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731. SALW Awareness in Schools - Towards a National Curriculum

Publication Date:
04-2005
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
South Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons
Abstract:
Children are naturally curious. This leaves them vulnerable to small arms and light weapons (SALW), because while playing they may search for them, or try to handle booby-traps, abandoned weapons and explosives outdoors. While it is common knowledge that young people, especially boys, display a fascination for guns, research such as that cited in Figures 1 and 22 shows the huge gap between what parents would expect children to do when placed in a context where weapons are present, and what they really do.
Topic:
Arms Control and Proliferation, Civil Society, and Education
Political Geography:
Eastern Europe

732. SASP Test in North East Serbia Evaluation Report

Publication Date:
03-2005
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
South Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons
Abstract:
The initial idea for the project was to implement a targeted SALW Awareness campaign around the town of Zrenjanin in North East Serbia. As well as aiming to have a positive effect on the attitudes of local people towards firearms possession and safety, the project was designed as a test for the principles of the SEESAC SALW Awareness Support Pack (SASP) in a project with limited resources at its disposal; (the total budget for all project activities was US$10,000). The project also offered a local NGO, European Movement Zrenjanin, the opportunity to build capacities in carrying out an awareness campaign following the principles of SASP.
Topic:
Arms Control and Proliferation, Civil Society, and Crime
Political Geography:
Eastern Europe and Serbia

733. Taming the Arsenal – Small Arms and Light Weapons in Bulgaria

Publication Date:
03-2005
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
South Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons
Abstract:
Taming the Arsenal – Small Arms and Light Weapons in Bulgaria, is a report on the findings of research conducted on questions relating to Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) in Bulgaria from July to November 2004 by the Sofia-based Center for the Study of Democracy, and London-based Saferworld. It sets out the findings of a comprehensive assessment of the 1) distribution of SALW in Bulgaria; 2) the impacts of SALW on individuals, communities and the state; 3) public perceptions of SALW and security; and 4) the capacity of the state to control the proliferation and misuse of SALW.
Topic:
Arms Control and Proliferation, Civil Society, and Crime
Political Geography:
Eastern Europe, London, and Bulgaria

734. Living with the Legacy: SALW Survey Republic of Serbia

Publication Date:
03-2005
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
South Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons
Abstract:
This survey represents the findings of a comprehensive assessment of the Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) situation in the Republic of Serbia. It examines the distribution of SALW; the impact of SALW on individuals, communities and the state; public perceptions of SALW and security; and the capacity of the state to control proliferation and misuse.
Topic:
Arms Control and Proliferation, Civil Society, and Government
Political Geography:
Eastern Europe and Serbia

735. Bi-Annual Report: 01 July - 31 December 2004

Publication Date:
01-2005
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
South Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons
Abstract:
In November 2001 the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe adopted a Regional Implementation Plan on Combating the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons1 in South Eastern Europe, which provides a framework of approaches and measures to tackle SALW issues that can be adopted by the countries of the region and supported by international organisations and bi-lateral donors. The Implementation Plan included provision for the establishment of a regional clearinghouse to support its implementation, and on the basis of this mandate SEESAC was officially launched in Belgrade on the 08 May 2002 as a joint UNDP and Stability Pact initiative.
Topic:
Civil Society, Development, and Government
Political Geography:
Eastern Europe

736. Politics, Public Bads, and Private Information

Author:
Glenn Sheriff
Publication Date:
04-2005
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy at Columbia University
Abstract:
Preferential treatment for politically influential sectors often has undesirable consequences such as increasing pollution or ecosystem degradation. Private information on firm productivity constrains the government's ability both to redistribute income and regulate public bad production. Given political economy and information constraints, this article characterizes a social-welfare maximizing policy. The optimal policy uses a single instrument to achieve both goals, making income-support subsidies contingent upon reduction of bad outputs. Output price uncertainty works to the advantage of the government, potentially eliminating some firms' information advantage.
Topic:
Civil Society, Economics, Government, and Human Rights

