Current Crisis Situation Research Articles

A Short History of the British Critical Legal Conference or, the Responsibility of the Critic

The article offers a brief history of the Critical Legal Conference and the emergence of general jurisprudence as a main theoretical school in legal scholarship. It charts the aesthetic, ethical and the current political phase of the school. In the current situation of economic and political crisis, the intellectual and the critic is called to abandon the facile position of neutrality and assume the responsibility of resistance and radical change.

Italy’s contribution to global health: the need for a paradigm shift

This paper reviews Italian Development Assistance for Health and overall contribution to Global Health from 2001 to 2012. It analyses strategies and roles of central and decentralized authorities as well as those of private non-profit and corporate actors. The research illustrates a very low and unstable official contribution that lags far behind internationally agreed upon objectives, a highly fragmented institutional scenario, and controversial political choices favouring “vertical” global initiatives undermining national health systems, and in contrast with Italian deep-rooted principles, traditional approaches and official guidelines.Italy’s contribution to global health goes beyond official development aid, however. The raising movement toward Universal Health Coverage may offer an extraordinary opportunity for a leading role to a country whose National Health System is founded on the principles of universal and equitable access to care. At the same time, the distinctive experience of Italian decentralized cooperation, with the involvement of a multiplicity actors in a coordinated effort for cooperation in health with homologous partners in developing countries, may offer – if adequately harnessed - new opportunities for an Italian “system” of development cooperation. Nevertheless, the indispensable prerequisite of a substantial increase in public funding is challenged by the current economic crisis and domestic political situation. For a renewed Italian role in development and global health, a paradigm shift is needed, requiring both conceptual revision and deep institutional and managerial reforms to ensure an appropriate strategic direction and an efficient and effective use of resources.

RUSSIA IN THE MODERNIZATION: FINANCIAL ASPECT

This work represents an attempt to understand a current crisis situation that takes place in the world economic space. The reasons for the world crisis as well as the prospects of the further development of the Russian economy are also considered. Regarding Russia, the authors have concluded that the innovative breakthrough strategy is grounded on a number of monographs and drafts of long-term programs, but by this time these recommendations have not received an adequate response from the government. Russia needs a real, not virtual (conservative) modernization, providing a radical innovation upgrade and the increase in competitiveness of the technological base of the economy. Over the past two decades, Russia has experienced several types of innovations, including antiinnovations (the reforms of the early 1990's of the last century) and pseudo-innovations (the attempts of a partial improvement of outdated technologies). It is time to go to the basic innovations that can lead to radical changes in the decades to come, and become a platform of epochal innovation developments that can provide a breakthrough on a time scale of centuries.

Thinking of alternatives for health systems: from the expenses increase to the gain in efficiency

Even after a big effort performed by the most advanced countries and the positive results obtained by them in the development of their health systems, the current situation of economic crisis is one of the most important worries nowadays. The current recession could affect the future sustainability of the actual health system. This is especially remarkable in countries with a public health system. In this paper, we will try to find measures to be implemented by countries in order to save their sanitary systems. According to that, we will analyse different experiences of several countries, such as Spain, the UK, France and the USA.

Impact of the politics of austerity in the quality of healthcare: ethical advice

This article aims to provide a series of reflections before implementing a restructuring of health system management and cutbacks in health due to the possible consequences this may have on citizens' health. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that public healthcare shall be extended to the whole population in conditions of effective equality and overcoming geographical and social imbalances, based on a comprehensive approach to the healthcare system. All of this--while we are aware of the current situation of economic crisis--should be taken into account before carrying out adjustments that will harm the health of citizens and options or alternatives that will not affect equity and healthcare should be weighed up. In conclusion, management models that enable the empowerment of nursing are more justified than ever before, because it is nurses who mostly defend positions of patient advocacy towards attitudes of greater commitment and participation.

