bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What works and for whom? The competing rationalities of ‘Best Value’
Authors: Martin Steve , Davis Howard
Published: February 2003

English

This article argues that the UK Best Value regime is rooted in a ‘rational’ model of strategic planning that privileges performance management and external inspection and implicitly denigrades traditional forms of representative democracy. This poses important questions about how and by whom Best Value is to be defined. Central government has stressed the need for political leadership of and public involvement in Best Value. However,the regime suggests a managerial role for elected members that many councillors find unattractive. Current reforms also assume a much greater degree of public engagement than many authorities are achieving. As a result, key decisions about local public service provision may increasingly be driven by centrally determined priorities and the judgements of external inspectors whose local accountability is unclear and whose claim to superior technical knowledge remains unproven.
Evolving forms of quality management in local government: lessons from the Best Value pilot programme
Authors: Lewis Michael , Hartley Jean
Published: February 2003

English

This article explores the relationship between Quality Management (QM) and Best Value. It investigates how well Best Value incorporates established QM practice and moreover whether the framework has also encouraged any innovative QM developments. Conceptual and practice-centred models of local government service quality provide the structure to explore empirical evidence gathered from the Best Value pilot programme, with more specific reference to the Cumbria County Council case and a number of other shorter exemplars. The article concludes with reflection on the limitations of the study and a discussion of its managerial, governance and future research implications.
What about the workers? Best Value, employment and work in local public services
Authors: Geddes Mike
Published: February 2003

English

Drawing on concepts about contemporary change in the labour process, including the various dimensions of ‘flexibility’, work intensification and the ‘new managerialism’, the article discusses the emerging impact of Best Value on employment and work in local public services, including comparison with the impact of the previous compulsory competitive tendering regime. It argues that Best Value is likely to lead to a reduction in local public employment, and substantially increase the ability of corporate management in local government to restructure the labour process to achieve increased flexibility and productivity, partly through the intensification of work. There are current proposals for a more participative approach to labour relations which might strengthen the position of the workforce and trade unions, but these are unlikely to be sufficient to address all the issues raised by Best Value.
Best Value and the politics of pragmatism
Authors: Maile Stella , Hoggett Paul
Published: February 2003

English

This article frames and highlights critical themes emerging from the contributions to this Best Value section: that Best Value possesses subtle, and not so subtle, political, organisational, strategic and governmental dimensions. Drawing on these themes we develop our own argument that, during Blair’s first term, Best Value was presented as a potentially enlightened ‘user-friendly’ tool for the expression of diverse social and organisational interests. Increasingly, it is emerging as yet another of a long line of retrograde managerial techniques. The pragmatism of Best Value is becoming more overtly bound up with government centralisation, support for neoliberalism and the private finance initiative.
The third influence: the Blair government and Australian Labor
Authors: Johnson Carol , Tonkiss Fran
Published: February 2003

English

Accounts of British Labour’s ‘third way’ tend to leave out an important antecedent for Blair’s ‘new’ politics – the Australian Labor governments of 1983–96. In this article, we argue that labour governments in Australia and Britain have pursued similar strategies for melding neoliberalism with social democracy. Key failures of Australian Labor are instructive for thinking about the future of the New Labour project, while the progressive features of Labor politics in Australia offer a challenge to Third Way social conservatism. Most critically, the Australian experience indicates how parties of the right can regroup in the face of new-style labour governments.
Third way social policy: Clinton’s legacy?
Authors: Béland Daniel , de Chantal François Vergniolle , Waddan Alex
Published: February 2003

English

This article examines the success of the Clinton administration in developing a distinctive third way agenda in social policy by studying the record of the administration through the lens of ‘pre-emptive presidential leadership’ as outlined by Stephen Skowronek. Skowronek sees this as a leadership style which is decidedly instrumental in its outlook, and which is thus unlikely to develop a lasting ideological legacy. Clinton’s initial healthcare and welfare reform proposals, however, did have certain third way characteristics as they combined elements of liberal and conservative discourse. This, though, was their undoing as the proposals were too politically ambiguous to make legislative progress. The healthcare plan was denounced as big government liberalism and welfare reform took a distinctly rightward turn. Clinton thus failed to create an ideological space for third way ideas and eventually resorted to the more straightforward use of social policy questions for immediate political advantage.
Individual motives for contributing to welfare benefits in the Netherlands
Authors: van Oorschot Wim
Published: February 2003

