Federal Society Research Articles

DEMOCRACY, FEDERALISM AND GOVERNANCE IN NIGERIA

Nigeria became one of the federal societies under the supervision of the British colonial government in 1954. Federalism and democracy ceased when the military government usurped and suspended the Republican Constitution in 1966. The periods of military rule witnessed over-centralization of power at the centre, while the federating states became Lilliputians. The usurpation of jurisdictional competencies and centralization of power made the federating states and local governments default on their socio-economic responsibilities. The paper aims to elucidate the intricate relationship between federalism and democracy in Nigeria, shedding light on the repercussions of their erosion during military rule. Through a comprehensive review of historical events and constitutional changes, this study examined the consequences of over-centralization and jurisdictional encroachments during military governance. The paper revealed that the institutionalization of federalism once embraced without due consideration, led to detrimental adjustments and crises during military rule, significantly impeding socio-economic and political development. The paper concluded that democracy and federalism are twins ‘brothers’ and will remain relevant and last long when Nigerian leaders, particularly elected representatives, undertake constitutional reforms that prioritized power devolution to states and local governments. This adjustment, rooted in justice and fairness, will rejuvenate the symbiotic relationship between democracy and federalism, ensuring lasting relevance.

АКТУАЛЬНЫЕ ПРОБЛЕМЫ ПРАВОВОГО РЕГУЛИРОВАНИЯ ДЕМОКРАТИЧЕСКОЙ ПРАКТИКИ (основы концепции Кодекса демократии)

The structure of legal regulation of democratic practice was analyzed. General normative legal regulation, during which the federal legislator and society, through the institution of referendum, develop a system of norms and form a normative legal model of democratic practice, was singled out. The organizational and legal activities of the subjects of democratic practice were described. Legal self-regulation and individual normative legal regulation of democratic practice were considered. Legal conflicts and their regulation were covered in detail. The importance of monitoring of law translation into social life and interpretation of law was emphasized. It was shown that the important public and state role played by democratic practice explains the necessity to consolidate the regulatory norms in the form of a Code of Democracy. The theoretical basis for the concept of the Code of Democracy was proposed. It was suggested that the theoretical basis should include the fundamental problems of practice reflecting the patterns of its functioning and development. In particular, the practice-forming, practice-destroying, and practice-promoting elements of democracy were analyzed. A classification of practice-forming phenomena, relations, and processes that are parts of the general legal regulation of democratic practice was provided.

Россия и ЮНЕСКО в геополитической архитектонике XXI века: концепция избирательного сотрудничества

Relevance. The article considers tasks of preserving UNESCO’s role as an intellectual leader in the UN system, as a major constituent of the political mechanism of the modern world order and an alternative of the international relations’ stability. The article focuses on identifying the priorities of the perspective Russia-UNESCO cooperation that along with civilizational aspects fully serve the national interests of our country. The purpose of the article is to study institutional and functional aspects of UNESCO activities, to identify the most important and relevant goals of the mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and UNESCO in the process of the strategic transformation of the Organization. Objectives of the research consist in analyzing scientific and political capacity of UNESCO, examining the problem of its reform and perspectives of the activities, considering the possibilities of optimizing Russia’s participation in UNESCO programs for the purpose of promoting national interests of the country. Methodology. In accordance with the purpose of the article the research methods included a system-based analysis, content-analysis with its functional and empiric methods. Results. Some recommendations are made on streamlining Russia’s participation in UNESCO activities. Certain proposals have been made concerning the perspectives of the Russia-UNESCO cooperation. Conclusion. UNESCO has earned a well-deserved authority and is very popular in Russia. Its unique mandate that encompasses different problems in the sphere of science, education and culture, gives the possibility to wide range of Russian federal and regional authorities and civil society to participate in this cooperation. The perspective of the collaboration of Russia and UNESCO will depend on the ability of the Organization to adequately adapt to the contemporary challenges, staying committed to the principles of depolitization and conserving the mandate of the world leading institute of the humanitarian cooperation.

Federalism’s radical potential

Abstract The ability to rely on federalism as an effective response to deep divisions in post-conflict societies is often impaired by parties requiring too great a consensus on the ideological premises of the re-founded state: on the nation’s essential character; on who bears the right of self-determination; and on the historical foundations of the political community. As a result, the radical potential of federalism—its ability to accommodate, within a single political order, political communities possessing substantially different conceptions of foundational political legitimacy—is lost. This article reviews the nature and history of federations in order to establish that this radical potential is at the very heart of federalism. It describes the dynamics of allegiance in federal societies and suggests why federal states can flourish even in the presence of such significant differences. It then notes seven approaches that can facilitate the success of such federations.

