Violence and Statebuilding in a Borders Conflict Context: A Study of the Israeli–Palestinian Conflict

Violence, while conceived of and defined as objective, is in reality a subjective phenomenon that takes on myriad forms (political, physical, and psychological). From a constructivist perspective, the identification of violence is contingent on conflicts to signify actions as legitimate; in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, the experience of different forms of violence has meant that violence has come to acquire multiple meanings. This violence is legitimate from both Israeli and Palestinian points of view, and it creates and fulfils a cycle that perpetuates intractable conflict. This article aims to demonstrate how strongly this culture of violence has affected the state-formation process in this area, and it calls attention particularly to ongoing statebuilding processes in Palestine. The paper will also explore the intricacies related to violence and border definition in terms of ‘mapping practices’ and territoriality, and examine how, in the wake of the Oslo agreement, the Palestinian statebuilding process is created under the ruling power of the Israeli military force, restraining Palestinian capacity to create state bodies capable of establishing and retaining the monopoly of violence.     

Responsibility to Protect: Russia’s Approaches

Abstract

Russia’s predominantly suspicious and even negative attitudes toward R2P are closely related to its traditional attachment to the notion of sovereignty, but its reluctance to ‘bless’ the use of force with R2P also serves as a pretext to cover various instrumental goals. Russia’s more assertive foreign policy has exacerbated this trend. Disagreements stem from differences between Russia and the West both in their conceptual approaches to security and in their assessments of specific cases. In particular, Russia has an existential concern over possible application of R2P by extra-regional actors in its immediate post-Soviet vicinity. However, in the conflicts around South Ossetia (2008) and Crimea / Southeastern Ukraine (2014-), there was a noticeable trend to refocus R2P-related arguments in support of Russia’s own actions. By and large, R2P continues to be perceived as a Western attempt to establish certain rules of behaviour which require caution and prudence. Nevertheless, more positive attitudes do not seem impossible. To play a prominent role in the evolving international system, Russia will have to make the R2P segment of its foreign policy more salient and overcome the lag in promoting this concept as a working tool indispensable for cooperative and responsible leadership.     

Against All Odds? Russia’s Financial Crisis and Global Geopolitics

Over the past 15 years, Russia’s model of political-economy has evolved around three main channels of global economic integration: 1) export of natural resources and a national system of redistribution of export revenues; 2) financialisation, acting as a boost for domestic consumption/demand; and 3) the offshore integration of Russian capital into global capital markets. The current crisis is affecting all three channels of Russia’s global political economy. Together, reduced export revenues, the deepening financial crisis and the dominance of offshore-sourced investments into Russia, serve as crisis transmission mechanisms, and thus constitute three sets of (inter-related) dilemmas for the Russian authorities. Four scenarios of possible development of the current situation are provided.     

A 2‐Year Study of Δ 9‐tetrahydrocannabinol Concentrations in Drivers: Examining Driving and Field Sobriety Test Performance,,

From November 1, 2010 through November 30, 2012, 1204 whole‐blood samples were confirmed to contain THC alone or in combination with other drugs out of nearly 5000 Orange County, California, drivers suspected of driving under the influence of drugs. The goal of this study was to examine police reports and drug recognition expert evaluations of THC‐positive samples within this 2‐year time frame to determine whether there is a correlation between whole‐blood THC concentrations and field sobriety tests performance on DRE and non‐DRE evaluations. The FSTs prove to be sensitive to impairment by marijuana although as suspected, the findings of this study did not find a correlation between performance on field sobriety tests and the concentration of THC tested in whole‐blood samples. Driving behaviors were also examined and found to be similar to those seen in alcohol impairment. Future studies examining DRE findings are needed to confirm the results.     

陕甘宁边区的民主选举原则小议

陕甘宁边区的政权依据新形式下的民主选举原则,既保证了无产阶级在各级政府中的地位,又广泛地吸收了各抗日阶级、阶层的代表到政权机关中去,从而体现了抗日民众当家作主的权利。这种民主选举原则在陕甘宁边区,以及其他抗日民主区域得到实施和发展,成为激发广大人民抗日积极性和创造性的动力,坚持和扩大民族革命战争无穷力量的源泉。今天,仍不失为我们应遵循的民主选举原则。     

电针心经对心肌缺血性家兔心力环面积的影响

以心力环面积为指标，静脉滴注垂体后叶素造成家兔心肌缺血动物模型，结果表明，电针心经地心脏功能的调节作用比电针肺经显著，有相对特异性，说明心经作为一条经脉，与心脏机能活动有密切关系。     

试析对区域性国际组织运用武力的法律控制

区域组织运用武力问题在科索沃战争后更为引人关注。在联合国宪章体系下 ,区域组织运用武力有三种类型。其中 ,集体自卫和授权型运用武力对及时有效地反对地区霸权主义、维护国际和平与安全具有重要意义。但从国际关系实践来看 ,区域组织运用武力尤其是授权型运用武力存在着较多问题 ,只有对其实行有效控制 ,才能发挥区域组织在维护国际和平与安全方面的作用     

既判力与民事再审制度初探

从民事诉讼效率的角度考虑,既判力的确立有其积极的作用,而我国现行民事再审制度的适用导致既判力效力的不确定性。研究二者的关系,对我国的审级制度加以改造,对推进我国民事诉讼程序制度的完善,维护司法公正有着积极的意义。     

An Unusually High Cocaine Blood Concentration in an Impaired Driving Investigation

Cocaine is an illicit drug frequently encountered by forensic practitioners in driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) casework. Whole blood collected from a suspected drugged driver was found to contain 3.000 mg/L cocaine, 1.600 mg/L benzoylecgonine, and 0.260 mg/L methamphetamine. The high concentration of cocaine, while common in overdose death investigations, is unusual for an impaired driving case. Information from the officer revealed that the motorist swallowed cocaine during the traffic stop. Although a cocaine DUID charge could not be pursued, the blood methamphetamine concentration exceeded the State of Nevada “per se” limit for operating a motor vehicle. The motorist was successfully prosecuted for DUID based on his admission of using methamphetamine prior to driving and the blood methamphetamine result. This case highlights the importance of considering case history when interpreting laboratory results and the application of jurisdictional statutes as an approach to prosecuting suspected drug‐impaired drivers.     

Postmortem Analysis of Electrogram Records from an Implantable Cardioverter‐Defibrillator (ICD) in the Reconstruction of a Road Traffic Accident

The case of a 69‐year‐old man, equipped with an ICD and suffering from several chronic cardiac diseases, who died in a car accident, was presented. We analyzed electrogram records from the ICD explanted from the body during the autopsy, which showed that the driver had suffered from malignant ventricular arrhythmia—ventricular fibrillation (VF). A thorough analysis of the details of the accident, as well as the timing of VF and the rhythm observed after the discharge of the ICD showed that the direct cause of the accident was the episode of arrhythmia resulting in a loss of consciousness. Therefore, the presented case illustrates the usefulness of postmortem analysis of electrogram records from ICDs in the reconstruction of road traffic accidents. In such cases, if the victims are implanted with ICDs, it should be a routine procedure performed by forensic pathologists.