English

Starting from the observation that very little is known about what exactly motivates people to pay for welfare benefits, the article deduces four types of motivation from sociological theories on solidarity: perceived self-interest, moral obligation, empathy and identification with others, and accepted authority. In a national survey among the Dutch adult population in 1995 respondents were asked to what degree the first three motives for contributing to social security apply in their case. The main conclusions are that a large majority of the Dutch are motivated to pay for welfare on several grounds at the same time; the motive of self-interest plays the most important role, followed by moral obligations and then empathy; older people, men and the highest educated are more strongly motivated to contribute to social security, while welfare use and income level only have a modest influence. The main patterns can be understood from the encompassing character of the Dutch social security system, from which (nearly) all Dutch citizens and/or their family members and close friends profit personally.
Fraternal learning and interdependency: celebrating differences within reciprocal commitments
Authors: Smith Steven R.
Published: February 2003

English

The value of reciprocity is often promoted through contemporary policy making. In contrast, political philosophers, through developing critiques of the Rawlsian conception of justice as reciprocity, have often argued against such a principle forming a basis for legitimating policies. This article also offers a critique of contemporary policy making but using a recast form of the Rawlsian justification of reciprocity. The main argument is that the Rawlsian premise of ‘sharing’ fates is too weak (by itself) to underpin reciprocity. However, reciprocity might be more securely based on the premise of learning from each other’s fates, given the diversity of individual experiences.
The changing nature of the local state: a comparative perspective
Authors: DiGaetano Alan
Published: February 2003

English

It has been observed that the local state in the United Kingdom and the United States has undergone fundamental restructuring since the 1970s. This transformation has been seen by some as a product of the ideological shift in national governing regimes, and by others of the reordering in the national and global political economy. Moreover, it has been contended that as a result of these changes, some convergence in patterns of local state development between the UK and the US has occurred. This article assesses the validity of these claims by tracing the changes in the size and functions of the local state by comparing local government expenditures in Britain and the US since the early 1970s.
‘How great expectations in Westminster may be dashed locally’: the local implementation of national policy on health inequalities
Authors: Exworthy Mark , Berney Lee , Powell Martin
Published: February 2003

English

Tackling health inequalities is a policy priority for the Labour government in the UK. We use Kingdon’s model of ‘policy streams’ to explain how the issue of health inequalities gets onto the policy agenda nationally and locally, and how it is being implemented. Using empirical evidence from local agencies, we suggest that the issue of health inequalities is on the agenda nationally and locally but implementation is hampered by deficiencies in performance management, insufficient integration between policy sectors, and contradictions between health inequalities and other policy imperatives. Thus, the government’s expectations are not only dashed locally, but also local expectations are being dashed at the centre.
Addressing women’s economic disadvantage in local economies: the limitations and benefits of partnerships
Authors: Grant Linda
Published: February 2003

English

This article considers whether partnerships of key actors are useful vehicles for addressing women’s economic disadvantage at the level of the local economy. It underlines the importance of women’s prosperity within the economic regeneration agenda. First, and by using a case study example, the article outlines examples of practical projects that can be developed at a local level. Second, it argues for better data and an improved understanding of the locality as a site in which economic inequalities between men and women are sustained. Third, it explores the limitations of partnership working focused on women’s issues and the precarious nature of the political commitment to women’s interest in depressed economies. Finally, the benefits of partnership working are reconsidered, while highlighting the importance of the active engagement of the public and private sectors as employers, not simply as actors with a broad interest in the local economy.
Partnerships between health and social services: developing a framework for evaluation
Authors: Glendinning Caroline
Published: February 2003

English

Partnerships are a keystone of current policies to ‘modernise’ health and social services. This presents new challenges for research and evaluation. ‘Partnership’ is a vague concept, capable of many interpretations, and its evaluation is therefore problematic, not only for those involved in partnerships but for academics and others with a wider interest in public policy, its governance and mechanisms for delivering services. This article argues that a pluralistic approach to evaluation is appropriate. Drawing on examples of health and social services partnerships, the article sets out a number of key criteria against which new partnerships can be evaluated.
The NHS and social care: the final countdown?
Authors: Hudson Bob , Henwood Melanie
Published: February 2003

English

The boundary between health and social care in England has been problematic throughout the postwar period. The 1997 Labour government put a specific emphasis on partnership working across these two policy areas and developed a coherent strategy for promoting the collaboration agenda. However, it has almost simultaneously turned against partnership working and in favour of restructuring as a way of securing integrated care. This has caused confusion and resentment in the field and is argued to be inconsistent with the complex requirements of governance and the management of ‘wicked issues’.
Partnership in health and social care: the implications of government guidance in the 1990s in England, with particular reference to voluntary organisations
Authors: Wyatt Martin
Published: February 2003