INFORME: Los mecanismos de estabilidad presupuestaria y de sostenibilidad financiera. Un paso hacia la consolidación del estado de las autonomías

El BOE de 30 de abril de 2012 publica el texto de la Ley Orgánica 2/2012, de 27 de abril de Estabilidad Presupuestaria y Sostenibilidad Financiera. El Estado de las autonomías tiene retos importantes que librar en estos difíciles momentos ya que aunque la preocupación por la viabilidad especialmente económica del Estado de las autonomías ha sido una constante en su evolución desde los primeros momentos, la actual situación de crisis económica y financiera parece haberla intensificado. Voces extremas claman por su supresión hacia uno u otro lado –el centralismo o la desintegración que comporta la independencia de alguno o algunos de los territorios-

Ansteckungsgefahren im Eurogebiet und die Rettungsmaßnahmen des Frühling 2010

AbstractA large number of German economists have spoken out against the package of aid measures provided by the Member States of the European Union and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the countries within the euro area that have been facing severe financial difficulties. This includes in particular the opinion of 189 German economists on the EU debt crisis (see the plenum of German economists, 2011) and the study of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology of January 2011. Above all many German economists question whether those measures were necessary in order to prevent the emergence of contagion risks and domino effects within the European monetary union following a restructuring in one of the euro area countries. This paper illustrates the main channels of possible contagion. It emphasises how important it is, especially given the current crisis situation, to maintain the confidence of international investors in the willingness of euro area countries to honour their debt. In this respect, contract compliance on the part of highly-indebted national governments towards their creditors is essential. By contrast, if in the case of Greece for example financial market participants were to perceive a debt restructuring as a viable and politically acceptabelle option in case financial problems emerge in individual euro area countries, access to the capital markets will be harmed for the majority of these countries for many years to come.

Crisis Occurrence and Equilibrium of Powers

The search of the crisis determiners is still questioned so far. To address this essential issue, the global features of this crisis conduct us to investigate a country’s market place as a systemic model from the point of view of studying the interactions between actors. We complement this game theory analysis by examining through mathematical modeling the equilibrium of powers and its influence on the disequilibrium of the financial markets. The basic tool introduced relies on a Lotka-Volterra reaction-diffusion mathematical frame. The analysis of the current crisis situation within this extended framework results in some regulation advice that is given here to contribute to the timely debate of markets regulation means.

Sumak Kawsay y Suma Qamaña, el reto de aprender del sur: reflexiones en torno al buen vivir

La situación actual de crisis sistémica global ha puesto de manifiesto la inviabilidad del modelo de desarrollo tradicional, basado en el crecimiento económico y la acumulación de capital como fin en sí mismo. Ante el fracaso de este modelo y la constatación de que sus dinámicas han resultado ser, en contra de lo esperado, “maldesarrolladoras”, se hace necesaria la búsqueda de alternativas que propongan otras formas de relación más sostenibles y equilibradas. El ideal del Buen Vivir, originario de la cosmovisión indígena e incorporado en los nuevos textos constitucionales de Bolivia y Ecuador, promueve una nueva forma de entender el desarrollo, basada en la armonía entre los individuos y de éstos con la naturaleza. Este texto recoge las conclusiones fundamentales del seminario “Sumak Kawsay. Aprendiendo del Sur”, organizado por el Instituto de Desarrollo Social y Paz de la Universidad de Alicante, precisamente con el fin de establecer espacios de discusión y análisis sobre el alcance de estas propuestas.

