Global principles for sustainable biofuel production and trade

This article examines international attempts to regulate the production of and trade in biofuels by establishing criteria and indicators and certification schemes. It focuses on the norms underlying the criteria and the community constructed on the basis of them. The theoretical approach here rests on a discussion of these norms and on their constitutive role. This role creates a community and gives an institutional basis for the global public domain. Accordingly, different norms create the network on which environmental governance is based. It is assumed that commonly accepted criteria form a common norm. The article analyses eleven criteria and indicator systems and compares the criteria adopted. Eight were created for biofuels and bioenergy and three are used in forest certification. Comparison reveals that the criterion aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is used in Northern systems, whereas commonly accepted environmental criteria are biodiversity and minimization of pollution. The web of norms on which biofuel production and trade is based comprises environmental norms together with the general norm of sovereignty and the norms of the market economy.

Therapeutic jurisprudence and mental health tribunals: changing patterns of demand and its impact

For decades the mental health system has been ‘in crisis,’ with too little funding, too much demand and fragmented services. In England and Wales, decisions made concerning the care and treatment of those suffering from a mental disorder is governed by the Mental Health Act 1983 (as amended) (MHA 1983). Detention under the legislation is fraught with conflict; patient and clinical views are often at odds. Mental health tribunals enable patients to seek a review of their case and the legality of their detention. This paper argues that with the increased use of formal detention under the MHA 1983, the caseloads of mental health tribunals have similarly risen. Whether it is possible to advance therapeutic benefit to psychiatric patients attending tribunals is open to question. While mental health tribunals have a role to play in generating a positive psychological impact on an applicant, there is a risk that time and resource pressures may inhibit the adoption of a therapeutic approach. This paper considers the key drivers that are currently pushing detention rates up, the impact this is having on mental health tribunal caseloads and whether it is possible to bring therapeutic jurisprudence to the patient.     

Forty-five revolutions per minute: a qualitative study of Hybrid Order use in forensic psychiatric practice

Psychiatrists who recommend a Hybrid Order (Section 45A) as a disposal option at the point of sentencing accept that the convicted individual, as well as being mentally disordered and in need of treatment, is also culpable and deserving of criminal punishment. Ethical and clinical concerns have typically limited its clinical use. However, in 2015 the Court of Appeal specified in R v Vowles and others that the Hybrid Order disposal should be considered first in terms of potential mental health disposals. This judgement sets a high threshold for the use of the hospital order which has been the bedrock of inpatient forensic psychiatric practice since 1983. This study sought to explore the attitudes of consultant forensic psychiatrists towards the use of the Hybrid Order in the wake of the Vowles judgement. We interviewed 12 consultant forensic psychiatrists with longstanding experience of psychiatric sentencing recommendations. We found that the majority of consultants considered the Hybrid Order to be a valuable disposal option when used under specific circumstances. However, significant concerns were raised about its use in those with an enduring psychotic illness. Community aftercare arrangements for Hybrid Order disposals were viewed as inferior to community aftercare arrangements for Section 37/41 patients.     

试论对新公共管理的批评及其替代模式

文章从实践和理论出发 ,在归纳新公共管理主要内容的基础上 ,总结对新公共管理在理论基础、价值追求、公私差异、具体政策等方面的批评。而“治理”和“善治”理论 ,在学科基础、价值选择、公私部门关系、运行机制等方面能够纠正新公共管理的偏颇 ,补充其不足 ,可以成为新公共管理的替代模式     

社会治理与法治

法治是社会治理的一种,社会治理是人在认识自然的规律和人的本性的基础上调整人与自然、人与人的关系,并建立和维持秩序的过程。从民主的观点来看,社会治理的最高治权应当归于人民全体。执政者所掌握的只是使用权,因此他们对社会的治理不是一种统治,而是一种管理。好的社会治理称之为善治,而法治就是一种理想的善治。     

当代西方公共管理前沿理论述评

公共管理作为一门综合性的学科,其前沿理论五花八门,但其中比较宏观和有持续影响力的当属20世纪年70代末和80年代初兴起、到现在还在继续的长达二十多年的政府改革思潮.这一思潮的主要理论基础是20世纪60年代出现的公共选择学派.新公共管理、新公共行政/服务以及治理等前沿理论都与公共选择理论有着密切的关系,是公共选择理论的发展或是在批判公共选择学派的过程中形成的理论.这几个理论相关又不尽相同,与西方思想界都有着十分深厚的渊源,反映着不同思想阵营和不同理论之间的博弈,并没有达到能够相互替代的程度.它们的风行在中国的公共管理学界也引起了层层涟漪和概念上的混淆.从西方公共管理改革实践的历史背景出发,重点就这四大理论的特点、渊源和理论效度进行综述和评论,并讨论了它们对中国公共管理发展的启示.     

治理结构多元化：地方政府机构改革的新思路

通过对当代中国地方政府机构改革的一些典型个案进行分析,发现其陷入困境的深层次原因在于强调国家统一管理而导致的地方治理结构单一化。当代中国的地方治理结构单一化是历史遗传和传统体制的产物,与转轨时期纵向政府间关系中存在的压力型体制也有着内在的关联。随着改革的深入,地方治理结构单一化的弊端逐渐显现出来。但是,从美国和英国等西方发达国家的实践来看,地方治理结构多元化与国家的统一管理并不矛盾。因此,在已有的地方政府机构改革的思路基础上,实现地方治理结构多元化应该成为继续推进当代中国地方政府机构改革的新思路。     

对独立董事的法学和经济学分析——兼评新公司法123条之规定

文章通过考察我国公司的法律传统和治理现状,比较了我国与英美国家实施独立董事制度的法律环境,运用法律和经济学的分析方法,得出结论:我国在目前不宜引进独立董事制度,即使考虑其法律地位而在《公司法》有所规定,也不应该是强制性规定.所以,新《公司法》第123条的规定值得商榷.     

论不同社会治理模式中的法治与德治

迄今为止 ,人类的社会治理主要是由统治型的社会治理和管理型的社会治理所构成的历史发展过程。近些年来 ,在向后工业社会转变的过程中 ,出现了一种新的历史趋势 ,那就是人类社会治理行为中出现了公共管理这一新的社会治理方式 ,它意味着人类的社会治理活动将又一次出现全面的变革 ,一种新型的社会治理模式即服务型的社会治理模式的出现。统治型的社会治理是以权力为基础的治理 ,可以称作为“权治” ,即权力的治理。管理型的社会治理是以权力和法律的互动为基础的 ,所以具有法治的特征。因而 ,人们倾向于把这种社会治理称作为法治 ,即法律的治理。公共管理所追求的服务型社会治理是建立在权力、法律和道德有机协调的基础上的 ,是法治和德治相统一的社会治理模式。     

我国乡政村治模式的现实问题及其优化策略

人民公社体制终结以后,乡政村治模式在中国农村凸现出来。这有利于国家基层政权进行有效的行政管理,也有助于村民自己管理自己的事务,调动蕴含在乡村中的巨大能动性,提高基层农村社会经济的运行效率,促进三农问题的稳步解决。但是,当前我国农村实际上的“乡政村治”模式存在各种问题,如职权不清,职能错位与缺位。这会影响我国农村的民主政治建设与社会经济的发展。所以需要在体制、法律层面对当前的“乡政村治”模式进行必要的调整。