English

British government guidance to its local agents in England has increasingly urged them into partnerships. This study examines Department of Health papers and circulars on partnership during the 1990s, commenting from the perspective of the voluntary organisations affected by this trend, and making comparisons with other government departments. The examination shows an insistence on collaboration between local authorities and the National Health Service, an inconsistent approach to partnership with voluntary organisations, and a very one-sided view of partnership. The main results are an emphasis on planning at the expense of diversity, and an indirect extension of government influence.
Devolution and drugs: the case for Welsh autonomy
Authors: Kay Adrian
Published: February 2003

English

The regulation of drug prices is an excellent example of the type of tensions that are emerging in the UK’s new system of multi-level governance. Both the benefits and regulatory burden of the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS) are regionally concentrated. However, those regional concentrations are not coterminous. The PPRS as an industrial policy supports jobs primarily in the south east and east of England. However, Wales (along with Scotland and Northern Ireland) bears a relatively greater share of the regulatory burden of the PPRS by virtue of prescribing more medicines. The potential for Welsh autonomy in this area is considered in terms of economic, administrative and political constraints.
Regulatory problems in the public sector: theories and cases
Authors: Ashworth Rachel , Boyne George A. , Walker Richard M.
Published: February 2003

English

We develop a framework for assessing the extent of regulatory problems, and propose three hypotheses on the reasons for variations in these problems across the public sector. Five theoretical regulatory problems are identified: regulatee resistance, ritualistic compliance, regulatory capture, performance ambiguity and gaps in data. Our case study evidence on organisations in Wales suggests that regulatory capture and performance ambiguity are the most pronounced problems, and are more prevalent in local than in national services. Regulatory problems are negatively associated with the number of regulatory mechanisms, but are not related to the publicness or professionalisation of the organisations under regulation.
A flexible gateway to employment? Disabled people and the Employment Service’s Work Preparation Programme in Scotland
Authors: Riddell Sheila , Banks Pauline , Wilson Alastair
Published: February 2003

English

Over the last two decades, employment policy for disabled people has been dominated by supply-side measures. This article begins with a brief discussion of the historical background to employment policy for disabled people, focusing in particular on job rehabilitation/Work Preparation policies and programmes. The nature and outcomes of the Employment Service’s Work Preparation Programme in Scotland are discussed, drawing on DfEE-funded research. The article concludes that, as a predominantly supply-side measure geared to fitting disabled people into the labour market with relatively little support, the Work Preparation Programme is achieving only modest gains. Particular groups of disabled people, for instance those with mental health problems, have fewer opportunities to participate and poorer outcomes. Better outcomes might be achieved if additional and ongoing support for disabled people with higher support needs were available.
Equity and the politics of taxation in Japan
Authors: DeWit Andrew
Published: February 2003

English

Contemporary Japan confronts its worst fiscal crisis of the past 50 years. The limits of relying on public debt appear to have been reached, and thus tax increases are returning to the policy-making agenda. But the increases will largely be shaped by the argument that Japan’s tax system is too redistributive. Indeed, fiscal policy makers and the political process are already shifting more of the tax burden onto low-income earners. This article refutes the claim that Japan’s income tax is particularly redistributive, and places the Japanese example in the larger context of globalisation and regressive income tax reforms.
The social economy and the state: linking ambitions with institutions in Québec, Canada
Authors: Graefe Peter
Published: February 2003

English

In rapidly developing policy fields such as that of the social economy, institutions play a central role in delimiting the range of the possible. This article suggests that social democratic policy analysts have given too much attention to the financial and operational autonomy of social economy organisations from the state, and have avoided specifying what sort of new state institutions might allow these organisations to reach their progressive ambitions. The experience of Québec, Canada, is used to illustrate how, in the absence of this institutional programme, existing centres of state power can deflect the social economy in a neoliberal direction.
The National Economic and Social Forum, social partnership and policy formulation in the Republic of Ireland
Authors: McCashin Anthony , O’Sullivan Eoin , Brennan Catherine
Published: February 2003

English

Evaluating policy campaigning by the third sector is difficult and to date little has been written about it in the Irish context. The National Economic and Social Forum (NESF), established by the Irish government in 1993 to ‘develop economic and social policy initiatives’, provides a useful natural experiment to explore more fully the role of the third sector in shaping public policy. The article aims to explore the internal and external dynamics of third sector participation in public policy making within the context of the NESF, in addition to contributing to existing literature in this area.
Bringing difference into deliberation? Disabled people, survivors and local governance
Authors: Barnes Marian
Published: February 2003