An answer from Marxist economics to Weber's hypothesis about China: a concurrent discussion of the direction of rural reform in China

PurposeWeber's hypothesis about China is the hypothesis forwarded by Weber that why capitalist production did not appear in eastern countries such as China in the first place. Weber considered that the reason may be Chinese Confucianism and Taoism lack protestant ethic like Western countries.Design/methodology/approachThe clarification has aroused wide discussion, meanwhile, East Asian capitalism belonging to the Chinese cultural circle has successfully refuted Weber's proposition. Chinese scholars have a broad debate around this topic while no agreement has been reached. This paper tries to explain Weber's hypothesis by Marx's theory of capital origin, which can be explained that the landlord economy caused by China's federal society under centralism leads to the result that the commodity of labor cannot exist in that environment.FindingsThe answer from Marxist economics has not only solved an enormous theoretical problem, but also it has vital practical significance. It easily clarifies the fact that the commodity of labor in full sense still cannot emerge in China nowadays, which is an important reason causing China to enter the New Normal and New Era.Originality/valueTherefore, it leaves China the only way of the socialist road with Chinese characteristics and revitalizing China's rural economy, which means China can only promote rural industrialization and urbanization under the principle of adhering to rural collective ownership, while implementing various forms of integrated agricultural and industrial business models based on local conditions.

Lack of uniformity in screening, diagnosis and management of gestational diabetes mellitus among health practitioners across major cities of Pakistan.

Objective:To determine knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) regarding management of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) among Health Care Providers in major cities of Pakistan.Methods:A knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) questionnaire based study was conducted in major cities in Pakistan from health care providers in public and private hospitals and clinics. Questionnaires were provided to the health care providers regarding screening, diagnosis and management of patients with GDM. Data analysis was done using IBM SPSS 20.Results:A total of 210 doctors took part in the study. 55 (26%) reported using fasting blood glucose as screening test for GDM whereas 129(61.4%) respondents used Oral Glucose Tolerance based WHO criteria for diagnosing GDM. Thirty six (17%) and 98(46.7%) doctors referred their patients to Gynecologists. For treating GDM, 64(30.5%) doctors prescribed insulin (NPH/Regular, 70/30 Mix). 112 (53.5) doctors used combination of capillary glucose by glucometer and plasma blood glucose tests for monitoring of glycemic control of patients with GDM.Conclusion:There is lack of agreed screening tests and criteria for diagnosis and management of GDM patients. Doctors need to be educated to follow evidence based diagnostic and management guidelines so that GDM patients can be effectively managed. Recently released South Asian Federation Societies and Pakistan Endocrine Society guidelines could be much needed consensus guidelines for doctors to apply in their daily practice to improve GDM diagnosis and treatment.

In Between the Intensive Care Unit and the Ward.

The number of intensive care unit (ICU) beds in the United Stateshascontinuedto increaseover the last3decades, ashave ICU utilization rates and costs,1,2 and this despite the lack of any federal, regional, or critical care society mandates to justify these increases. Some experts believe that the increase in the number of ICU beds has led to inappropriate use of these beds by patients who are either too healthy or too sick to benefit from intensive care.3,4 This may in part explain the stable national ICU occupancy rate of approximately68%between 1985and2010 and suggests that ICU utilization has simply risen tomeet the increased number of beds.1,2 Furthermore, it hasbeenover adecadeandahalf sincenational societyguidelines for ICUand intermediate careunit admission, discharge, and triagewere published.5,6 In the intervening years, changes have occurred in the demographic and other characteristics of ICUpatientpopulations; the ICUworkforce has evolved; the legislative landscape has altered; and newethical and end-of-life factors have been introduced that affect the appropriate utilization of ICU beds. Ideally, US hospitals and ICUs would follow some consistent and clinically appropriate approaches to the triage of sick patients. At a minimum, we would expect that triage would be similar for day andnight,weekdayandweekendwithin the same hospital or hospital network, andwewould expect it to be independent of ICU and hospital occupancy rates. The reality, however, is far more complex and confusing: ICU triage decisions are based on many factors, some quantifiable and others intangible. These factors can be classified into 2 categories:hospital (institutional)basedandICUrelated.Hospitalbased factors include size (small,medium, or large), teaching or nonteaching status, nurse to patient ratios, rules and regulations of the limits ofward-based care, attitudes toward risk, practice styles of physicians andnurses, availability of nurses andsupport staff (eg,hospitalists, advancepractitioners, rapid response teams), privileging of clinicians for ICU admission, and the presence of step-down units (ie, intermediate or progressive). The ICU-based parameters include ICU to hospital bed ratios, model of care (ie, open, closed, or collaborative), types (ie, multiple-specialty ICUs or single, large ICU), intensivist staffing (ie, high or low intensity, full time or part time), presence of resident trainees and/or advance care practitioners, and coverage (ie, in-house or telemedicine). In this issueofJAMAInternalMedicine,ChangandShapiro7 retrospectively analyze ICU utilization for 4 medical conditions (diabetic ketoacidosis, pulmonary embolism,upper gastrointestinalbleeding,andcongestiveheart failure) in94acutecare nonfederal hospitals in Washington state and Maryland between2010and2012. These common illnessesmaybe classified as “in-between” conditions if they are not presenting at extreme levels of severity. The authors found great variability in the ICU utilization between high and low ICU utilizers. Higher ICUutilizationoccurred in smallerhospitals and teaching hospitals. Of note, the vast majority of hospitals had concordant ICU utilization (high or low) for all 4 conditions, suggesting consistent ICU vs ward triage patterns. The ICU and hospital occupancy did not affect ICU utilization for each of these conditions. Similarly, risk-adjustedhospitalmortality (at 30 days) did not differ between the high and low ICU utilizers;however, onceapatientwasadmitted to the ICU, therewas an increase in the number of invasive procedures (eg, central venous catheters) and higher hospital costs compared with patients cared for on the wards. Although this study showed greater use of standardized care pathways (represented by invasive procedures and increased costs) in the higher ICUutilization centers than in the lower, outcomes were similar. Many factors influence hospiAuthor Audio Interview at jamainternalmedicine.com

