Book Review: The Conflict Paradox: Seven Dilemmas at the Core of Disputes by Bernie Mayer

Bernie Mayer's latest book is an excellent journey into seven key dilemmas in conflict. Mayer devotes a chapter to each of the following dilemmas: Competition and Cooperation, Optimism and Realism, Avoidance and Engagement, Principle and Compromise, Emotions and Logic, Impartiality and Advocacy, and Autonomy and Community. In this review, I suggest that the book is a thorough guide through seemingly diverse and opposing conflict theories. I go through each chapter and detail how Mayer sees these concepts as interwoven instead of oppositional. He walks his readers through what have been thought of as distinctive, even opposing, approaches, theories, and concepts of conflict. The review uses points and quotes from all seven dilemmas to show the depth of Mayer's analysis and the numerous benefits to theorists and practitioners of reading and rereading his book.     

Co‐parenting in a Highly Conflicted Separation/Divorce: Learning about Parents and their Experiences of Parenting Coordination,Legal, and Mental Health Interventions

Sixty high‐conflict separated/divorced co‐parents completed surveys investigating characteristics and dynamics (narcissism, empathy, conflict) that were examined in relation to co‐parenting style and parents' experiences of parenting coordination, legal, and mental health interventions. Study findings for this sample did not support common notions found in the literatures on parenting coordination and high‐conflict divorce that suggest these parents are often narcissistic or low in empathy. Findings pertaining to all high‐conflict participant experiences revealed the presence of common elements across aspects of practitioners and interventions with which they were both satisfied and dissatisfied.     

论唐五代小说的历史化倾向

在唐五代，小说作为新兴的体，呈现出明显历史化倾向。唐五代小说多以“记”、“传”、“态”、“录”等命名；有的作家直接取材于正史记载；小说的叙事结构、叙事时间以及采用“五见法”、“实录”法等叙事笔法，均可看出史传作品影响的痕迹；小说作家将自己的创作看作“补史之阙”的工具，并继承了寄寓褒贬、申明王道的史官化传统；他们强调真实，轻视小说创作。本从小说命名、内容构成、叙事模式、创作主旨、议论化倾向、小说理论等方面分析唐伍代小说的历史化倾向，并结合当时重史的社会风气、小说作家的史官出身、小说评论标准等方面，分析其历史化的原因。     

服务型政府与行政管理体制改革

服务型政府必须建立在科学合理的行政管理体制的基础上。为此,必须对我国现行行政管理体制进行全方位的改革。改革既涉及政府内部关系的调整与变革,也涉及政府与外部关系的调整与变革。其调整、变革的范围包括以下六个关系:政府与被管理者行政相对人的关系;政府与社会的关系;政府与权力机关、司法机关乃至执政党的关系;中央政府与地方政府的关系;政府部门相互之间的关系;政府部门内部的关系。     

社会弱势群体权益保障的价值探究

社会弱势群体权益保障作为人权保障范畴的重要构成部分，其价值已经超越了传统观念中关于缓解社会贫富分化，减少社会不稳定因素，维护社会秩序等意义，而是触及了整个社会的深层价值底线，即修正现代民主的局限性，维护实质上的社会公平和正义，实现社会可持续发展。为了实践我国宪法关于“尊重和保障人权”的价值追求，我们必须从各种途径来完善我国社会弱势群体权益保障。     

侦查阶段的刑事和解一些问题的分析

公安机关侦查阶段的刑事和解,存在着可能影响司法公正的因素。一方面,辩护律师参与刑事和解时间有限制,在侦查阶段接触到证据,这与刑诉法规定相冲突;另一方面,刑事和解的量刑奖赏对未成年被追诉人吸引力不足。此外,在侦查阶段达成刑事和解的,法律没有规定侦查人员是否可以撤销案件。答案应当是肯定的,但应限于提请批捕之前。建议区分参与诉讼的辩护律师与参与侦查阶段刑事和解的律师,以兼顾对被追诉人和侦查机关的公平对待。公安机关发挥群众力量事先进行民间调解、感化被害人,可以推进刑事和解实现。     