English

This article discusses the rules of the game in participatory democracy and the engagement of disabled people and mental health service users/survivors in the process. Drawing on theories of new social movements and of deliberative democracy, the article considers how notions of ‘legitimate participants’ are constructed within official discourse, and how those can be challenged by autonomous groups of disabled people. It also explores assumptions about appropriate forms of deliberation within participation forums and how an appeal to rational debate can exclude the emotional content of the experience of living with mental health problems from deliberation about mental health policy. The argument is illustrated by reference to research conducted by the author, and by a Canadian study of user/survivor involvement in policy making.
The politics of self-advocacy and people with learning difficulties
Authors: Armstrong Derrick
Published: February 2003

English

This article draws on an ESRC-funded study of self-advocacy to provide a critical commentary on the politics of self-advocacy for people with learning difficulties. The article argues that in considering ‘self-advocacy’ as a policy option through which the citizenship of people with learning difficulties can be asserted, it is necessary to start from an understanding of how ‘learning difficulties’ are themselves socially constructed as a label for managing and controlling a ‘troublesome’ minority. For this reason, significant difficulties are encountered by people with learning difficulties in their attempts to advance their civil rights through self-advocacy. This is particularly so where self-advocacy is represented as part of a policy agenda for ‘empowerment’ within service settings.
Making the ends meet: do carers and disabled people have a common agenda?
Authors: Parker Gillian , Clarke Harriet
Published: February 2003

English

Community care policy has, simultaneously, attempted to reduce institutional care, contain costs, and emphasise individual and family responsibility for personal welfare. As a result, disabled people often have no choice about relying on informal carers for the support that enables them to live in their own homes. The implications of New Labour’s emphasis on “work for those who can, security for those who can’t” and of third way emphasis on obligations are explored for carers and disabled people. Both stand to lose from these emphases. Joint campaigning, informed by a common theoretical model, may have more to offer than separatism.
Whose voices? Representing the claims of older disabled people under New Labour
Authors: Priestley Mark
Published: February 2003

English

Although the majority of Britain’s disabled people are also older people, there has been relatively little exchange between policy making in the areas of disability and old age. This article highlights some significant similarities and differences in the social claims made by groups representing older people and disabled people in policy debates under New Labour. Using recent policy examples, the analysis focuses on the claims being made by older and disabled people and the discourses, representations and strategies used to make them. The article suggests that there are considerable areas of common ground on which political alliances and common voice could be built, but there is also evidence of a tactical or discursive distancing between the two groups. These difficulties are interpreted with reference to the centrality of independence and paid employment within policy debates under New Labour.
Disabled people, voluntary organisations and participation in policy making
Authors: Drake Robert F.
Published: February 2003

English

This article focuses on the involvement of disabled people and voluntary organisations in the deliberative processes of governmental policy creation. In recent times traditional disability charities have enjoyed significant access to government and have asserted the legitimacy of their participation on the basis of representing a constituency comprising disabled people and carers. However, many disabled people have declared their preference for self-representation and have rejected the interposition of the traditional disability charities between themselves and government. The purpose here is to document the barriers that continue to obstruct disabled people’s access to policy making, including the potential conflict between the aims of minority groups and the rule of majority mandate.
Mental health service users and disability: implications for future strategies
Authors: Beresford Peter , Harrison Chris , Wilson Anne
Published: February 2003

English

Mental health service users/survivors are subject to both mental health and disability policies, yet there appears to be an ambiguity in the approach of disability policy and disability politics to them. Mental health policy, which has always had powers to restrict their rights, is now increasingly associating mental health service users/survivors with ‘dangerousness’ and focusing on them as a threat to ‘public safety’. Mental health service users’/survivors’ organisations, which have so far tended to focus their activities on mental health policy and partnership approaches to making change, are now beginning to look to disability policy and politics to develop their thinking and activities for the future, while retaining their own distinct and independent identity. This has important implications for disability studies, policy and politics, and highlights the importance of addressing issues relating to mental health service users/survivors fully and equally.
Policy, politics and the silencing of ‘voice’
Authors: Scott-Hill Mairian
Published: February 2003

English

Given that socio-political understandings of disability have not impacted on legal discourse, this article asks two questions. First, why suggest a substantive solution, especially one that is framed by rights discourse, to ‘the problem’ of disabled people’s oppression? Second, how do perceptions of struggle, representation and participation in disability politics influence the way in which it engages with matters of policy? The article suggests that both questions ultimately concern discourse in situations where struggle and contest are highlighted. It argues that, in the search for solutions to social oppression, disabled people would gain much from developing a deeper understanding of ‘relational politics’ that moves beyond perceptions of disability as power and dominance.
Parents, professionals and special educational needs policy frameworks in England and Scotland
Authors: Riddell Sheila , Wilson Alastair , Adler Michael , Mordaunt Enid
Published: February 2003

