The State is Captured Before It Exists

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-58
Author(s):  
David B. Kanin
Keyword(s):  
Civic Education ◽  
Rule Of Law ◽  
Inverse Relationship ◽  
Rent Seeking ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
Patronage Politics ◽  
State Capture ◽  
Political Entrepreneurs ◽  
Social Management ◽  
The Relationship

Analysts of “State Capture” too often treat the phenomenon as an outside-in process. They identify firms or rent-seeking political entrepreneurs that take over, subvert, or otherwise bend political structures to serve their parochial interests. The key to solving the perceived problem is supposed to lie in better governance, strengthened judicial systems, civic education, and transparency in political and civic activities. This essay will suggest this construct involves a misunderstanding of the relationship between patronage networks and supposedly “legitimate” legal and constitutional institutions enshrined in a teleology of Democracy and Rule-of-Law performances. Patronage politics in the Balkans produces pragmatic social management patterns, not just theft by greedy firms and selfish individuals. This argument builds on Charles Tilly’s observation of the inverse relationship between Democracy and trust to explain why externally imposed programs of civic education and political reform designed to free a state from its perceived capture fail to do much more than recruit a thin sliver of local civic activists, scold “captured” populations, and undermine the credibility of international overseers.

Association between Social Media Use for Health Purpose and Depressive Symptoms: A Cross-Sectional Survey (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hee Yun Lee ◽  
Yan Luo ◽  
Cho Rong Won ◽  
Jiyoung Lee ◽  
Jeongwon Baik
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Inverse Relationship ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Health Purpose

BACKGROUND The use of social media or social networking sites (SNS) is increasing across all age groups, and one of the primary motives of using SNS is to seek health-related information. Although previous research examining the effect of SNS use on depression exist, studies regarding the effect of SNS use for health purpose on depression is limited. OBJECTIVE Our study aims to explore the relationship between SNS use for health purpose and depression across the four age groups (18-34 years old, 35-49 years old, 50-64 years old, and above 65 years old). METHODS A sample of 6,789 adults aged 18 and older was extracted from a 2017 and 2018 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). Univariate and bivariate analyses to examine the association between each variable and four age groups were conducted. Multiple linear regression analyses to predict depression level among participants with use of SNS for health purpose were conducted. RESULTS SNS use for health purpose and depression were positively associated for three age groups but not for those 65 years or older (=0.13, P<0.05; =0.08, P<0.05; =0.09, P<0.05). Income and self-reported health status indicated an inverse relationship for all age groups. The relationship with marital status differed based on age group with 18 and 34 years old showing an inverse relationship (=-0.13, P<0.01) while 65 years or older showing a positive relationship (=0.06, P<0.05). Gender was positively associated among those in the 35-49 years old (=0.09, P<0.05) and 65 years or older (=0.07, P<0.05). Being Non-Hispanic White was positively associated with depression among 50-64 years old (=0.07, P<0.001) and 65 years or older (=0.08, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Age-tailored education on determining accurate and reliable information shared via SNS is needed to reduce depressive symptoms.

Higher education, post-conflict democratization and the legacies of authoritarian rule: The Tripoli University Programme for Rebuilding Libya

2021 ◽  
pp. 174619792098136
Author(s):  
Sansom Milton
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Middle East ◽  
Civic Education ◽  
Authoritarian Rule ◽  
Post Conflict ◽  
Transitional Processes ◽  
The Arab Spring ◽  
The Relationship

In this paper, the role of higher education in post-uprising Libya is analysed in terms of its relationship with transitional processes of democratization and civic development. It begins by contextualising the Libyan uprising within the optimism of the ‘Arab Spring’ transitions in the Middle East. Following this, the relationship between higher education and politics under the Qadhafi regime and in the immediate aftermath of its overthrow is discussed. A case-study of a programme designed to support Tripoli University in contributing towards democratisation will then be presented. The findings of the case-study will be reflected upon to offer a set of recommendations for international actors engaging in political and civic education in conflict-affected settings, in particular in the Middle East.

scholarly journals Macronutrient Quality and All-Cause Mortality in the SUN Cohort

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 972
Author(s):  
Susana Santiago ◽  
Itziar Zazpe ◽  
Cesar I. Fernandez-Lazaro ◽  
Víctor de la de la O ◽  
Maira Bes-Rastrollo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Index ◽  
Inverse Relationship ◽  
A Priori ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Significant Inverse Relationship ◽  
Carbohydrate Quality ◽  
All Cause Mortality ◽  
Middle Aged Adults ◽  
The Relationship

