bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Civil Service Reform in Japan and Korea: Toward Competitiveness and Competency
Authors: Kim Pan S.
Published: May 2004

Governmental problems still exist in Japan and Korea even though the two nations have achieved substantial economic and political development in modern times. Such problems include a low ranking in world competitiveness in government and a lack of competency. Furthermore, rigid and closed systems for employment and promotion still prevail without many improvements in human resource management. Recently, both the Japanese and Korean governments have paid serious attention to new challenges such as globalization and informatization. In order to improve competitiveness and competency, both governments have attempted to reform the civil service in more flexible and open manners. Japan and Korea as geographic neighbors have, in general, many similarities, although some may see more differences than similarities. This article cannot provide a full picture of both nations’ governmental problems, but a study of civil service reform is meaningful for improving human resource management in the government of both countries as well as understanding Asian public personnel management.
Training Strategies and the New Generation
Authors: Legros Michel
Published: May 2004

At the end of the last 20 years, a balance seemed to have been established in France between a strong emphasis on the importance of modernization for the state, even though it was accompanied by more mixed practices, and vocational training for senior staff who would be progressively inculcated with new values and translate them into teaching practices. This balance could be badly disrupted by the need for a massive and rapid renewal of a large part of the baby-boom generation teaching staff. Forced to undertake a poorly planned move towards massification, training centres could be faced with the threat of a regressive step in teaching unless they take this opportunity to commit to a renewal of training strategies.
Governance Reforms and Failed States: Challenges and Implications
Authors: Brinkerhoff Derick W. , Brinkerhoff Jennifer M.
Published: May 2004

This article investigates the multifaceted nature of governance reforms in failed states, and the complex interplay of technical and political factors. It examines three questions: (1) What do the theory and practice of international assistance in public administration tell us about building and/or repairing governance systems? (2) What are the challenges to applying these lessons and models to failed/failing states? and (3) What are the corresponding implications for promoting sustainable governance strategies? The discussion shows how the synoptic efforts to grapple with the ‘big picture’ are often undermined by the operational nitty-gritty of donor agency procedures and aid delivery mechanisms on the ground. Attention to the complexity of shifting foreign assistance agendas, the application and refinement of analytic and process tools, appropriate incorporation of sometimes conflicting values and agendas and democratic processes to maximize effectiveness can contribute to bringing the conceptual and the practical aspects of promoting governance reforms in failed states closer together.
Fiscal Federalism and Local Government Finance in Nigeria: An Examination of Revenue Rights and Fiscal Jurisdiction
Authors: Akindele S. T. , Olaopa O. R. , Obiyan A. Sat.
Published: May 2004

The most severe problem facing public institutions in Nigeria is the fiscal one, particularly in local government. This problem has been provoked by a number of factors, including ‘over dependence’ on statutory allocations from both the state and federal governments, deliberate tax evasion by the local citizenry, creation of nonviable local government areas, differences in the status of local governments in terms of the rural–urban dimension, and inadequate revenue and restricted fiscal jurisdiction. This article examines these factors and their attendant problems, implications and effects within the context of the fiscal federalism established by the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

For financially healthy local governments to exist, responsibilities and functions must be allocated in accordance with their taxing power and ability to generate funds internally. The constitutional provision that recognizes local governments’ power in this regard must give them full freedom to operate and this must be well guaranteed and adequately protected. These measures, coupled with a review of the revenue-sharing formula, the granting of fiscal autonomy and fiscal discipline as well as making local government responsive, responsible and accountable to the people will set local governments free from the fiscal stress promoted and strengthened by the 1999 constitution.
The Unanticipated Consequences of Decentralization and Reinvention: The Case of the Province of South Holland
Authors: Yesilkagit A. K. , de Vries J.
Published: May 2004

Two developments flowing from the institutional reforms in The Netherlands of the 1980s currently form ‘the usual suspects’ in a series of scandals or instances of public arousal within the public sector. The first factor is the large-scale decentralization of tasks from central government to provincial and municipal authorities. Initiated under the name of democratization and efficiency this decentralization programme was part of a large package of operations, including deconcentration, deregulation, privatization, and reconsideration, that were to to slim down central government in terms of personnel, tasks and organization. Second, managerialism, i.e. the adoption of business management ideas and concepts by public administrators, entered Dutch public service vocabulary during the second half of the 1980s. Managerialism did not limit itself only to central government agencies but also — and perhaps more succinctly — found openings in provincial and municipal authorities, mainly as a fierce reaction against the ‘bureaucratism’ of daily administrative practice to counter the relative deprivation perceived by civil servants in relation to their private sector counterparts. This article shows that the decentralization of financial management and the emergence of ‘reinvention’ ideas have had autonomous but drastic effects. While the former blinded central government and provincial controllers, the latter legitimized practices that even under a private sector regime would have been deemed improbable.
The European Administrative Space from a German Administrative Science Perspective
Authors: Siedentopf Heinrich , Speer Benedikt
Published: May 2004