English

The research reported in this article investigates the extent to which parents of children with special educational needs (SEN) were involved in the process of assessment and recording (Scotland) or statementing (England) as active citizens, or whether they continued to occupy the passive role of service client. This article analyses competing SEN policy frameworks in England and Scotland, and explores the position of parents and professionals. We conclude that, while the English system allows parents greater power to exercise rights, they are not always willing or able to adopt the role of active citizens. Conversely, while Scottish parents have fewer opportunities to engage actively with the process, some parents are able to take an active role. While national systems differ in terms of the policy frameworks they reflect, there is considerable leeway for parents and professionals to reinforce or undermine the broad thrust of centralised policy.
Reformulating activism, reformulating the activist
Authors: Clark Wayne , Khan Usman , McLaverty Peter
Published: February 2003

English

Although the past decade has seen an upsurge of interest in ideas of public participation and democratisation, relatively little is known about the nature of voluntary activism. This article draws on interview data collected within the Labour Party, Amnesty International, tenants’ and residents’ associations, and the Exodus collective in order to examine the nature of voluntary participation within the UK. Using the work of Habermas and theorists of social capital, we argue that the data calls into question the potential within civil society for the development of deliberative tendencies.
Research on the voluntary sector: an overview
Authors: Halfpenny Peter , Reid Margaret
Published: February 2003

English

This article provides an overview of the growing body of research on the UK voluntary sector, organised around five general themes: the organisational composition of the sector; the resources it commands; explanations for the existence of the sector;accounts of differences between the voluntary, private and public sectors; and the nature and impact of inter-sectoral relationships. While substantial progress has been made over the past twenty years in describing and explaining aspects of the sector, concentration on the larger, more formal organisations has left gaps in our understanding of small, local voluntary activity.
Toward a self-regulatory form of accountability in the voluntary sector
Authors: Miller Chris
Published: February 2003

English

Non-profit organisations are private self-regulating bodies. As their social welfare role expands so the need for greater public transparency and accountability increases. This article concentrates on the relationship between the sector and those stakeholders, beyond government and funding bodies, that are without formal levers of power. It draws upon three Ontario-based case studies that have experienced considerable change and share a strong commitment to self-regulatory accountability to their multiple stakeholders. It illustrates both the importance of particular organisational features and the immense difficulty and complexity of implementing the practice.
Enhanced legitimacy for local authority decision making: challenges, setbacks and innovation
Authors: Cheyne Christine , Comrie Margie
Published: February 2003

English

Traditional forms of participation and consultation have been widely criticised as limited, but there is also resistance to expanding citizen involvement in decision making. This raises the question of how to achieve democratic legitimacy. New Zealand’s government is encouraging innovative deliberative techniques, including citizens’ juries, in local authority decision making. One very contentious experiment has dampened New Zealand’s enthusiasm for citizens’ juries. This article reviews that experience and makes some comparisons with Britain. It also reviews another initiative: a tribunal deciding whether to continue fluoridation of a municipal water supply. Finally, the article considers prospects for fostering more effective citizen engagement in community decisions in New Zealand.
LETS in a cold climate: Green Dollars, self-help and neoliberal welfare in New Zealand
Authors: North Peter
Published: February 2003

English

Complementary currencies have emerged as social policy tools in a number of countries in the last 15 years. This article examines the performance of Green Dollar Exchanges in New Zealand/Aotearoa in a neoliberal environment where fiscal ‘imperatives’ led to state provision of welfare being curtailed in favour of delivery by organisations within civil society through self-help. It argues that, while self-help does have a place within overall welfare provision, voluntary mechanisms failed to fill the gap left by state withdrawal. Consequently, an over-optimistic perspective of the contribution of mutual aid organisations in meeting welfare needs as an alternative to, rather than complementary to, state provision is problematic.
The ‘excluded consumer’: a neglected aspect of social exclusion?
Authors: Williams Colin C. , Windebank Jan
Published: February 2003

English

This article investigates social exclusion in relation to consumption. To do this, we introduce the notion of the ‘excluded consumer’. In order to understand who defines themselves as excluded from normal consumption practices, and how, the results of interviews with 400 households in lower income UK urban neighbourhoods are reported. This reveals that households view themselves as excluded from mainstream consumption practices not only when they cannot afford to acquire goods but also when they are reliant on alternative retail channels (eg car boot sales, second-hand shops) to obtain them. We conclude by arguing that policy initiatives are required to aid these excluded consumers.
Digitising the structures of government: the UK’s information age government agenda
Authors: Hudson John
Published: February 2003

