driver to deepening integration between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other African countries. The Inga delays were not without benefits. Twenty-first century sensibilities ensure revision of the proposed mega-project to minimize both ecological and social harm. While colonial-era projects were configured to maximize benefits to imperialist, settler, and corporate interests, independence and democratization are the prerequisites to facilitate the broadest possible distribution of the benefits of electrification. Since some of the countries involved have hybrid regimes, further democratization, and civil society lobbying, will be necessary to mitigate the downside of its ecological and social impacts.     

主观要件证明难题的一体化破解——兼论要素分析模式之提倡

我国关于主观要件的证明已实现三大转变：一是证明依据由“主观性证据至上”到“客观性证据优先”;二是证明对象由“主观要件优先”到“客观要件优先”;三是证明方法由“思路单一”到“对策多元”。主观要件证明难题的解决需要实体法与程序法协力并进。实体法层面宜改采要素分析模式,允许在一罪名内部存在不同性质的主观要素,不以行为人对后果的主观态度作为罪过唯一的判断标准,承认主观要素在刑法规范层面存在位阶关系。要素分析模式符合罪责原则,与我国推行的陪审员制度改革精神契合,且符合疑罪从无的要求,可以显著降低证明难度。     

新生代农民工城市社区融入问题研究

社区建设应指向社区发展,而主体性的社区发展是"善治"和现代化程度的指标之一,同时直接影响到城市居民的生活水平和生活质量。城市治理的目标之一就是包容性。包容性城市要避免对某些弱势群体如农民、农民工的排斥。有效的社区融入,不仅体现了城市对新生代农民工的包容,而且能够有效促进城市发展,提升城市治理的内涵。社区通过均等化服务、利益关注和倾斜以及组织化参与等方式,推动新生代农民工融入城市社区。     

Agent permeability, principal delegation and the European Court of Human Rights

A growing body of international relations literature examines the delegation of state authority to international organizations. Delegation is a conditional grant of authority from a principal to an agent in which the latter is empowered to act on behalf of the former. This paper explores the effect of agent permeability to interested third parties on the efficacy of control mechanisms established by principals. Our central argument is that higher levels of agent permeability are likely to lead to higher levels of agent autonomy. Because of this, principals who face a potentially permeable agent are likely to delegate more cautiously—partially, in stages, or with clear limits. We illustrate our argument with a case study of the European Convention of Human Rights and its two principal institutions, the Commission and the Court. We find that principals (contracting states) historically delegated quite cautiously to the Court, clearly concerned about the Court’s autonomy. Court behavior in its first two decades reassured principals while increasing the Court’s permeability. Over time, that increased permeability increased Court autonomy in conjunction with the Court’s growing visibility and experience.

我国“大部门体制”的理论内涵和改革路径

建立职能整合、机构协调的大部门体制是我国行政管理体制改革的必然要求。我国的大部门体制是在借鉴西方成功经验的基础上,各项改革不断深化的结果,它围绕政府职能的整合与重组,贯穿决策权、执行权和监督权的分立协调,有利于政府流程再造和现阶段诸多问题的解决。由于国情不同,大部制在我国的顺利推进需要选择与西方截然不同的改革路径。     

Managing Asylum and European Integration: Expanding Spheres of Exclusion?

During the last decade, thhe European Union intensified its efforts to define its external borders in conjunction with its efforts to evolve into a coherent, frontier-free political territory. European policy-makers slowly shaped new norms and rules pertaining to asylum, with increasingly stronger mechanisms to enforce the policy decisions. In the case of asylum and refugee protection, Europe's efforts are nested in the broad global institutional framework negotiated through and carried out by international organizations. However, these developments raise the specter of deteriorating refugee protection in Europe and beyond. This article reviews the norms and rules on which the post–World War II refugee protection regime rests and then points to the recent developments in refugee protection in Europe, which might undermine the goals of the global refugee protection.     

历史文化名城文化产业与旅游产业整合创新的目标模式研究 --以云南大理为例

对云南大理的研究表明,历史文化名城是我国人民的宝贵财富,它有着独特的文化价值和社会价值.历史文化名城的文化产业,是一个具有丰富内涵的产业.名城既要弘扬民族文化,又要实现经济、社会的可持续发展,那就需要找到一个结合点.这个结合点就是在可持续发展理论指导下的现代旅游业.因为现代旅游业既要求实现经济上的可持续性,又要满足人们对文化的审美要求和实现社会、环境等方面的可持续性.     

潕阳河旅游可持续发展的思考──兼论潕阳河深度开发与镇远旅游业

旅游业的可持续发展应包括自然资源的合理开发利用,要求在旅游开发进程中坚持文化完整性、重要生态过程持续性、生物多样性,实现经济效益与社会效益的良性发展。潕阳河流域及镇远县具有极高品位的旅游自然资源和人文资料,必须坚持可持续发展原则科学、合理地开发,在保护的前提下突出天然和本味特色,同时要注意区域间的合作和共同发展。