Ethnic Federalism and Conflict in Ethiopia: What Lessons Can Other Jurisdictions Draw?

Though there is no universally accepted definition to the notion of federalism, for the concept is dynamic and has changed its nature through time, it has become an important instrument to serve diverse and common interests in a given nation, establishing a union to discharge common functions and regional governments to accommodate diverse interests. Federal systems have taken deviating forms in different jurisdictions because they are meant to serve and reflect the prevailing social, political and economic contexts of the respective federations. Hence, there is no ideal or perfect federalism that is suitable for all essentially federal societies: this is why federations adopt different forms of federalism to manage their own unique internal problems. Despite such disparity and lack of consensus on the concept of federalism as a form of government, one still may describe it and make a distinction between federalism, on one hand, and other forms of government, on the other. Malcolm M. Feeley has explained this:

Perspectives of clinical medical directors in child and adolescent psychiatry: diagnostic and treatment needs of migrant families

Germany is one of many nations characterized by an increasing number of children originating from families with a migration background. Medical treatment modalities will be required to adjust for diversity of social and cultural background. Initiated by the Federal Society of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (BKJPP), representing mainly those psychiatrists working in private practice, and by the Federal Working Commission of Medical Directors employed in Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics (BAG), a questionnaire was constructed to identify mental health professionals' (psychiatrists') evaluation of the needs and quality of diagnosis and treatment for migrant families. The current study focused on medical directors and deputy chief physicians in clinics for child and adolescent psychiatry. Preliminary results of this survey - implementing descriptive statistics as well as univariate and multivariate statistical analyses - permitted an assessment of the current state of identification and treatment of migrant offspring attending child and adolescent psychiatric practices in Germany. Recommendations and concrete steps are offered, which aim to promote "cultural opening", and assist in health and social policy makers' decisions for improved mental health care.

Centralising Dynamics in Australian Federalism

The steady centralisation that is generally held to be a characteristic feature of Australian federalism has occasioned thorough description and regular comment but much less attempt at explanation or theorisation. This paper reviews the way we account for centralisation in federal systems in general and Australian federalism in particular. In doing so, it considers institutional and societal modes of explanation in the context of patterns of difference between the leading federations. It concludes that as far as those broader patterns, or secular trends, are concerned, there is no avoiding a societal explanation — one that highlights the balance between forces of modernisation and the existence of a “federal society”.

Ibn Tilmeez Award (Best Health Care Management Study): Guideline adherence for antithrombotic therapy in acute coronary syndrome: an overview in Emirati hospitals

ECCC-IPACCMS-WFSICCM 2012 Annual Meeting 4th Asia-Africa World Federation Societies Intensive and Critical Care Medicine Conference Ibn Tilmeez Award (Best Health Care Management Study): Guideline adherence for antithrombotic therapy in acute coronary syndrome: an overview in Emirati hospitals Eman Abu-Gharbieh PhD, Doaa Kamal M.Pharm, Samar Mahmoud, Quratulain Muhammad, Saadia Zuhair, Umama Samahat Syed Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Dubai Pharmacy College,

Ibn Sinna Award (First place for physicians): Usefulness and accuracy of atropine in patients with chronotropic incompetence and poor exercise capacity during treadmill stress testing

ECCC-IPACCMS-WFSICCM 2012 Annual Meeting 4th Asia-Africa World Federation Societies Intensive and Critical Care Medicine Conference Ibn Tilmeez Award (Best Health Care Management Study): Guideline adherence for antithrombotic therapy in acute coronary syndrome: an overview in Emirati hospitals Eman Abu-Gharbieh PhD, Doaa Kamal M.Pharm, Samar Mahmoud, Quratulain Muhammad, Saadia Zuhair, Umama Samahat Syed Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Dubai Pharmacy College,