English

Since its election the UK Blair government has initiated a radical programme to redesign the apparatus of government through the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs). However, unpacking the operational implications of this ‘e-government’ strategy is a far from easy task and numerous policy dilemmas of considerable significance for the future of governance have arisen. This article considers the broad policy questions raised by the information age government agenda, the implications for delivery mechanisms of the government’s current strategy and issues surrounding access, exclusion and equity that are likely to be of increasing significance as their digitisation programme gathers pace.
Delivering devolved approaches to local governance
Authors: Pearce Graham , Mawson John
Published: February 2003

English

Community involvement has long been associated with measures to tackle the problems of deprived neighbourhoods, but government policies for modernising government and promoting democratic renewal have focused on the need to broaden citizen engagement and devolve decision making to local communities. Encouraging people to do things for themselves can be seen as a ‘good’ thing, but whether this participatory form of government can be achieved in England is uncertain. This article explores the rationale underpinning New Labour’s commitment to devolved local governance and the challenges this brings for central government. We investigate the choices and the organisational and management implications for local authorities. We conclude by examining the inherent ambiguities in government policy, which need to be resolved if devolved solutions are to be implemented effectively.
At the margins of provision: domestic violence, policing and community safety
Authors: Hall Tina , Whyte Dave
Published: February 2003

English

Despite a series of initiatives launched by New Labour aimed at tackling the problem of violence against women, it is likely that the impact of these initiatives will be minimal. This article argues that, on the one hand, this is a result of the failure of ‘community safety’ as a political discourse to present a challenge to traditional law and order agendas. On the other hand, it is a result of the state’s continuing reluctance to move beyond the use of police forces in strategies to combat violence against women. This article discusses these aspects of national and local government interventions in the context of domestic violence prevention in two local authority areas of Merseyside. It then concludes with a discussion of some alternatives to current criminal justice responses.
Advocacy coalitions and the politics of welfare in Korea after the economic crisis
Authors: Kwon Huck-Ju
Published: February 2003

English

This article seeks to explain the politics of social policy in Korea after the economic crisis of 1997/98, focusing on the advocacy coalitions. It shows that the welfare idealists were able to succeed in introducing the Minimum Living Standard Guarantee (MLSG) by seizing a number of strategic points of decision making in Korea, explaining why Korea adopted active social policy initiatives beyond the functional requirements of the structural adjustment. The introduction of MLSG, which recognises the right of every citizen to a decent living, means that social protection has become an integral social policy goal in Korea.
‘Joined-up’ government: an integrated response to communal violence in Northern Ireland?
Authors: Knox Colin
Published: February 2003

English

The growing recognition that social problems are multi-faceted and need to be tackled in a way that cuts across traditional departmental boundaries has heralded the advent of joined-up government. Yet this new emphasis does not appear to have permeated the provision of public services in Northern Ireland in their response to the increasingly pervasive social problem of communal violence perpetrated by paramilitaries against those suspected of committing crime within their own communities. This article examines the response of governmental and non-governmental agencies to this issue and questions whether victims of violence could benefit from an integrated approach. A deep suspicion and mistrust of the statutory authorities and the ‘undeserving’ character of victims currently militate against a joined-up approach.
Common origins, different paths: adaptation and change in social security in Britain and Ireland
Authors: Daly Mary , Yeates Nicola
Published: February 2003

English

This article compares social security in the British and Irish welfare states. Laying emphasis on both historical origins and contemporary reforms, it develops and applies a comparative framework that brings together structural, political and ideological factors. The article outlines how two social security systems compare as regards principles, institutional features and political characteristics. It then goes on to identify the main reforms and their significance for the characteristics of each of the two models and the cross-national comparison. The analysis reveals that different factors are driving developments in both countries and that, despite common origins and some contemporary similarities, the two social security systems are moving in different directions.
The multiple strategies of the Local Government Association: partner, player and think-tank?
Authors: Entwistle Tom , Laffin Martin
Published: February 2003

English

The Local Government Association (LGA) is the national association for English local government. This article draws some conclusions about contemporary English central-local relations from the strategies and structures of the LGA. We test three models. The ‘partner’ model implies that the LGA is, or ought to be, in a trusting and equal relationship with the centre. The ‘bargaining’ model envisages a centre dependent on local government’s considerable resources and resigned to the necessity for negotiation and compromise. The ‘strong centre’ approach posits a central government with the autonomy to impose its policies without the need to enter into meaningful negotiations.
Polyurethanes: Products of 4,4′‐bis(6‐hydroxyhexylthio)diphenyl ether and methylene bis(4‐phenyl isocyanate)
Authors: Wdowicka Danuta , Podkościelny Wawrzyniec , Rogulska Magdalena
Published: February 2003

