The use of local direct democracy in the Czech Republic: how NIMBY disputes drive protest behaviour

Over the past 15 years there has been an increase in the use of local direct democracy in the Czech Republic. The analysis shows that the primary cause has been the regulation of development projects. Using transaction costs economics (TCE) approach it is shown how the regulation related to the siting of development projects leads to a not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) response resulting in political activism that uses institutions of local direct democracy. Drawing from the TCE perspective, in this article it is argued that the key sources of this political mobilisation have been the existence of contractual hazards related to development projects and an inability to form credible commitments between developers and communities. The article highlights a previously neglected explanation for the increased use of direct democracy because sources outside the political system often go unnoticed and contributes to the research on NIMBY disputes and on the expansion of direct democracy.     

Right‐wing populist party supporters: Dissatisfied but not direct democrats

Right‐wing populist parties tend to combine criticism of how liberal democracy functions with calls for greater direct democracy. But do their voters share that support for direct democracy? In this article, survey data is used to examine, first, whether right‐wing populist candidates in Australia, Canada and New Zealand were more supportive of direct democracy than candidates of other parties. Second, the views of right‐wing populist voters about the functioning of democracy and direct democracy are investigated. While right‐wing populist candidates turned out to be far more likely to support direct democracy, right‐wing populist supporters did not mirror the candidates. Although these were among the most dissatisfied with how democracy worked, they did not necessarily favour referendums more than other voters. The findings have implications both for how we conceive of the relationship between populism and direct democracy and the remedies proposed for redressing populist discontent.     

Always-Available Communication and Technological Distractions: Technology Use,Texting and Driving

Digital mobile communication tools have become cultural artefacts for everyday sociability. As technology use becomes pervasive in society, it brings many advantages for everyday social relations, but these benefits come in tandem with some disadvantages and unintended consequences. One such consequence is the tendency for people to be distracted due to technology use while driving. The focus of this study was to explore the prevalence of texting, making phone calls, and other technology use, such as adjusting or tuning dashboard music players or radios, while driving. Through a survey of drivers, roadside ethnographic observations of drivers, and interviews with traffic officers in Polokwane, Limpopo, South Africa,, the study broadly examined the social and cultural impact of technology and mobility with specific focus on technology use and distracted driving. The findings revealed a prevalence for texting and driving: 60 per cent of the participants reported that they have sent a text while driving; and 88 per cent acknowledged that they have seen drivers texting while driving. The study is significant considering the limited research on this social issue in South Africa, and it is also relevant considering that technology use and distraction portends the potential for causing road accidents.     

阶级与阶层两种分析方法的比较研究

阶级与阶层是研究社会结构与政治发展动力问题的核心概念。阶级分析旨在对社会总体结构和宏观层次进行探讨,阶层分析专注于对社会结构的中观层次的研究。阶层分析与阶级分析从理论上看都是为了解决社会发展的动力问题,从实践上看都是为制订合理的社会政策提供知识保障。中国社会结构正经历着一场巨大的变化,全面、深刻地理解这种变化,必须综合运用阶层分析和阶级分析。综合阶层分析与阶级分析有利于化解社会矛盾,整合社会力量,维护社会稳定与推动政治发展。     

Participation in the Budgetary Process in Local Government

Direct democracy is seen as a means of reengaging citizens in the political process. However, it is a contested concept that requires further development by being grounded in a specific context. This article reports on research undertaken in Victorian local government where the New Public Management (NPM) has been in evidence for a number of decades which according to the literature has impacted on accountability to the broader community. The possibility of consultation and citizen participation in the local government budgetary process was examined. The results reported suggest that participation in the budgetary decisions in local government is possible.     

On a knife edge: A preliminary investigation of clothing damage using rounded-tip knives

Bladed weapons are frequently encountered in violent crime offences including street based and armed robberies, murder, sexual assaults and terrorism. A study was conducted involving four frequently encountered clothing fabrics: t-shirt (knitted cotton), denim jeans (twill woven cotton), long sleeved top (knitted synthetic blend), and skirt (non-woven faux leather) and five knives to investigate any damage resulting from a downward stabbing motion, with 300 stabs in total. Any resultant penetrating severance damage was then photographed, measured and analysed. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences between the stab hole size and shape, as a consequence of the design of a bladed weapon (in particular, the tip shape) that caused it. There is a notable correlation between the Assure knife (rounded tip) and no resulting severance damage, as the fabric surfaces were not breached with this knife. This suggests a clear alternative to pointed tip knife blades. These findings will be of interest to investigators of knife crime offences, crime-reduction units, knife manufacturers and practitioners, who share the goal of identifying a safer alternative to conventional knife blade design.     

The compensation hypothesis goes east: FDI and welfare state demand in postcommunist countries

While existing research provides evidence that globalisation sparks citizen demand for the welfare state in wealthy Western democracies, less is known about how globalisation affects public demand for welfare elsewhere. This study explores the link between globalisation and welfare preferences in postcommunist countries by examining workers at multinational corporations (MNCs). These workers have previously been found to have lower levels of job security, even in Western Europe. Additionally, in the postcommunist context, MNC employment also frequently offers better opportunities than other available jobs. This combination of risk and benefit creates higher demand for social insurance (such as unemployment insurance) because MNC workers have both higher job insecurity and higher costs of job loss (if the benefits of MNC employment make it difficult to find an equally good job). Original survey data from Ukraine shows that MNC workers experience greater insecurity and are paid more than other workers. They also express preferences for more expansive welfare programmes, prioritising those related to labour market insurance. This pattern of MNC workers’ experience and preferences is confirmed in cross-national survey data from 30 peripheral economies, demonstrating that the compensation hypothesis has wider application than previously shown.     

地方政府公共服务创新：驱动机制与路径选择——中国情境下的分析框架和经验证据

不断推进地方政府公共服务创新是破解当前公共服务供给困境,构建我国治理体系和治理能力现代化的重要组成部分。在对国内外相关文献分析的基础上,从政治制度、社会需求和资源支撑等视角出发,构建了中国情境下地方政府公共服务创新驱动机制的分析框架,通过模糊集定性比较分析的方法,对"中国地方政府创新奖"下公共服务创新类项目进行了系统比较分析。研究发现,在中国情境下,晋升激励是引致地方政府创新成功的充分条件,领导支持是驱动地方政府创新成功的必要条件;而在创新的代表性路径中,公民参与和媒体报道也发挥着重要作用,经济发展水平和改革本身的难度对创新工作的影响有限;行政主导型、需求诱发型和多方互动型的创新模式是我国地方政府公共服务创新时选择的主要路径模式。未来中央应更注重从制度层面激发地方政府公共服务的创新热情,降低社会公共服务需求的政府进入门槛,同时应注重激发公共服务创新要素组合的叠加效应。     

西部大开发的内在动力源泉探析

大力发展西部民营经济,加大对西部大多数国有中小企业的非国有化改革力度,加快对西部国有大中型企业的现代企业制度改革,使西部各种所有制经济共同繁荣发展,是西部大开发内在动力的源泉所在。     

浅谈基层公安机关警力不足的现状及改善途径

随着我国社会、经济的长足发展,人流、物流、信息流也在不断发展和变化,给公安工作提出了许多新问题,特别是治安形势的不断变化和警力不足的矛盾日益突出,已成为制约当前公安工作发展的瓶颈。如何进一步夯实公安基层基础,增强公安工作发展后劲,全面提升公安工作和公安队伍建设的水平,作者就基层公安机关警力不足的成因及对策提出了自己的看法和建议。