CSR and social conflict in the Brazilian extractive sector

ABSTRACT

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an important means to address conflicts, support local development and build trust between businesses and civil society. Yet CSR often fails to live up to its ambitions and can even exacerbate conflicts between companies and communities. In this article we consider how changing CSR strategies over the past four decades between Brazilian company Vale to Norwegian company Hydro have fomented or mitigated company–community conflicts in Northern Brazil. We find that paternalistic and philanthropic approaches of Vale over time led to deep resentment and mistrust due to underdevelopment and environmental damages. Moreover, while Hydro’s more modern CSR strategies sought to deepen community engagement and build legitimacy, the company has struggled in addressing the legacies inherited from Vale and past and current civil society grievances. The case suggests that even forward-thinking CSR approaches are vulnerable to failure where they prioritise business risk over community engagement, neglect to account for past legacies in areas of operation, and fail to create a shared vision of future development. It suggests that EI companies should both understand and engage with their social and environmental impacts in the past, present, and future and create shared economic benefits in the short and long term in order to address social conflicts.     

An analysis of the fundamental tensions between copyright and social media: the legal implications of sharing images on Instagram

ABSTRACT

Copyright is inherently intertwined with the development of technology and none more so than the advent of the Internet and sharing technologies. More recently, social media platforms have become the latest challenge for copyright law and policy. This article builds on the literature that recognises the underlying conflict between copyright and social networking sites (SNSs); namely that the basic implication of copyright is the restriction of copying, whereas the ethos of social networking is the promotion of sharing. In particular, this article focuses on the disparity between the restricted acts of copying and communication to the public under copyright law and the encouragement of sharing on SNS Instagram. In doing so, it contextualises the debate surrounding copyright and social media and provides an understanding of the legal implications of using Instagram. As such this paper analyses (1) the infringement of copyright protected work on Instagram, and (2) the user-agreement and licensing of copyright material on Instagram. This study concludes that the disparity between the principles of copyright and social media lead to confusion and vulnerability of users. Therefore, it is suggested that Instagram should better inform its users of the implications of sharing third-party content as well as the terms of its user agreement. This could be done by implementing a copyright strategy, which includes a notice and takedown system as well as investing in producing educational content for users. Perhaps SNSs, such as Instagram might be more motivated to take steps to recognise intellectual property rights if they were considered Internet Services Provides such as YouTube.     

‘Let's Win this Game Together’: Children's Rights Violations,Macro‐Securitisation and the Transformative Potential of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil

Sport's transformative potential is known to support marginalised children, to deal with traumatic experiences and instil positive values; yet hosting mega sporting events (MSEs) can have negative impacts. Drawing on participatory research with favela‐based children during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, this article argues that MSEs bring a macro‐securitisation of urban life, which causes considerable harm. This paper also suggests that the inclusion of children's voices in advocacy debates can challenge top‐down securitisation and might allow MSEs to foster further positive social transformation. Therefore, juxtaposed with causing harm, macro‐securitisations can open opportunities for children to take action and have their voices heard.     

“债随物走”规则的理论基础是什么——以企业转投资案例为焦点的实证研究

最高人民法院于2003年通过司法解释创造了"债随物走"规则。这一规则在实践中常适用于企业将其重大资产对外投资的交易。现有的相关研究大多认为这一规则是对法人财产独立制度的违反,主要以继受人责任和公司分立作为对该规则进行限缩解释的理论基础。针对这一规则,截至2018年9月的全样本实证研究表明,我国法院在企业对外投资情形下适用"债随物走"规则有其现实的考虑,其决定性因素包括债权人的类型与新设公司外部投资者的数量。现有相关研究并未意识到这些因素的重要性。与现有理论相比,资产分割理论可以很好地帮助人们分析"债随物走"规则的制度成本与收益,也更契合目前我国的司法经验,可以为这一规则未来的适用提供指导。根据法院的判决经验与理论分析,法院应仅在转移资产的企业之债权人明显缺乏自我保护能力,且资产受让公司外部投资者数量较少的情况下适用"债随物走"规则。     