New linear polyurethanes derived from 4,4′‐bis(6‐hydroxyhexylthio)diphenyl ether and methylene bis(4‐phenyl isocyanate) were synthesized by either melt or solution polymerization with a strictly equimolar ratio of the monomers. In the solution method, good results were obtained with the aprotic solvent N,N‐dimethylformamide at an approximately 20 wt % concentration of the monomers, with dibutyltin dilaurate as a catalyst, the process being conducted at 90–100°C for 4 h. The basic physicochemical properties of the polymers were investigated with thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The molecular weight distribution was determined by gel permeation chromatography. Shore hardness and tensile test results were also examined. The structures of the resulting products were confirmed with elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared, and X‐ray diffractometry. The properties of the copolyurethanes, containing various amounts of poly(oxytetramethylene) diol (∼1000) or polycaprolactone diol (∼1250) and synthesized under the conditions for the nonsegmented polyurethanes, were also examined. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 380–388, 2003
Poly(phenylene oxide)‐based polymer electrolyte membranes for fuel‐cell applications
Authors: Ramya K. , Dhathathreyan K. S.
Published: February 2003

Poly(phenylene oxide)s were synthesized by the oxidative polymerization of 2‐phenyl phenol (PP) and 2‐allyl phenol (AP). The copolymers were also synthesized with 80 mol % PP and 20 mol % AP and with equimolar monomers. The polymers were characterized. Blends of these polymers with poly(vinylidene fluoride) were prepared. These blend membranes were sulfonated, and their suitability for applications in fuel cells was evaluated. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 307–311, 2003
Improvement of adhesion between polyaniline and ion‐assisted‐reaction‐treated polypropylene
Authors: Lee Cheol‐Su , Han Sung , Beag Young‐Whoan , Joo Jin‐Soo , Koh Seok‐Keun
Published: February 2003

A nonwettable polypropylene (PP) surface was modified by an ion‐assisted reaction (IAR) to improve its adhesion with a conjugated polymer, polyaniline (PAN). Hydrogen ions with energies ranging from 0.6 to 1 keV were irradiated on the PP surface in an oxygen gas environment. Ion doses were in the range 5 × 1014 to 1 × 1017 ions/cm2. The lowest static wetting angle of the irradiated PP without blowing oxygen gas was about 60°, but that of IAR‐treated PP was less than 10°; the surface free energy of the modified PP was larger than 64 dyne/cm, and adhesion between PAN and PP passed the Scotch tape test. The main contribution to this improvement was the high concentration of hydrophilic groups on PP. Surface chemistry was investigated by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and hydrophilic functional groups such as CO, CO, (CO)O were not washed with water. Surface morphology was observed with atomic force microscopy, and surface roughness changed from 8.30 to 20.8 nm after the treatment. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 258–265, 2003
Gelatin/montmorillonite hybrid nanocomposite. II. Swelling behavior
Authors: Li Ping , Ping Zheng Jun , Lu Ma Ya , De Yao Kang
Published: February 2003

Gelatin/montmorillonite (MMT) hybrid nanocomposites with improved thermal and mechanical properties were prepared in a previous work. The swelling behavior (swelling rate, swelling kinetics, maximum solvent uptake, etc.) of the obtained composites was investigated. The results showed that the swelling process of the composites followed second‐order kinetics identical to those of the original gelatin. The swelling rate and maximum solvent uptake were greatly suppressed by the presence of MMT and were dependent on the MMT content and pH of the gelatin matrix. Moreover, the swelling mechanism of the polyelectrolyte‐intercalated nanocomposites was examined. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 322–326, 2003
Preparation and solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance characterization a styrene/butadiene/acrylonitrile (ABS)/poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC)/gypsum ternary system
Authors: da Silva Edemilsom P. , C. Kaplan Maria Auxiliadora , B. Tavares Maria Inês
Published: February 2003

Polymer blends were prepared to obtain a new material with specific characteristics. To prepare a miscible polymer blend, it is necessary to evaluate the chemical structure and molecular dynamics of all polymers involved and to thereby establish a structure–property relationship for these materials. In this work, ternary blends for application in plates chromatography were formed with styrene/butadiene/acrylinotrile (ABS), poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), and gypsum, and were studied by solid‐state carbon‐13 nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR). Magic‐angle spinning (MAS), cross‐polarization magic‐angle spinning (CPMAS), variable contact time (VCT), and proton spin‐lattice relation time in the rotating frame (Tρ) were the techniques used to evaluate the miscibility, homogeneity, and compatibility of polymer blends at the molecular level. From the values of Tρ, it was verified that ABS/PVC/gypsum formed good polymer blends with some specific physical interaction at the molecular level. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 293–296, 2003
Synthesis, characterization, and metal ion uptake studies of chelating resins derived from formaldehyde/furfuraldehyde condensed phenolic schiff base of 4,4′‐diaminodiphenylmethane and o‐hydroxyacetophenone
Authors: Samal S. , Acharya S. , Dey R. K. , Ray A. R.
Published: February 2003