石河子春季常见尸食性昆虫种类及丝光绿蝇发育观察

目的观察新疆石河子市区尸食性昆虫的种类及温度对优势种丝光绿蝇生长发育的影响。方法 2007年和2008年的4月15日至6月15日在石河子市（E44.18°、N86.00°）3个不同地点诱集尸食性昆虫,并鉴定分类。将优势种丝光绿蝇在不同温度下饲养,观察其体长、体重、羽化率、雌雄比、历期等生长发育特点。结果石河子地区春季3个不同地点共诱集到尸食性昆虫6目14科16种,其中以膜翅目、双翅目和鞘翅目为主;丝光绿蝇幼虫体长、体重随着温度升高而增长、增加,化蛹时又有所缩短、减轻;不同的温度对幼虫的羽化率和雌雄比影响不明显。结论本文所得数据可为新疆石河子地区的法医昆虫学及相关研究和实践提供一定参考。     

RACIALLY HOMOPHILOUS SOCIAL TIES AND INFORMAL SOCIAL CONTROL

Social disorganization theory argues that racial/ethnic heterogeneity is a key neighborhood characteristic leading to social disorganization and, consequently, higher levels of crime. Heterogeneity's effect is argued to be a result of its fragmentation of social ties along racial/ethnic lines, which creates racially homophilous social networks with few ties bridging racial/ethnic groups. Most studies of social ties in social disorganization models, however, have examined their quantity and left unaddressed the extent to which ties are within or across different racial groups. This study goes beyond previous studies by examining the effects of both racially homophilous and interracial friendship networks on informal social control. Using multilevel models and data from 66 neighborhoods with approximately 2,300 respondents, we found that heterogeneity actually increased the average percentage of residents with interracial friendship networks, but the percentage of residents with interracial networks decreased the likelihood of informal social control. In contrast, the percentage of residents with White racially homophilous networks increased the likelihood of informal social control. Examining the microcontext of individuals’ networks, however, we found residents with interracial ties reported higher likelihoods of informal social control and that this effect was enhanced in neighborhoods with higher percentages of non‐White racially homophilous networks.     

以审判为中心的刑事诉讼制度改革

十八届四中全会决定提出“推进以审判为中心的诉讼制度改革”,这触及了中国刑事诉讼结构中一个由来已久的症结.“以审判为中心”观念的缺失,造成了同一审级诉讼流程中审判的“离心化”和实际上的“侦查中心主义”,进而导致垂直审级结构中第一审的“失重”,在实践中引发了较为严重的后果和特殊的政治风险.推进以审判为中心的刑事诉讼制度改革,应当在两个方向上着手:在水平方向上,首先应当在宏观的侦查、审査起诉和审判的关系上实现“以审判为中心”,其中的关键在于抑制案卷移送制度的不良影响,同时为“审判中心主义”发掘更大的制度空间;其次在审判阶段应当做到“以庭审为中心”,其核心要求是保护被告方的对质权;法院判决的权威性来自公正的庭审,法院自身也不能脱离庭审来进行事实认定.在纵向的审级结构上,在打造坚实的第一审的基础上,确立第一审在事实认定方面的权威地位,同时合理界定和调整第二审和死刑复核程序的功能,确保第一审在整个刑事程序体系中居于“重心”地位.     

认罪认罚从宽制度的体系性反思与建构

虽然认罪认罚从宽制度是在我国《刑事诉讼法》中得以正式确立的,但《刑事诉讼法》中涉及此制度的具体规定又都是操作层面的。据此,认罪认罚从宽制度的合理性并不能得以阐释。而依据我国《刑法》,对认罪认罚从宽制度的合理性则可以从形式逻辑、实质逻辑以及价值理念三个维度予以充分证成。由此可知,认罪认罚从宽制度本质上系《刑法》中的一种刑罚裁量制度,认罪认罚本质上是法定的从宽量刑情节。在定罪层面,犯罪嫌疑人、被告人只需自愿承认不法事实系其所为,即构成"认罪",而无需准确评价自身行为的法律性质并准确识别具体罪名;在量刑层面,"认罚"考察的重点是犯罪嫌疑人、被告人的悔罪态度和悔罪表现。应当通过刑法立法的方式将认罪认罚从宽制度与自首制度、坦白制度部分重叠地整合在一起,以避免"概念混同""重复评价"的错误倾向。