Unintended consequences of state-building and the management of diversity in post-conflict Kosovo

This paper examines the adoption of a multiethnic liberal-democratic model of governance in post-independence Kosovo and the dual task of state-building to secure unity and manage diversity. This article explains why in post-conflict and post-independence Kosovo, its domestic sovereignty and legitimization have become conditioned by the integration, accommodation, and protection of its minorities. While the existing literature has mainly focused on the shortcomings deriving from the exogenous character of state-building in Kosovo, this paper aims to challenge and complement this view by drawing on the “state-in-society” approach developed by Joel Migdal, which highlights that the actual states have less coherence than their theoretical counterparts. Analysis of post-independence Kosovo reveals the legislation-implementation gap and the unintended consequences arising under the impact of endogenous factors. Overall, this article shows that multiethnic state-building in Kosovo has been crucially transformed and “limited” by local idiosyncrasies.     

The Political Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment: A Firm-Level Analysis

Many large-N cross-national studies claim to show that political institutions and phenomena determine where foreign direct investment (FDI) flows. In this article, I argue that these studies tend to overemphasize statistical significance and often neglect to assess the explanatory or predictive power of their theories. To illustrate the problem, I estimate variations of a statistical model published in an influential article on “Political Risk, Institutions, and FDI.” I find that none of the political variables that the authors consider accounts for much of the variation in aggregate FDI inflows. To ensure that this underwhelming result is not driven by misspecification or measurement error, I leverage a large firm-level data set on the investment location decisions of thousands of multinational firms. Using nonparametric machine-learning techniques and out-of-sample tests, I show that gravity variables can help us develop very accurate expectations about firm behavior but that none of the 31 “political determinants” of FDI that I consider can do much to improve our expectations. These findings have important implications because they suggest that governments retain some room to move in the face of economic globalization.     

Domestic adjustment costs,interdependence and dissent in the Council of the European Union

Liberal international relations theory posits that the behaviour of states is affected both by domestic interests and other states with which they are linked in significant patterns of interdependence. This article examines the relevance of this proposition to states' behaviour in the most powerful institution in the furthest reaching example of regional integration in the world today: the Council of the European Union. Compared to previous research, more detailed evidence is analysed in this article on the substance of the political debates that preceded Council votes. It is found that states' disagreement with both discretionary and nondiscretionary decision outcomes affects the likelihood that they dissent at the voting stage. Moreover, in line with the theory posited here, the behaviour of states' significant trading partners has a particularly marked effect on the likelihood that they will dissent.     

警察防治家庭暴力的调查与思考

警察机关作为公权力机构的一线代表,对预防和制止家庭暴力有着不可替代的作用。通过对江苏4地10个派出所的调查,结果显示：警察对家庭暴力的整体认知状况、对法律干预的态度、对法定干预职责的理解等都有所改变和进步,但由于培训、立法、机制等方面的原因,警察机关的干预作用仍然没有得到很好地发挥。要重视警察防治家庭暴力意识和能力的培训,制定专门的家庭暴力防治法,建立反对家庭暴力的专门委员会。     

性别性受苦——中国贵州苗族中年妇女关于家庭暴力的口述见证

这篇文章根据我们在贵州苗族地区所收集的口述故事书写而成.从1999到2004年,我们采用口述见证方法（oral testimony）作为我们社区发展的一种策略,尝试从苗族妇女的生命故事中,理解她们面对的困难与需要,从而让我们更能够与她们一起推动社区发展的项目和计划.我们推动口述故事项目背后,还有女性主义的关怀,希望这些偏远山区的边缘妇女能够通过口述故事发声,让我们能够聆听她们被隐没的需要,理解在家庭和社区中各种形塑她们生命历程的社会力量.在这研究中,我们特别发现中年妇女生命中面对的苦难大多与家庭相关,她们不断述说家庭的负担、家庭冲突、家庭暴力、丈夫酗酒等的问题.阅读她们的生命故事,我们得出的结论是,家庭暴力是她们主要面对的苦难之一,而这苦难是当地妇女的集体经验,是性别性和制度性的.在这文章中,我们特别希望指出,当地家庭暴力产生的根源并非是单一性的,而是父权制度、农村贫困、传统文化习惯等交织在一起,形塑了她们生命的遭遇和苦难.     

THE IMPACT OF CONTINUING EDUCATION TRAINING ON LAW GUARDIAN KNOWLEDGE,EFFICACY, AND PRACTICE BEHAVIORS

There is an increased demand for law guardians in domestic violence cases, especially those involving child witnesses. Training is required for law guardians to meet child clients’ needs. While workshops and conferences are typical venues for continuing education training, their effectiveness is unknown. This pilot study compared law guardians who attended a conference on community violence and children to nonattendees on several training outcomes. Results showed a positive impact on attendees’ feelings of efficacy and intentions to carry out new practice behaviors post‐conference; differences were maintained at follow‐up. Limitations and implications of this pilot study are discussed.     

Alcoholism Level Differences between Vietnamese Batterers and Non-Batterers

Frequency of alcohol consumption and alcoholism levels were compared between Vietnamese batterers and non-batterers. A sample of 200 Vietnamese men was administered a self-reported questionnaire which combined the Conflict Tactics Scale 2 and the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test. Results of the study revealed statistical significant differences between the two groups regarding frequency of alcohol consumption and alcoholism levels. However, through logistic regression analysis, it was found that participants’ frequency of alcohol consumption and alcoholism levels were not statistically significant in predicting battering among Vietnamese men. An erratum to this article can be found at     

THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD AND THE NEED FOR ITS INCORPORATION INTO A BILL OF RIGHTS

In this article I discuss the failure of most democratic countries to accept or properly implement the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, despite, except in the case of the United States, having ratified it. I consider the domestic implementation of treaties. I discuss, from an Australian perspective, that country's failure to enact a Bill of Rights and argue that children in Australia have suffered as a result. I also discuss judicial approaches to international law and compare the situation in countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and New Zealand and suggest that even in those countries that do have a Bill of Rights, it is not oriented toward children and therefore does not properly recognize their rights.     

实施环境准则:外交和司法途径

自 1972年联合国人类环境会议以来 ,各国已经建立了地球环境保护工作的准则和框架。本文首先阐述了执行环境准则的意义 ,然后阐述了在国际和国内层面上实施环境法律准则的框架以及奥尔胡斯协定 ,最后阐明了跨国实施环境法准则的含义     

Domestic Violence in Hispanics in the Southeastern United States: A Survey and Needs Analysis

Violence is a significant health issue for Latinas in the United States (US), with 54.9% reporting violent victimization. However, little is known about battering among Hispanic women in the southeast. The southeastern corridor, a rural area in search of cheap labor, is a magnet for undocumented agricultural workers. The purpose of this study was to describe domestic violence in Hispanic/Latino women in the southeastern US, including type and frequency of violence experienced, barriers to obtaining treatment, and services needed by women who have been abused. Hispanic women completed questionnaires developed from information from focus groups. Results indicate that domestic violence is a major health problem for women in the southeast, and document previous findings as well as offer new insights about Hispanic women who have experienced domestic violence. Implications are discussed in terms of the need for community partnerships and interventions, as well as routine screening and crisis intervention.