What do forensic analysts consider relevant to their decision making?

In response to research demonstrating that irrelevant contextual information can bias forensic science analyses, authorities have increasingly urged laboratories to limit analysts' access to irrelevant and potentially biasing information (Dror and Cole (2010) [3]; National Academy of Sciences (2009) [18]; President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (2016) [22]; UK Forensic Science Regulator (2015) [26]). However, a great challenge in implementing this reform is determining which information is task-relevant and which is task-irrelevant. In the current study, we surveyed 183 forensic analysts to examine what they consider relevant versus irrelevant in their forensic analyses. Results revealed that analysts generally do not regard information regarding the suspect or victim as essential to their analytic tasks. However, there was significant variability among analysts within and between disciplines. Findings suggest that forensic science disciplines need to agree on what they regard as task-relevant before context management procedures can be properly implemented. The lack of consensus about what is relevant information not only leaves room for biasing information, but also reveals foundational gaps in what analysts consider crucial in forensic decision making.     

Three cheers for liberal modesty

ABSTRACT

Many liberals have been immodest in postulating that their own progressive, secular liberalism is the only one that can be justified in public reason. In Liberalism’s Religion, I articulate a more modest theory of liberalism and religion. While I personally endorse progressive secular liberalism, I argue that it is only one of the reasonable conceptions of liberal justice. This liberal modesty has profound, hitherto unnoticed implications for (i) the role of religious arguments in the public sphere, (ii) the legitimacy of religious establishment, and (iii) the justifiability of religious exemptions. In this article, I defend these three claims by providing replies to my critics.     

From discourse to policy: US policy communities’ perceptions of and approaches to climate change and security

ABSTRACT

Increasingly, a diverse set of policy communities, including those with defence, development and environmental mandates, frame climate change as a security threat. Most often this discursive formation labels climate change as a ‘threat multiplier’. This framing, however, is vague, linear and leaves many questions unanswered regarding how institutions can develop and implement policy that addresses the joint challenges of climate change, conflict and security. Utilising a mixed-methods approach, and grounding data collection in US policy communities, this article examines how policy actors and institutions integrate climate-security discourses into policy processes. The objective of this research is to provide direct insight into how the discourses and technical understandings of climate-security transition into policy priorities and implementation realities. This research identified three common approaches to climate-security: (1) A challenge of adaptation and resilience; (2) A potent political argument; and (3) An issue of limited importance and feasibility. These approaches, however, are inconsistent across sectors and within organisations, suggesting a lack of cohesion and considerable challenges in identifying and responding to climate change as a ‘threat multiplier’.     

当代文学转型中的赛伯批评空间——兼谈网络文学的若干特性

上世纪末，以启蒙理性为主导的20世纪中国学，宏观上正经历着向以狂欢精神为主导的新学时期的转型。在这一过程中，网络及网络学的流行具有重要意义。一方面，作为新兴媒体的网络有可能继报纸之后为日益民间化、边缘化的知识分子提供新的“批评空间”；另一方面，网络学既深受狂欢化的当代学影响，同时由于自身的特性，又强化了这种狂欢化倾向。网络及网络学、狂欢化的当代学以及日益民间化了的知识分子，三将会互为表里，互相推动，形成狂欢化学时代的第一个里程碑，从而对未来学创作的形式、内容、格局都将产生深远影响。     

乡镇政府公共品供给能力及其评估指标体系

构建乡镇政府公共品供给能力的评估指标体系,是科学评估乡镇政府公共品供给能力的前提。本文首先界定乡镇政府公共品供给能力的内涵和构成,然后逐一讨论关于构建我国乡镇政府公共品供给能力评估指标体系的原则、目标、指标体系、评估标准和权重等问题,最后构建一个评估乡镇政府公共品供给能力指标体系的总表。     

乡镇公共服务中的行政合同研究

行政合同在乡镇政府行政管理中的运用,标志着我国基层政府管理方式由单一行政管理手段向法律管理手段的重大转变。引起乡镇政府行为方式转变的深刻原因,一是以取消农业税费为主要内容的农村经济体制改革;二是乡镇公共服务和公益事业发展体制的改革。由于乡镇文化环境及干部的认识和管理水平的限制,在运用行政合同中存在诸多问题,这应当引起足够重视,并加以完善,以推动这场重要变革。     

构建和谐社会要努力搞好社会保障工作

构建和谐社会,需要搞好社会保障工作。共产党对构建和谐社会与搞好社会保障工作进行了理论探索,我们研究社会保障工作实践中的问题,提出解决问题的思路、对策,有助于构建和谐社会。     

涉外劳动纠纷中竞业禁止协议准据法之研究——以微软与Google纠纷案为视角

竞业禁止协议的准据法确定问题,直接决定着涉外民商事关系主体应承担的具体权利、义务和责任,尤其是由于此类协议在一定程度上限制了雇员的择业自由,适用不当极有可能演变为雇主不正当竞争的工具,故此各国立法对其的有效性均采取审慎态度,并按照所奉行的公共政策对其进行法律调整。     

"道"与"一"

道家的“道”在中国哲学史上有如西方哲学史上柏拉图的“理念” ,具有重要地位。然而对道的含义之理解却始终充满歧义和困难。本文试图另辟蹊径 ,从道家经典文本中常用的“一”字入手 ,通过对其用法与含义的分析和解释 ,实现对道观念的全新阐释。     

论我国刑事自诉案件中的公诉救济

公诉救济是刑事自诉制度中的一个重要内容 ,目前我国关于这一内容的立法存在着一些缺陷 ,需要扩大自诉转为公诉的案件范围 ,规定自诉转为公诉的程序 ,同时加强对自诉程序的法律监督。