At present, the academic discussion about the Europeanization of public administrations and the possible development of a European administrative space is concentrating on the matter of convergence or divergence between the administrative systems of the EU member states. The practical administrative preparation of the enlargement process to Middle and Eastern Europe has shown, however, that we still have only limited information about the legal and functional requirements of EU membership for public administrations. The current research situation points tofar-reaching but not necessarily standardizing effects, which might rather lead to the development of a European administrative community, characterized by convergence in some areas as well as divergence in others, than to a unified European administrative space.
Do Ministers Matter? The Individual Style of Ministers in Programmed Policy Change
Authors: Chabal Pierre M.
Published: May 2004

Many social science approaches to governmental work suggest, mainly through models of policy analysis, that individuals (ministers) ‘make’ little ‘difference’ to (policy) processes. This article argues that, on the contrary, individuals are able to influence, through their policy style, change processes. It draws from field research on 19 ministers and three policy sectors in four political systems (Britain, France, Germany, Spain) and interviews with 179 (former) ministers, cabinet members and high-ranking civil servants. It follows in B. Headey and J. Blondel’s footsteps: the ‘consequences’ or the ‘impact’ of ministers. It claims to look at ministerial ‘efficiency’ less by evaluating the work of certain ministers than by comparing types of minister in the ways in which they tackle and overcome (or fail to overcome) the constraints bearing upon the various ‘compartments’ of their policy work.
Public Management Reform and Administrative Law in Local Public Service in the Uk
Authors: McEldowney John
Published: May 2004

Local government has been subject to intensive change and extensive legislation since the 1970s and the government of Mrs Thatcher intended to reduce public expenditure. Since the election of the new Labour government in 1997, modernization and reform continues in the development of public services in local government. Recent reform of local government has been complicated by the introduction, since 1998, of devolution to the London Assembly with an elected mayor, assemblies in Northern Ireland, Wales and the Scottish Parliament. There are complicated financial relations between local government and the different varieties of devolved government. The United Kingdom remains a unitary rather than a federal state but devolution delivers a level of decentralization. Central government retains control through legal and economic instruments and provides local government with limited autonomy. The elected element in local government contributes to local democracy. Local government provides an important element in the delivery and management of public services but complicated by the fact that privatization has changed the way public services are delivered. There are a plethora of statutes, regulations, guidance and audit systems that provide a comprehensive framework for local government in the provision of education, social services, planning public health and licensing regulation. The courts have exercised an oversight of local government through judicial review of disputes between local and central government. As local government must act within its legal powers the legality of its decisions must be in accordance with the law. Local government is expected to become more responsive to local needs and citizenship panels exist to provide input from the local community. Local authorities have contributed to the development of judicial review through a number of landmark decisions and in common with other publicbodies, local authorities are expected to conform to the Human Rights Act 1998. The latest Local Government Bill 2002 proposes to identify excellent local authorities who will be rewarded with freedom to act outside the controls of central government.
Management of Local Services in the Spanish System
Authors: Ortega Luis
Published: May 2004

It has been a tradition in the Spanish model of management of local services for these to be provided either by the municipality itself or by contracting out services to a private company. In both systems the services are financed through prices paid by the consumer. In most cases this price is just the cost of providing the service. The legal framework of this model is very wide. It ranges from that of a public law organization to a private company owned by the municipality under private law. The municipality can also act under an agreement with other municipalities or other public authorities (provinces, regions, etc.) or even non-governmental organizations. Recently there are cases in which the formal structure selected is a foundation.
Second-Generation Governance Indicators
Authors: Knack Stephen , Kugler Mark , Manning Nick
Published: May 2004

This article summarizes progress made in a World Bank initiative funded by the UK Department for International Development to test and develop policy-relevant,politically acceptable, quantitative indicators of governance. There are two majorprinciples involved in the process of generating indicators that are useful for practical reforms. Political acceptability is key in developing neutral quantitative benchmarks of good governance that can be embraced by reformers. Measures should also be institutionally specific so that reformers know which institutions to reform and how to do so. This article explores some of the most promising second-generation indicators of good governance and elaborates on how they are being used in World Bank operations.
Complex Interactions and Influence Among Political and Administrative Leaders
Authors: Christensen Tom , Lægreid Per
Published: May 2004