737. Do Parents Help More Their Less Well-off Children?: Evidence from a Sample of Migrants to France

Author:
Seymour Spilerman, François-Charles Wolff, and Claudine Antias-Donfut
Publication Date:
03-2005
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy at Columbia University
Abstract:
Through an investigation of parental motives, this paper examines how parents decide on the allocation of their resources within the family when there are several offspring. From a theoretical viewpoint, inter vivos transfers may be explained either by altruism or by an exchange motive. Though unequal sharing is expected under both hypotheses, under altruism parents should direct their assistance to less well off children. Analogously, under an exchange motive we expect support to be channeled to children who live nearby their parents. We assess the relevance of the two transfer motives using the PRI survey, conducted in 2003, on a sample of immigrants living in France. Unequal sharing is frequently observed, and children are more likely to receive financial transfers when they are in poor circumstance, but not necessarily when living in proximity to parents. This is the case even after controlling for unobserved heterogeneity with fixed effects models. We also emphasize the role of cultural factors, especially religion, as determinants of the parental allocation among children.
Topic:
Civil Society, Education, and Migration
Political Geography:
France

738. Air Quality: Much Worse on Paper Than in Reality

Author:
Joel Schwartz
Publication Date:
06-2005
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
Abstract:
Journalists and environmentalists erroneously claim more than half the country has "some of the worst air pollution," when in fact the worst areas of California stand head and shoulders above all others. The nation sorely needs an honest assessment of air pollution, which would be aided by greater skepticism from journalists about air pollution claims.
Topic:
Civil Society and Environment
Political Geography:
United States and California

739. The Battle over the Draft

Author:
Leon Aron
Publication Date:
07-2005
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
Abstract:
On December 29, 2004, Russia's minister of defense, Sergei Ivanov, announced plans to eliminate draft deferments for college students. Predictably, the popular reaction was so uniformly negative and furious that the abolition of deferments has been postponed—but not eliminated from the Kremlin's agenda.
Topic:
Civil Society, Government, and War
Political Geography:
Russia, Europe, and Asia

740. The Political Construction of Collective Insecurity: From Moral Panic to Blame Avoidance and Organized Irresponsibility

Author:
Daniel Béland
Publication Date:
10-2005
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies, Harvard University
Abstract:
This theoretical contribution explores the role of political actors in the social construction of collective insecurity. Two parts comprise the article. The first one briefly defines the concept of collective insecurity and the second one bridges existing sociological and political science literatures relevant for the analysis of the politics of insecurity. This theoretical framework articulates five main claims. First, although interesting, the concept of moral panic applies only to a limited range of insecurity episodes. Second, citizens of contemporary societies exhibit acute risk awareness and, when new collective threats emerge, the logic of "organized irresponsibility" often leads citizens and interest groups alike to blame elected officials. Third, political actors mobilize credit claiming and blame avoidance strategies to respond to these threats in a way that enhances their This theoretical contribution explores the role of political actors in the social construction of collective insecurity. Two part s comprise the article. The first one briefly defines the concept of collective insecurity and the second one bridges existing sociological and political science literatures relevant for the analysis of the politics of insecurity. This theoretical framework articulates five main claims. First, although interesting, the concept of moral panic applies only to a limited range of insecurity episodes. Second, citizens of contemporary societies exhibit acute risk awareness and, when new collective threats emerge, the logic of “organized irresponsibility” often leads citizens and interest groups alike to blame elected officials. Third, political actors mobilize credit claiming and blame avoidance strategies to respond to these threats in a way that enhances their position within the political field. Fourth, powerful interests and institutional forces as well as the “threat infrastructure” specific to a policy area create constraints and opportunities for these strategic actors. Finally, their behavior is proactive or reactive, as political actors can either help push a threat onto the agenda early, or, at a later stage, simply attempt to shape the perception of this threat after other forces have transformed it into a major political issue.
Topic:
Security, Civil Society, and Politics
Political Geography:
Europe