Impoverishment and patients’ “willingness” and “ability” to pay for improving the quality of health care in Palestine: An assessment using the contingent valuation method

This paper examines the impact of impoverishment on patients’ preferences with respect to improving the quality of health care, by focusing on the sudden impoverishment experience that affected the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) since the beginning of the second Palestinian Uprising of September 2000. Two random samples of patients (352 and 353 individuals, respectively) were interviewed about their willingness to pay for improving a set of quality attributes in delivery of primary health care, prior and after the occurrence of this crisis situation, using a contingent valuation questionnaire. Impoverishment did not seem to affect the structure of patients’ preferences vis-à-vis some essential quality attributes such as “doctor–patient relationship” and “drug availability”. However, preferences toward “luxury” quality attributes, e.g., “geographical proximity” and “waiting time”, suffered from both income-dependent and income-independent negative impoverishment effects. We conclude that impoverishment might not only affect individuals’ availability of resources but also the ability of certain groups of patients, notably women, villagers and the elderly, to adequately express their preferences toward improving the quality of health care delivery. The issue of how willingness to pay results should be interpreted in the light of our study for policy implications was discussed. The study raises strong doubts about the current policy of introducing patients’ cost recovery schemes for funding primary health care in the current crisis situation of the OPT.

Is a heftier administrative law required to prevent state hollowing?: the issue of transborder water pollution

Concerns regarding the management of water and air pollution in border regions – such as the California‐Mexico Border, is an old issue, which has bubbled up to its current crisis situation. Health and safety disasters, stemming from water pollution on both sides of the border mount as do related costs to local financially‐strapped communities in California. One such impacted community is Imperial County, California, which must deal with the consequences stemming from the “dirtiest river in the United States”. This refers to The New River which enters the US through Mexico. While NAFTA has promoted the growth of globalized companies and industries in the region, progress has added to pollution. Regulation is far from evenly matched in the two countries. To manage negative spillover effects from globalism across borders, the time has come for development of new administrative law, with strict penalties for violators. This article uses the impact of pollution from The New River to discuss the hollowing of our nation‐state’s democratically‐derived mandate against pollution. It also raises the question of whether we have the stomach to push for new administrative law and risk multinational flight to other more accommodating regions, or live with the status quo and its serious human and environmental consequences.

Urban development in Indonesia, 1990–2001: from the boom to the early reform era through the crisis

This article discusses the recent urban development in Indonesia and the extent to which the current economic crisis and uncertain sociopolitical situation have affected urban development. Until the mid-1990s, urban development fuelled by high economic growth has been characterized by restructuring of physical and economic activities. However, the recent economic crisis has caused economic activities in cities to shrink greatly. Meanwhile, the new legislation of regional autonomy and fiscal decentralization and current socioeconomic and political situation could have significant impacts on urban development in Indonesia in the near future.

Ubuntu, African elderly and the African family crisis

Ubuntu, the African ethos of caring and sharing, has crucial implications for the elderly throughout sub-Saharan Africa, especially regarding the current situation of family crisis in Africa and African responses to this crisis. Case studies from research on Kenyan elderly illustrate the meanings of Ubuntu in everyday life. Policy implications are also considered.

The Reproduction of Archaeological Discourse: the Case of Japan

This paper argues that, if we are to understand the intrinsic nature of archaeology as a social practice, we have to situate the way in which we are conducting archaeological practices in both local and global contexts for considering a way forward. This contention is supported by a critical account of the current crisis situation in which Japanese archaeology operates. It is argued that this crisis situation has resulted from changes which have been taking place in both macro- and microlevels of Japanese social reality. A Marxist tradition, which had kept theory and practice of Japanese archaeology integrated with a certain sense of reality, collapsed from changes which took place in the international political climate and in domestic social conditions. Those changes had significant effects not only upon the discursive level of the consciousness of the archaeologist but also upon the non-discursive level of the consciousness of the archaeologist. The current condition of the non-discursive consciousness of the archaeologist makes it almost impossible to grasp the causes of the crisis and to consider a possible way out. It is argued that the creation of a critical ontology, enabling us discursively to grasp the causes of the crisis, is badly needed to improve the situation. It is proposed that such a critical ontology should enable us to grasp the mechanism of the formation of non-discursive/practical consciousness of ourselves which, together with the experience of the material conditions, constitutes the subjective conditions under which we conduct our archaeological practice.