In this article we describe the influence of Norwegian executive political and administrative leaders on salient policy issues, based on a structural, a cultural-institutional and an exposure perspective. The data used are taken from a broad survey of élites conducted in 2000, focusing on undersecretaries of state, secretary generals and director generals in the ministries. The analysis reveals that political and administrative leaders are regarded as the most influential actors on salient policy issues. They are engaged in extensive and intensive inter-and intra-organizational contact networks. Their influence varies according to a political–administrative contact pattern, internal administrative structure and external media exposure.
Quality Governance for Sustainable Development: India’s Obligation to Set a Model
Authors: Subramaniam Venkateswara
Published: May 2004

Sustainable development and quality governance sound deceptively simple concepts. Any worthwhile development has to be sustained and sustainable over the long term. The major support for such sustenance in any modern organized society comes from the process of governing. This support may range from one extreme of state ownership and controlof production and all socioeconomic activity to the other end of merely providing legal regulation and material infrastructure. Research into this relationship can either take the empirical route comparing two or more actual systems of relations or a theoretical stance to work out the result of different sets of relations. This article does not take either of these academic routes for the obvious reason that the current provocation to define and explore this relation is the specific result of a series of identifiable developments in the last 50 years.
Performance Management in Dutch Central Government
Authors: Mol Nico P. , de Kruijf Johan A.M.
Published: May 2004

This article investigates how and to what extent performance indicators in Dutch central government are actually embedded in performance management. In a case study encompassing 12 government organizations, the relevance of the indicators presented is analysed in three stages: (1) with respect to the responsibilities for results intended in performance measurement, (2) with respect to responsibilities actually implied in resource allocation and (3) with respect to responsibilities ultimately to be inferred from governance – planning and control – systems applied. In our research, management control systems appear to be only partially tuned to the performance indicators specified in advance. The familiar expression ‘What you measure is what you get’ is thereby invalidated by all kinds of restrictions imposed on a manager’s actual responsibility for measurement outcomes.
Using Government Performance Management Data to Identify New Business Opportunities: Examples from Government Services Outsourcing in the United States
Authors: Martin Lawrence L. , Singh Karun K.
Published: May 2004

This article describes how the private sector can utilize government performance management data to identify business opportunities. Governments around the world today are making increased use of outsourcing, performance management and performance budgeting. Utilizing readily available data that can often be accessed via the World Wide Web, private sector businesses can identify current business opportunities in terms of what services governments are outsourcing, in what amounts and at what costs. Additionally, potential future business opportunities can be identified in terms of what services governments are currently providing in-house, at what costs and with what results. Armed with this information, private sector businesses can readily identify markets for their goods and services.
Assessing Government’s Performance Management Capability: the Case of the Australian Electricity Industry
Authors: Johnston Judy
Published: May 2004

When governments open up opportunities for private investment in traditional public sector areas, it is increasingly clear that a useful range of performance management information needs to be available to both government and business. Government needs to know how it is performing, comparatively, within and beyond its own domain, for the development of public policy and productivity enhancement. Business needs to know, understand and monitor the industry environment in which investment is contemplated or has already taken place. Performance measurement and monitoring is especially important where governments wish to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) to their shores. Whether governments manage performance and information well or are still constrained by bureaucratic and political thinking is still at issue. Using the example of the contrived national electricity market in Australia, this article, through literature and document review, examines the likely value to government and business of performance information, now available in the public domain. First, the article considers some of the changes to the Australian electricity industry. Second, specific performance indicators relevant to the national electricity market are examined in terms of their utility for government and business decision-making. Third, the impact of the political environment on performance management information is explored. The article concludes that while some important quantitative performance management information is available in a rational sense, other more political, qualitative indicators also need to be taken into account.
Rewarding Civil Service Performance Through Team Bonuses: Findings, Analysis and Recommendations
Authors: Emery Yves
Published: May 2004

Performance-related pay within public organizations is continuing to spread. Although it can help to strengthen an entrepreneurial spirit in civil servants, its implementation is marred by technical, financial, managerial and cultural problems. This article identifies an added problem, namely the contradiction that exists between a managerial discourse that emphasizes the team and collective performance, on the one hand, and the use of appraisal and reward tools that are above all individual, on the other. Based on an empirical survey carried out within Swiss public organizations, the analysis shows that the team is currently rarely taken into account and singles out the principal routes towards an integrated system for the management and rewarding of civil servants.
Military Social Work
Authors: Daley James G.
Published: May 2004