No previous study has assessed the relationship between overall macronutrient quality and all-cause mortality. We aimed to prospectively examine the association between a multidimensional macronutrient quality index (MQI) and all-cause mortality in the SUN (Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra) (University of Navarra Follow-Up) study, a Mediterranean cohort of middle-aged adults. Dietary intake information was obtained from a validated 136-item semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire. We calculated the MQI (categorized in quartiles) based on three quality indexes: the carbohydrate quality index (CQI), the fat quality index (FQI), and the healthy plate protein source quality index (HPPQI). Among 19,083 participants (mean age 38.4, 59.9% female), 440 deaths from all causes were observed during a median follow-up of 12.2 years (IQR, 8.3–14.9). No significant association was found between the MQI and mortality risk with multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for the highest vs. the lowest quartile of 0.79 (95% CI, 0.59–1.06; Ptrend = 0.199). The CQI was the only component of the MQI associated with mortality showing a significant inverse relationship, with HR between extreme quartiles of 0.64 (95% CI, 0.45–0.90; Ptrend = 0.021). In this Mediterranean cohort, a new and multidimensional MQI defined a priori was not associated with all-cause mortality. Among its three sub-indexes, only the CQI showed a significant inverse relationship with the risk of all-cause mortality.

The Relationship of Undifferentiated Mesenchymal Cells to TMJ Articular Tissue Thickness

1992 ◽  
Vol 71 (11) ◽  
pp. 1816-1821 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.A. Bibb ◽  
A.G. Pullinger ◽  
F. Baldioceda
Keyword(s):  
Soft Tissue ◽  
Inverse Relationship ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Spearman Correlation ◽  
Articular Eminence ◽  
Tissue Thickness ◽  
Cartilage Layer ◽  
Soft Tissue Thickness ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship

Undifferentiated mesenchymal (UM) cells, the progenitor cells of the cartilage layer, have been assigned a significant role in TMJ articular tissue maintenance. This was based on reports of UM cell reduction with increased soft-tissue thickness for the condyle and temporal component. However, the strength of this inverse relationship was not presented and remained unclear. The purpose of the present study was to assess the strength of the correlation between UM cell presence and soft-tissue thickness in young adult TMJs at autopsy. Sagittal histological sections from the central thirds of 50 joints were evaluated with respect to articular soft-tissue thickness, histological character, and UM cell presence in the condyle and temporal component. The superior sector ofthe condyle and the articular eminence showed the greatest variability in soft-tissue thickness and were the only areas to show localized UM cell absence. The eminence was the only location to show an inverse relationship between soft-tissue thickness and UM cell presence, and this was consistent in both an ANOVA (p = 0.0016) and a Spearman correlation analysis. However, the strength of this correlation was only moderate (rho = -0.52), and no such relationship was observed in any other location. This study suggests that the relationship between UM cell presence and soft-tissue thickness is more complex than previously hypothesized and that the contribution of UM cells to articular tissue maintenance has been overstated, while other biological processes were overlooked.

The Relationship between Constitutions, Socioeconomics, and the Rule of Law: A Quantitative Thermodynamic Approach

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klaus Jaffe ◽  
Antonio Canova ◽  
Jose Gregorio Contreras ◽  
Ana Cecilia Soares ◽  
Juan Carlos Correa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rule Of Law ◽  
Thermodynamic Approach ◽  
The Rule Of Law ◽  
The Relationship

STUDYING THE HISTORY OF THE BALKANS / SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE: RESEARCH TASKS AND PROBLEM FORMULATION

2021 ◽  
pp. 7-21
Author(s):  
Sergei Romanenko ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Problem Formulation ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Interstate Relations ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
European Culture ◽  
South Eastern Europe ◽  
The Relationship

The new issue of the journal «Current Problems of Europe» opens with the problem-oriented article, dedicated to the analysis of the state of the Balkans / South-Eastern Europe region and its development in 2000-2020. The author gives a systemic description of the processes taking place in the intra-national and international intra-regional political, social and economic development of the countries of the region, and the problems generated by them. The changes are associated with a difficult transition phase, experienced by the states of the region, for the most part belonging to the post-socialist world (Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania). The exceptions are Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, however, these three states are also going through a difficult period in their history, associated with new problems both in interstate relations within this triangle, and in relations with NATO and the EU, as well as with Russia. The article discusses the specifics of translating the terms «people» and «national» into Russian, as well as the toponym Kosovo (Serb.) / Kosova (Alb.), and ethnonyms «Bošnjak» and «bosanac». The first part of the issue contains articles devoted to general problems of regional studies: the relationship between the terms Eastern Europe, Central Europe, South-Eastern Europe, Balkans, Western Balkans; comparative and political science subjects; the role of the European Union and China in the development of the region; the relationship of national Serbian, post-Yugoslavian and European culture and intellectual heritage as well. The second part of the issue examines the relations of the Balkan states with the states of Central and Eastern Europe (Czech Republic, Romania, Belarus), as well as the specifics of their development in the post-socialist period. Thus, there is the possibility of a multilateral - historical, political and cultural, as well as comparative analysis of the development of this complex region, which is of great importance for international relations worldwide.