Mobilising the Periphery: Brazil's My House My Life Programme and the Homeless Workers' Movement

Brazil's Movimento de Trabalhadores Sem Teto (MTST, Homeless Workers' Movement) has grown dramatically in recent years. This growth was partly provided for by the use of a large government housing programme, Minha Casa Minha Vida (MCMV, My House My Life), which allowed the MTST to construct housing for its members and swell its ranks with thousands of new members. Yet some have argued that the MCMV programme used by the MTST may compromise the autonomy of civil society organisations. This article, by contrast, argues that while the MCMV programme encouraged bureaucratic practices, it also helped to promote the cultural politics of the MTST.     

Citizen aid,social media and brokerage after disaster

Abstract

In a crisis, aid providers deliver humanitarian relief across a hierarchy of organisations where influence and capacity map to their scale of operations. On the front lines of crises, ‘citizen aid’ is what small, local and informal groups offer to fellow citizens. These citizen aid groups are well-networked in place and tend to work through longstanding personal relationships. In the Philippines, citizen aid groups frequently support their activities by documenting their work with photos of beneficiaries to solicit donations from within the country and around the world across social media platforms. This paper builds on recent debates on brokerage through a case study of citizen aid in the relief effort after Typhoon Haiyan (2013–2017). Using this case-study approach, we demonstrate how social media has produced novel forms of brokerage shaped by circulating images online. This new kind of brokerage involves a layered network of brokers that both shapes citizen aid efforts and creates new channels for localising aid, enhancing the control of citizen groups in the Global South over aid.     

“党建”与“共建”:形塑基层社会治理格局的双重逻辑——基于杭州市D区的考察

从党的政策表述及当前实践来看,基层社会治理格局的形塑过程蕴含着“党建”与“共建”的双重逻辑。“党建”的出发点是巩固党的组织优势和执政基础,表现为基层组织体系从“有形覆盖”走向“有效覆盖”,进而为引领基层社会治理准备条件。“共建”要求探索“一核多元”的治理模式,既要实现基层党组织对“共建”力量的联结和协调,也要保障多元治理主体的有效参与,同步推进群众自治、社会共治和公共服务。“党建”与“共建”的双重逻辑呈现,亦关联着社会治理研究范式的更新。     

足迹研判工作模式的研究探讨

为高效发挥足迹研判工作的作用,笔者对足迹研判工作模式进行了思考。对上海市、长沙市等全国先进地区进行了调查、分析,也对先进经验推广存在的困难进行了讨论,指出其困难在于领导重视和理念两个方面。最后,笔者提出了一套更适于推广的战斗小组工作模式,并对该模式中各步骤的耗时和重要性进行了评估,阐述了该模式在人力、财力、物力投入缺乏情况下的优势,旨在对足迹研判工作的推动有所裨益。     

大治安格局的理念与全新的工作方式

大治安格局是以指挥中心为龙头,以社区警务建设为基础,以强化社会控制为手段,以公安科技建设为保障,各警种和社会力量广泛参与,采取专群结合,打防结合,动静结合,点线面结合,人防、物防、技防等方式方法,形成集预防、发现、打击犯罪等功能于一体的社会治安防控的大治安格局。     

论公司经营范围的准确定位

公司作为一种营利性组织,必须以其组织章程规定的经营范围为基础进行经营活动。传统公司法中,对超范围经营活动,法律赋予其绝对无效的法律后果。随着经济的发展,体制的转变,经营范围的绝对性受到了质疑。本文分析了经营范围的功能及社会经济基础的变化,认为我们可以借鉴发达国家的做法,采用相对无效原则。不将其全盘否定,放宽限制,给公司充分的经营自由,同时兼顾政府的公共事务管理职能。