Social work has a long tradition of service to the military in many countries. How it has developed in each country is unique to the historical development of the military and the country's social work educational infrastructure. This article describes the growing interest in international social work, what military social work practice is and how it has evolved in several countries; outlines a new model for cross-national comparison of military social work evolution; and highlights current trends and future directions for international military social work.
Humanitarian Attitudes and Support of Government Responsibility for Social Welfare
Authors: Tam Tony S.K.
Published: May 2004

This article examines humanitarian attitudes and the individualistcollectivist orientation of graduates of various social work study programs of a major university in Hong Kong and some major universities and colleges in China. Research shows that the respondents have a positive regard for humanitarian issues, related to the perception of social welfare as a government responsibility. Hong Kong graduates are more humanistic and more collectivist in orientation than their PRC counterparts. Some responses re.ect an emphasis on self-reliance and adherence to this as a means of achieving human dignity.
Space to Grow
Authors: Schatz Mona , Furman Rich , Jenkins Lowell E.
Published: May 2004

Dialogue as a technique for group facilitation is valuable for social workers working in the international arena. This article explores the theoretical and practice implications of the dialogue approach. The authors have found that this process offers transformative experiences for participants when used at multinational, multicultural conferences and training events. Two examples of the dialogue approach are presented, from consultation and conference work in Russia and Central and Eastern European communities.
Can Developmental Social Welfare Change an Unfair World?
Authors: Bak Maren
Published: May 2004

Developmental social welfare and developmental social work have been on the agenda in South Africa since liberation, but little has been reported. Founded in the historical context of radical community work in the freedom ght, developmental social work has found ways to empower groups and communities, in spite of an economic policy that does little to support it.
Social Work Professional Associations in South Africa
Authors: Mazibuko Fikile , Gray Mel
Published: May 2004

The progress of professional associations in South Africa is examined in order to provide an understanding of the dif.culties of forming one uni.ed body to represent social workers on international organizations. An overview of the development of the profession and the role of the professional organizations is provided. Some suggestions are made about the way forward if social workers wish to make more of a contribution to policy making.
In Search of an Optimal Model for Board–Executive Relationships in Voluntary Human Service Organizations
Authors: Tsui Ming-sum , Cheung Fernando C.H. , Gellis Zvi D.
Published: May 2004

The roles, functions and power base of the board and the executive of voluntary human service organizations are analyzed. Three existing models and their inadequacies are reviewed. An optimal model of such relationships with two-dimensional coordinates and an indifference curve is constructed. Action guidelines for achieving power-sharing and board development are suggested, which may improve effectiveness.
Nongovernmental Organizations
Authors: Roff Sherri
Published: May 2004

This article highlights the development and emerging significance of nongovernmental organizations, as well as their relevance to the future of social work. It provides the practicing social worker with an introduction to NGOs and illustrates the opportunity they offer for applyingthe strengths perspective.
Social Workers in Greece
Authors: Dedoussi Amalia-Anna , Gregory Susan , Georgoussi Eugenia , Kyriopoulos John
Published: May 2004

The history and background of the practice of social work in Greece are outlined from the .rst legislation in 1959 to the present. Demographic, academic and employment characteristics of social workers were explored by postal survey. Academic activity is minimal, employment settings are numerous and opportunities for central organization are lacking.
Asian American Managers: An Impression Gap?
Authors: Xin Katherine R.
Published: May 2004

Asian American managers report using significantly lower levels of self-disclosure, selffocused impression management tactics, and supervisor-focused impression management tactics but more job-focused impression management tactics compared to EuropeanAmerican managers. AsianAmericans appear to use tactics that do not impress supervisors and do not make enough use of tactics that might pay off in improved supervisorsubordinate relationships and upward mobility. Further, supervisors are not impressed by the tactics Asian Americans believe they are using to impress their supervisors. Asian American managers’ perceptions of the quality of supervisor-subordinate relationships are not in harmony with supervisors’perceptions of these relationships. European American managers seem to be in tune with their supervisors’ perceptions of the quality of the relationship and the impression management tactics they report. If upward mobility is enhanced by good supervisor-subordinate relationships, this impression management gap may help explain why so fewAsian American managers attain leadership positions.
Gender Identities and Social Action
Authors: Moore Dahlia
Published: May 2004