Eastern Orthodoxy and Europe

2021 ◽  
pp. 479-496
Author(s):  
Effie Fokas
Keyword(s):  
The Political ◽  
Historical Period ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Temporal Perspective ◽  
Eastern Orthodoxy ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
Political Reality ◽  
The One ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

This chapter considers the relationship between ‘Orthodoxies’ and ‘Europes’, highlighting the multiplicity of Eastern Christian Orthodox approaches and attitudes towards Europe, from one majority Orthodox national context to another and one historical period to another, ranging from anti-Europeanism (and anti-Westernism) to Europhilism. It also draws attention to differences in Orthodox stances on the idea of Europe, on the one hand, and the political reality of the European unification project, on the other. A temporal perspective is particularly relevant in changing attitudes to the European Union. Special attention is paid to external perspectives on the relationship between ‘Orthodoxy’ and ‘Europe’, often politicized and influenced by the political turmoil in the Balkans. The chapter closes with reference to the situation of flux characterizing contemporary conceptions of Europe, and the impact of the latter on ‘Orthodoxy’ in relation to ‘Europe’.

Role Strain, Coping, and Marital Satisfaction of Stepparents

1992 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Doni Whitsett ◽  
Helen Land
Keyword(s):  
Marital Satisfaction ◽  
Inverse Relationship ◽  
Role Strain ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Coping Resources ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
New Information ◽  
Study Results ◽  
And Coping ◽  
The Relationship

The relationship among role strain, coping, and marital satisfaction is examined in a cross-sectional sample of 73 stepparents. New information is discussed pertaining to differential types of role strain identified in stepparent groups. The association between types of role strain and differential types of coping strategies and coping resources is analyzed. Results document the association between coping resources of self-esteem and self-efficacy and certain dimensions of role strain. An inverse relationship between role strain and marital satisfaction is noted. Based on study results, the authors identify vulnerable subgroups and suggest implications for practice with stepfamilies.

scholarly journals Analyzing the Relationship between Organizational Culture and Silence with Organizational Health among Employers of Fars Maskan Bank

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 234
Author(s):  
Asiyeh Foshat ◽  
Reza Zarei
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Culture ◽  
Inverse Relationship ◽  
Pearson Correlation ◽  
Organizational Health ◽  
Fars Province ◽  
Statistical Population ◽  
Organizational Silence ◽  
Statistical Sample ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Regression Tests

This study aims to analyze the relationship between organizational culture and silence with organizational health. The methodology of the study is correlation, and its statistical population is 642 that are all employers in Maskan Bank in Fars province. Sampling was executed through one-phase clustering sampling in which 130 persons were selected as statistical sample. Three questionnaires of organizational health (Hawaii et al., 1987), organizational culture (Hofstede, 1980), and organizational silence (Vacola & Bouradas, 2005) were used for collecting data. Data was analyzed step to step using Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression tests. Results indicated that there is a significant inverse relationship between organizational culture and silence with organizational health (less than 0.01). Higher level managers’ view of silence (among elements of organizational silence) and patriarchy (among elements of organizational culture) are capable of predicting organizational health in inverse. Other elements are not significantly capable in predicting organizational health.

scholarly journals Constitutional democracy and technology in the age of artificial intelligence

2018 ◽  
Vol 376 (2133) ◽  
pp. 20180089 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Nemitz
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Rule Of Law ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Constitutional Democracy ◽  
Theme Issue ◽  
Internet Economy ◽  
Core Elements ◽  
Technological Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Given the foreseeable pervasiveness of artificial intelligence (AI) in modern societies, it is legitimate and necessary to ask the question how this new technology must be shaped to support the maintenance and strengthening of constitutional democracy. This paper first describes the four core elements of today's digital power concentration, which need to be seen in cumulation and which, seen together, are both a threat to democracy and to functioning markets. It then recalls the experience with the lawless Internet and the relationship between technology and the law as it has developed in the Internet economy and the experience with GDPR before it moves on to the key question for AI in democracy, namely which of the challenges of AI can be safely and with good conscience left to ethics, and which challenges of AI need to be addressed by rules which are enforceable and encompass the legitimacy of democratic process, thus laws. The paper closes with a call for a new culture of incorporating the principles of democracy, rule of law and human rights by design in AI and a three-level technological impact assessment for new technologies like AI as a practical way forward for this purpose. This article is part of a theme issue ‘Governing artificial intelligence: ethical, legal, and technical opportunities and challenges’.

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