The synthesis, characterization, and metal ion uptake studies of two chelating resins with multiple functional groups are reported. The chelating resins were synthesized by condensing a phenolic Schiff base derived from 4,4′‐diaminodiphenylmethane and o‐hydroxyacetophenone with formaldehyde or furfuraldehyde. The resins readily absorbed transition metal ions, such as Cu2+ and Ni2+, from dilute aqueous solutions. The Schiff base, resins, and metal polychelates were characterized by various instrumental techniques, such as elemental‐analysis, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy proton and carbon‐13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H‐NMR and 13C‐NMR, respectively), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric–differential thermogravimetric analyses (TG–DTG). The 1H‐NMR and 13C‐NMR studies were used to determine the sites for aldehyde condensation with the phenolic moiety. Fourier transform infrared data provided evidence for metal–ligand bonding. Thermogravimetric analysis was employed to compare the relative thermal stabilities of the resins and the polychelates. The TG data were fitted into different models and subjected to computational analysis to calculate the kinetic parameters. The XRD data indicate that the incorporation of metal ion into the resin matrix significantly enhanced the degree of crystallinity of the material. The extent of metal‐ion loading into the resins was studied in competitive and noncompetitive conditions, varying the time of contact, metal ion concentrations, and pH of the reaction medium in a suitable buffer medium. The furfuraldehyde‐condensed resin was more effective in removing metal ions than the formaldehyde‐condensed resins. The resins were selective for Cu2+, resulting in separation of Cu2+ and Ni2+ from the mixture at pH 5.89. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 570–581, 2003
Effects of irradiation on the melting and crystallization behavior of ethylene polymers with different thermal history
Authors: Teng Hongxiang , Dong Wenfei , Shi Yi , Jin Xigao
Published: February 2003

Ethylene polymers, including HDPE, Ziegler–Natta‐catalyzed LLDPE (Z–N LLDPE), metallocene‐catalyzed LLDPE (m‐LLDPE), and LDPE were thermally treated by different procedures, that is, quenching, slow cooling, and thermal segregation. These PE samples, having different thermal histories, were then irradiated with various doses, that is, 0, 13, 35, and 70 Mrad, by gamma ray using a 60Co radiation source. The melting and crystallization behaviors of these irradiated samples were studied by a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The effects of the thermal histories and irradiation on the polymers were evaluated by their melting temperatures (Tm), crystallization temperatures (Tc), and heat enthalpies (ΔH) in the heating and cooling scans. The results indicated that irradiation affects the samples having different thermal histories in different ways. The effects of the dosage on each kind of sample are discussed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 536–544, 2003
DVD substrate application for polycarbonate end‐capped with 4‐α‐cumylphenol
Authors: Okamoto Masaya
Published: February 2003

Using 4‐α‐cumylphenol as the end‐capping agent, polycarbonates (PCs) with a viscosity‐average molecular weight (Mv) of 13,800 were prepared. DVD substrates were molded using these PCs. DVD substrates using PCs end‐capped with 4‐α‐cumylphenol (CP–PCs) have lower retardation than do those using conventional PCs end‐capped with 4‐tert‐butylphenol (TBP–PCs). Using CP–PC, it is possible to bring the mold temperature down about 20°C from the standard conditions of molding DVD substrates using TBP–PC at the same radial birefringence. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 404–406, 2003
Comparative analysis of ultrasonically devulcanized unfilled SBR, NR, and EPDM rubbers
Authors: Yun Jushik , Isayev Avraam I. , Kim Seok H. , Tapale Mayuresh
Published: February 2003

The comparative study of the continuous ultrasonic devulcanization of various unfilled rubbers [natural rubber, styrene–butadiene rubber (SBR), ethylene–propylene–diene rubber (EPDM)] is carried out by means of a ultrasonic reactor. The power consumption, gel fraction, crosslink density, cure behavior, and physical properties of devulcanized rubbers were measured. The glass transition temperatures of virgin, vulcanized, and devulcanized rubbers were determined in order to characterize the difference in the mobility of rubber molecules for each rubber before and after devulcanization. Thermogravimetric analysis was also used to determine thermal stability of the various rubbers. A unique correlation between gel fraction and crosslink density indicated significant differences in the efficiency of devulcanization of various rubbers. Under certain devulcanization conditions, the mechanical properties of revulcanized SBR and EPDM rubbers were found to improve compared to those of the original rubbers. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 434–441, 2003