Gender identity is a salient identity for a fifth of Jewish respondents and a quarter of Arab respondents in a sample of Israeliwomen. However, it is not as salient as are collectivistic identities (i.e., Jewish/Arab identities, Israeli/Palestinian identities) or even the individualistic identities of family and profession. This study shows that the meaning of gender identity differs for Jewish and Arab women. For Jewish women, a salient gender identity reflects a departure from traditional roles and the weakening of their hold. For Arab women, a salient gender identity seems to be related to the traditional gendered division of labor. The findings seem to indicate that a salient gender identity may have two opposing meanings: a traditional meaning or a nontraditional (or egalitarian) meaning. Women have to move away from (or relinquish) traditional gender identities before they can develop a liberal gender identity.
Organization Science as Social Construction
Authors: Gergen Kenneth J. , Thatchenkery Tojo Joseph
Published: May 2004

We critically examine three major assumptions of modernist organization science: rational agency, empirical knowledge, and language as representation. With these assumptions problematized, we are positioned for a postmodern turn in the discipline. From a postmodern standpoint, we are moved to replace rational agency with communal rationality, empirical knowledge with social construction, and language as representation with language as action. Outcomes for an organization science place special emphasis on reconstructing and enriching the aims and methods of research and on critical reflection, generative theorizing, and scholarly action within organizations.
African American Men’s Perceptions of Body Figure Attractiveness
Authors: Webb Tammy T. , Looby E. Joan , Fults-McMurtery Regina
Published: May 2004

This study examined African American men’s perceptions of body figure attractiveness based on their acculturation levels. Seventy-five African American men between the ages of 18 and 35 attending a traditionally White university in the Southeast region of the United States volunteered for this study. Results from a one-wayANOVArevealed that African American men perceived women with smaller body figures as more attractive than women with larger body figures. However, as it relates to the ideal body figure to date, African American men chose the moderate (medium) body figure. Additionally, there were no statistically significant differences between African American men’s perceptions of body figure attractiveness and their acculturation levels. Explanations and implications of these results are discussed.
HIV/AIDS and Nondecision in Louisiana
Authors: Arp William
Published: May 2004

The HIV/AIDS infection rates are increasing in predominantly Black communities while decreasing among other previously at-risk groups. This study reviews the prevention strategies of three agencies operating within three Black communities in the state of Louisiana. Research findings indicate that state agencies failed to consider salient issues that would permit effective confrontation of this disease in Black communities. Their initial failure equates to nondecision and renders subsequent formulations of policy, present and future, grossly inadequate.
Slippery Business
Authors: Lynch Michael J. , Stretesky Paul B. , Burns Ronald G.
Published: May 2004

This study examines whether petroleum refineries that violate environmental laws in Black, Hispanic, and low-income communities tend to receive smaller fines than those refineries in White and affluent communities. The sample consists of all petroleum refinery facilities fined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) between 1998 and 1999 for violating the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and/or the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act ( N = 60). The mean penalty for noncompliance is much lower in Black than in White census tracts ($108,563 vs. $341,590) and in low-income than in high-income census tracts ($259,784 vs. $334,267). Multivariate analysis suggests that these disparities are not due to factors such as the seriousness of violation, the number of past violations, the facility inspection history, the facility production, or the EPA region in which the violating refinery is situated. It is concluded that the government does a poor job of providing equal protection to racially and economically diverse communities.
Access, School Choice, and Independent Black Institutions
Authors: V. Lawson Bush
Published: May 2004

This theoretical piece explores the potential affect of school choice on independent Black institutions (IBIs). The article struggles with and engages the following question: Do charter schools and school vouchers preserve, expand, or impair IBIs? The analysis is mostly situated in the historical context and developments of IBIs and the schooling of African Americans in general to demystify and inform topical conclusions and prospective outcomes with respect to these institutions. It is concluded that access, in the form of universal education in the South, was a factor in the deterioration of IBIs during the latter part of the 19th century. Similarly, access in the form of school desegregation efforts caused the end of quasi-IBIs and cost many African American educators their jobs. Thus, we must consider that access, in the form of school-choice programs, poses some threat to the future of IBIs.
Colonialism Continued
Authors: Traoré Rosemary Lukens
Published: May 2004

