The Advantages of Proximity: Comparing Higher Education Policy in Scotland and Catalonia

The article claims that, following devolution, increased proximity will increase policy capacity by changing the form of policymaking and providing greater scope for policy tailoring. The hypothesis is tested against devolution of higher education responsibility in Scotland and Catalonia. Results show that devolution did not entail the development of the same form of policymaking in the two regions, but it nonetheless permitted the implementation of policies and tools that were both in contrast with global trends in higher education policy.     

Achilles' heels of governance: Critical capacity deficits and their role in governance failures

This article assesses the usefulness of conceptions of policy capacity for understanding policy and governance outcomes. In order to shed light on this issue, it revisits the concept of governance, derives a model of basic governance types and discusses their capacity pre‐requisites. A model of capacity is developed combining competences over three levels of activities with analysis of resource capabilities at each level. This analysis is then applied to the common modes of governance. While each mode requires all types of capacity if it is to match its theoretically optimal potential, most on‐the‐ground modes do not attain their highest potential. Moreover, each mode has a critical type of capacity which serves as its principle vulnerability; its “Achilles' heel.” Without high levels of the requisite capacity, the governance mode is unlikely to perform as expected. While some hybrid modes can serve to supplement or reinforce each other and bridge capacity gaps, other mixed forms may aggravate single mode issues. Switching between modes or adopting hybrid modes is, therefore, a non‐trivial issue in which considerations of capacity issues in general and Achilles' heel capacities in particular should be a central concern.     

论现代科技对侦查的影响

现代科技对侦查的影响是全面而深刻的。对侦查的对象——刑事犯罪的影响体现为：在手段方面进行科技化改造,在领域方面促使其进一步增大;对侦查能力的影响体现为对侦查技术的进一步提升及对侦查理念的进一步拓展;对侦查法治的影响体现为侦查法治的文明化程度不断提升与现代科技为侦查法治带来了一些争议性问题;对侦查学的影响体现在侦查学和刑事技术学的融合和分化的发展过程。在现代科技的语境下,刑事侦查要辩证地对待现代科技的影响,促进侦查能力、侦查法治和侦查学的发展。     

Review of Logic of Local Government Behavior in China

It is an important task to study the logic of behavior of local governments for interpretation of the “password” of national governance and promotion of modernization of national governance system and governance capabilities. From the perspectives of structure-function, governance processes and organizational system, the paper reviews the behavioral logic of local government over the past decade. It concludes that institution is a core element which affects local government behavior, and research transforms from the determinism which formal national governance system plays a decisive role over the local government to mutual construction of central governments, local governments and local social institution, from normative research to empirical research, from a macro-level to meso-level, from organization to organization field. In the future, empirical and comparative studies are recommended, focusing on the process of generating, strengthening, weakening or re-institutionalizing in inter-governmental or organizational interaction, for more exploration into the general logic of local government behavior.     

Public opinion towards welfare state reform: The role of political trust and government satisfaction

The traditional welfare state, which emerged as a response to industrialization, is not well equipped to address the challenges of today's post-industrial knowledge economies. Experts and policymakers have therefore called for welfare state readjustment towards a ‘social investment’ model (focusing on human skills and capabilities). Under what conditions are citizens willing to accept such future-oriented reforms? We point at the crucial but hitherto neglected role of citizens’ trust in and satisfaction with government. Trust and satisfaction matter because future-oriented reforms generate uncertainties, risks and costs, which trust and government satisfaction can attenuate. We offer micro-level causal evidence using experiments in a representative survey covering eight European countries and confirm these findings with European Social Survey data for 22 countries. We find that trust and government satisfaction increase reform support and moderate the effects of self-interest and ideological standpoints. These findings have crucial implications not least because they help explain why some countries manage – but others fail – to enact important reforms.     

治理结构、运行机制、与政府关系: 非营利组织有效性分析--浙江省义乌市玩具行业协会个案

非营利组织的治理结构、运行机制、与政府关系对于非营利组织的发展特别重要.行业协会是非营利组织的一种形态.通过分析浙江省义乌市玩具行业协会个案,运用制度变迁和合作博弈理论,剖析协会的治理结构、运行机制、与政府关系,探讨非营利组织的有效性.     

论保证人的条件

保证人的条件直接影响着保证合同的效力及债权人权利的实现,包括积极条件和消极条件。现行保证制度中关于保证人的条件,无论在理论上还是在实践中,尚存在一些问题和值得探讨之处。     

论高校学报策划工作

在新形势下,高校学报要尽快转变观念,积极面向市场,着力强化策划工作。高校学报策划,要从定位、栏目、选题、组稿、版式、发行等环节着手,以赢得办刊工作的主动性,提高刊物的市场竞争能力。     

赠与合同三题

首先 ,《合同法》的颁布并未平息赠与合同究为诺成合同还是实践合同的争论。笔者认为 ,《合同法》第 186条第 1款所指的赠与仅有诺成合同之名 ,却有实践合同之实。与其如此 ,不如直接将其规定为实践合同。这样较符中国的国情 ,而有利于重合同守信用的观念和法律意识的培养和提高 ;该条第 2款所指的赠与显然具有诺成合同之特征。其次 ,该法第 189条关于赠与人损害赔偿之规定的适用范围有待明确。最后 ,受赠人是否应有行为能力之限制 ,则应区别对待。     

自然人身份能力的区际法律冲突及属人法的确定--兼谈《民法典(草案)》第九编的属人法制度

“一国两制”的伟大构想促使我国形成“三法系、四法域”的独特法律体制。自然人作为民事法律关系最重要的主体 ,其民事行为能力的确定关系到其所从事民事行为的有效性。四法域有关这一制度的规定存在一定的法律冲突 ,并且在属人法的确定上亦有所不同 ,本文通过对四法域法律制度的比较 ,以及对属人法理论的换位思考 ,试探讨解决这一区际法律冲突的途径 ,并结合《民法典 (草案 )》第九编的有关规定提出一点建议。