According to a group of recently arrived students from eight different countries on the continent of Africa, schooling in America has not been a positive experience. The colonial mentality that degraded Africa and Africans for hundreds of years thrives in their schools, neighborhoods, and in the media. Their African American peers reported hearing that Africa is a “ jungle” and Africans are “savages.” The African students expressed their frustrations and disappointments with their schooling experiences: the lack of information about Africa and the lack of interest in Africa on the part of their teachers and their peers. Their dreams of getting a quality education are not being realized. The students struggle with a lack of respect and low expectations and hope to find ways to promote a more positive image of Africa and Africans. Efforts to educate Americans about Africa and Africans is critical to help change the colonial mentality that still exists in America today.
Does Race Matter?
Authors: Frisby Cynthia M.
Published: May 2004

Using the theory of social comparison, this study examines the impact of exposure to advertisements of thin, physically attractive, Caucasian and African American models on the self-evaluations of African American women exhibiting varying levels of self-reported body esteem. As expected, exposure to idealized images of Caucasian models was not related to lowered self-evaluations regardless of the level of body esteem. However, women with low levels of body esteem did report lowered self-satisfaction with body esteem when exposed to physically attractive images of African American models. Results suggest that similarity or ethnicity of the idealized image may have an impact on African Americanwomen’s self-evaluations. Theoretical implications are discussed with respect to future research in the area of racial issues and mass media effects.
Determinants of Transit from Marriage among African Americans
Authors: Ivy Melissa , Newsome Valerie , Aroyewun Ola
Published: May 2004

This study attempted to construct profiles of two types of African American divorcees: petitioners and nonpetitioners of divorce. Surveyed participants ( n = 98) responded to questions concerning demographic variables, health status, length of stay in marriage, and 12 dimensions of self-cognition as predictors that discriminated between the two subgroups of divorcees. Discriminant analysis of these variables showed significant differences between petitioners and nonpetitioners. The divorcees’ perception of group activity was the highest contributor to the discriminant function, followed by self, and same-race relations. There was no significant difference in length of stay in marriage between the two divorcee groups, contrary to what has been reported in the literature for the two subgroups combined.
Anti-Globalization Forces, the Politics of Resistance, and Africa
Authors: Prempeh E. Osei Kwadwo
Published: May 2004

Globalization, the current restructuring and reshaping of the contemporary global economy, is a powerful transformative process that has acquired hegemonic status as a result of its operative logic and ideological connotation. However, the widening reach and uneven nature of globalization has provoked a counterhegemonic resistance and political counter movements that challenge its exclusionary practices and its silencing of the voices of the people. This article interrogates the grassroots counterhegemonic process of “globalization-from-below,” as captured in the work of Richard Falk, and questions the extent to which this process incorporates the marginalized voices in African civil society.
The Evolution Of Africology
Authors: Conyers James L.
Published: May 2004

The scope and purpose of this article is to examine the effectiveness of the discipline of Africology as a holistic academic discipline. Often referred to as Africana studies, African American studies, Afro-American studies, Black studies, and Africology, this exercise of nomenclature can be defined as the study of Africana phenomena from an Afrocentric perspective. While reviewing literature and the current debates in higher education, the author theorized, queried, and critically examined the organizational structure concerning the validity and substantial merit of tenure and promotion, graduation and retention of students, and the advancement of this interdisciplinary matrix of knowledge as an academic agency. Indeed, many detractors have attempted to label and subjugate this academic enterprise in comparison to traditional disciplines in the humanities and social sciences. On the other hand, the emphasis of a hegemonic perspective acknowledges the imposition of external and conflicted cultural perspectives that enable the composition of the creation of a subordinate group status. This article tills the idea of an Afrocentric perspective as an optional viewpoint to describe and evaluate the historical and cultural experiences of Africana phenomena within the interdisciplinary matrix of Africology.
“The Silent Catastrophe”
Authors: Graham Mekada , Robinson Gil
Published: May 2004

This article explores the recent increase in permanent exclusions of Black boys in the British educational system. Parents and educators have long been concerned about the education or “miseducation” of Black children. These concerns are reflected in the deep sense of urgency in Black communities about the need for an overall strategy to stem the tide of exclusions of Black boys. The authors argue that the continuing denial of race and racism in British educational policy is reflected in the intransigence of many schools to consider the differential positioning of Black boys in the wider society and its effect on their educational experiences and opportunities. This article draws on a research study in which Black boys voice their experiences of what it means to be young, Black, and male in Britain in 2004 and also seeks to move beyond critiques to embrace alternative visions of schooling to re-engage young people and bring about successful futures.
The Imperatives of Community Service for Afrocentric Academics
Authors: Moffitt Kimberly R. , Harris Heather E.
Published: May 2004

This article suggests the expansion of service in the academy so that underrepresented students on and off campus benefit from the presence of nondominant co-cultural faculty. Using Afrocentricity as a foundation, the writers call for a reconceptualization of service to include the communities of the co-cultural professors as a means of providing role models, academic assistance, and potential co-cultural students for the particular institution. Personal narratives serve as examples of how an Afrocentric approach to service can empower and embrace students of African descent while also helping to create a more inclusive educational environment.
Waiting for the Sun
Authors: Paixão Marcelo
Published: May 2004

Analysis of the statistical data on the economic and social situation of African descendants in Brazil demonstrates severe racial inequalities, which traditionally have been denied according to the conventional wisdom of the myth of “racial democracy.” The absence of reliable statistical data has fueled the force of this myth; statistics produced recently are the result of pressure by the black movement. The demographic presence of African descendants in the Brazilian population is examined and social indices are broken down by color/race, income levels, educational standards, and health conditions. Specific Human Development Index analysis, disaggregating data for African descendants and whites in Brazil, demonstrates the severity of racial inequality in comparison with other countries of the world and Africa. The black population in Brazil is still characterized by the absence of collective social rights and by the wide gap separating its living standards from those of the Brazilian European descendant population.
Paving Paradise
Authors: da Silva Martins Sérgio , Medeiros Carlos Alberto , Nascimento Elisa Larkin
Published: May 2004

The recent adoption of affirmative action policies in Brazil has generated a public debate starkly in contrast to the traditionally hegemonic discourse of “racial democracy.” Many a student of race relations in Brazil would have predicted that such developments could never occur. But historical forerunners of the concept are to be found in proposals made by the Afro-Brazilian social movement in the 1940s and 1950s, advanced particularly by the Black Experimental Theater, and bills introduced by Abdias do Nascimento in both houses of the Brazilian Congress. The development of the black movement’s demands and political articulation, leading to the country’s active participation in the 3rd World Conference Against Racism in Durban in 2001, gave a major impulse to the evolution of affirmative action programs and their implementation in Brazil. International support and participation in this process is fundamentally important to the continued success of black social movement initiatives.
African Religions in Brazil, Negotiation, and Resistance
Authors: Lopes Nei
Published: May 2004

This article explores the nature and formation of African-derived religions in Brazil and their importance for Black people’s unity and resistance against historical denial and social exclusion. The history of the diversity, development, and leadership of these religions is traced succinctly. For centuries, they have been subject to racist stereotyping and police persecution. Today, although religious freedom is professed to be a constitutional right, persecution continues in the aggressive anti-African activity of evangelist Christian sects, often with the support of mass communications media. African religions come from two major cradles of civilization: the Congo and the Gulf of Guinea. Central African cultural heritage imprints a strong ancestral tone to contemporary African religions in Brazil, whereas the West African matrix has shaped their liturgical and visual presentation and given them intermediary deities. African religious communities have been a major agent of resistance and social cohesion.
Characterizing the Hygric Behavior of Composites by Suspending Method
Authors: Tsai Cho-Liang , Cheng Ming-Chang , Hwang Shun-Fa , Tsai Yi-Shiun
Published: May 2004

The hygric behavior of composites is theoretically and experimentally investigated. The theoretical function of moisture concentration distribution caused by moisture diffusion in a plate submerged in water was derived based on Fick’s diffusion law, which involves the geometry of the plate, the material diffusivity of the plate, and the duration of submergence. The hygric strain induced by the moisture absorption was derived as a function of the moisture concentration. Consequently, the hygric strain of the plate was expressed as a function of its geometry, material diffusivity, and the duration. Experiments on composite laminates submerged in water were performed to obtain data of hygric strains versus durations of submergence to calculate the material diffusivity, which dominates the hygric behavior of the material. The technique, the suspending method, was employed to measure the hygric expansion of the plates and calculate their hygric strains. The diffusivity of the material in the function of the hygric strain was determined under the condition of optimizing the fitting of the theoretically predicted hygric strains to the experimental results. The minimization of the work involved in calculating the diffusivity with acceptable precision was discussed. The diffusivity in the thickness direction and the saturated moisture concentration of carbon–epoxy composite laminate were obtained.
Process-Induced Residual Stress Analysis by Resin Transfer Molding
Authors: Kim Yeong K.
Published: May 2004

The objective of this study is to investigate the residual stress development during the resin transfer molding process. The analysis was based on the strain measurement tests during the entire cure process of unidirectional carbon fiber–epoxy matrix composite laminate using aluminum mold. The investigation efforts were particularly focused on the verification of the strain development mechanism. Although complex interference between the mold structure and the composite laminate was observed during the process, it was found that the final residual strain of the laminate was induced only by thermal mismatch during the cooldown stage. Based on the observation, the residual stresses were calculated by a viscoelastic classical laminated plate theory. The viscoelastic modulus in the calculations was obtained by a series of stress relaxation tests of the material. The curvatures of [0°/90°] asymmetric laminate were calculated, and the results were compared with the experimental data. The results showed that the residual stress developed by the resin transfer molding could be calculated by considering only the cooldown stage of the process.
A Comparison of Punishment Rules in Repeated Public Good Games
Authors: Decker Torsten , Stiehler Andreas , Strobel Martin
Published: May 2004

One individual and three collective punishment rules in a public good setting are analyzed. Evidence and explanations for differences between the rules concerning punishment intensity, contribution, profit levels, and justice are presented. Influences crucial to participants’ support for a collective rule when the individual rule is the status quo are also investigated. Results showthat besides profit differences, the degree of consent required by the collective rule is essential for the degree of support by the participants.
No Professional Soldiers, No Militarized Interstate Disputes?
Authors: Choi Seung-Whan , James Patrick
Published: May 2004

In Perpetual Peace, Immanuel Kant presents six preliminary articles for perpetual peace beforethe three well-known definitive articles about republic constitutions, commercial relations, and international organizations. In his third preliminary article, Kant argues that “Standing Armies ( miles perpetuus) Shall in Time be Totally Abolished” because they are themselves “a cause of offensive war.” Empirical results based on state-of-the-art data analysis that refers to both peace-years correction and distributed-lags logistic regression showthat the most obvious among the neglected preliminary articles by Kant—military manpower system—is indeed connected to involvement in militarized interstate disputes during the period from 1886 to 1992. For neo-Kantian peace theory and research, this means that a military manpower system with conscripted, notstanding (i.e., professional or voluntary), soldiers is associated with disputes.
The Nazareth Riots
Authors: Slone Michelle
Published: May 2004

Against the background of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and increased internal ethnic tensions, violent demonstrations erupted between Arab and Jewish Israelis in Nazareth in October 2000. The nature of this riot participation, the congruence between motivation for political participation and actual riot activity, and different psychological outcomes across the two ethnic groups are examined. Results show that Arabs reported engaging more often in both nonviolent and violent riot activities than Jews. The majority of riot participants showed stable motivation-activity patterns. In terms of psychological consequences, only Jewish Israelis who engaged in nonviolent activities were spared distress, whereas all other groups expressed significant distress and symptoms after the riots, indicating different psychological consequences for the two ethnic groups.
Initial Crisis Reaction and Poliheuristic Theory
Authors: DeRouen Karl , Sprecher Christopher
Published: May 2004

Poliheuristic (PH) theory models foreign policy decisions using a two-stage process. The first step eliminates alternatives on the basis of a simplifying heuristic. The second step involves a selection from amongthe remaining alternatives and can employ a more rational and compensatory means of processing information. The PH model posits that strategic/realist factors are more important in the second step of the process. The model is tested for the years 1918 to 1994, using crisis actors from the International Crisis Behavior data set. Results show that domestic political loss has a negative impact on the use of violence in response to a crisis trigger. Contiguity, joint democracy, and trigger are also significant in the expected directions. Relative capabilities have a positive impact, and enduring rivals do not appear more likely to use violence against each other as a first response in a crisis.
Political Institutions, Coercive Diplomacy, and the Duration of Economic Sanctions
Authors: McGillivray Fiona , Stam Allan C.
Published: May 2004

A theory of sanction duration that focuses on differences between democratic and nondemocratic states in the structure of leaders’ support coalitions is tested, using a hazard model to analyze a data set of 47 sanction events with 272 observations. Results show that leadership change strongly affects the duration of sanctions only in the case of nondemocratic states. Leadership change in democratic states is unrelated to the duration of sanctions; however, leadership change in nondemocratic sender and nondemocratic target states is strongly related to the ending of economic sanctions.
Crisis, Conditions, and Capital
Authors: Jensen Nathan M.
Published: May 2004

A selection model for 68 countries between 1970 and 1998 is used to test the impact of International Monetary Fund(IMF) programs on international capital markets and examine how agreements are perceived by multinational investors. Results reveal that even after controlling for the factors that lead countries to seek IMF support, IMF agreements lead to lower levels of foreign direct investment (FDI). Countries that sign IMF agreements, ceteris paribus, attract 25% less FDI inflows than countries not under IMF agreements.