Comparing Federations: Lessons from Comparing Canada and the United States

Unlike the usual overview of the state of American Federalism, this special issue compares the state of federalism in the United States and Canada. The articles are drawn from papers delivered at a September 2009 conference on the U.S. and Canadian federalism cosponsored by Publius and the Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations Section of the American Political Science Association. 1 In this overview, we briefly highlight interesting findings and trends reported in the articles and outline some difficulties they reveal regarding comparative federalism work. There is little doubt that comparative research is challenging, even when it involves two much-studied federal systems such as Canada and the United States. Comparative data are often difficult to obtain and conclusions—including those outlined in this issue—are at best conditional, depending on each federation’s unique amalgam of properties and contexts; or what Katherine Harrison terms ‘‘it depends.’’ 2 In their contribution, Beryl Radin and Richard Simeon warn that systematic, comparative federalism research raises complex issues: such as whether comparing Canadian and the U.S. Federalism involves a similar- or different-system approach. Their framework focuses on each federation’s ‘‘big ideas,’’ institutions, and historical legacies; an approach those who think federal societies shape the development of federally governed countries will consider wrongheaded. Michael Hail and Stephen Lange’s article comparing influences on the foundings of the two federations identifies the ‘‘big ideas’’ they believe shaped the U.S. and Canadian federations. They theorize that both federations share the same underlying political philosophy despite different historical legacies and societal types.

The IFSCC in its 50th year – how cosmetics have changed over the lifetime of the IFSCC and how they might look 50 years from now

IFSCC Magazine, 11 (2008) (4) 333–335.This essay won the 2008 Maison G. de Navarre Young Scientist Prize.Fifty years, a half century, five decades have been fifty interesting years in the cosmetic industry as well as in the IFSCC. On September 8, 1959, the International Federation Societies of Cosmetic Chemists (IFSCC) was established. At that time only eight countries joined the Federation, but today the IFSCC is the world's largest association of researchers in the field of cosmetics. Forty‐five Societies representing 53 countries have met the high standard of scientific and educational qualifications of the IFSCC. The number of individual members in the Federation exceeds 13 000 and is still growing. The IFSCC's first president was Maison G. de Navarre from the USA. Like the incredible growth and expansion of the IFSCC, development of the cosmetic industry has made it the fastest growing industry in the world!

Federal Germany and Its Non-Federal Society: Emergence of an All-German Educational Policy in a System of Exclusive Provincial Jurisdiction

William Livingston's idea of "federal society" is one of the leading sociological approaches to federalism. This article applies Livingston's approach in the opposite direction. It is argued that the unitary German societal structure, or the "non-federal" German society, has exerted centralist pressures on the federal system. In particular, the article examines the changes within the policy area of education. Despite explicit constitutional clauses that place education under the exclusive jurisdiction of the German Länder, an all-German educational policy has emerged. A process that started with harmonization and standardization has eventually led to the "nationalization" of education. This has largely come about through public demands for a Germany-wide public policy. Empirical research shows that political actors have differed over the contents of educational policy but have shared an all-German frame of reference.

The Legal Geography of Expansion: Continental Space, Public Spheres, and Federalism in Australia and Canada

This article is a comparative, historical overview of Canadian and Australian federalism. The author seeks to answer three questions: Why did the founders of each country choose a federal system? What sort of federation did they want? What sort of federation did the countries have after judicial review? The first part of the article argues that the rise of federalism was related to nineteenth-century trends such as industrialization and the increasing importance of continental as opposed to the coastal territories. The nation-builders required, the author asserts, a constitutional apparatus that could reconcile economic and nationalist motives for expansion with sentiments of historic colonial attachment and local autonomy. A federal division of sovereignty was therefore attractive. The second part of the article examines what the framers specifically wanted from their federations and suggests reasons why these expectations were partially satisfied and partially disappointed According to the author, the division of legal space permitted national expansion while maintaining regional autonomy. However, federalism offered protection and autonomy not just to levels of government, but to the "private" and "public" spheres of federal society. These spheres were dynamic rather than stable. Finally, in the third section on judicial review, the author argues that centralization in both countries was linked to the "expansion of public space " and the rise of interventionist economics and policies. In Canada, however, constitutional protection for the "private " civil law tradition of Lower Canada limited both centralization and federal intervention in the economy.

Dispute resolution in federal systems

This article deals selectively with four broad approaches to conflict management in federal systems of government: formal dispute resolution,informal dispute resolution, dispute avoidance, and popular dispute resolution. Courts undertake the task of formal dispute resolution through judicial review: issues of current significance include judicial concepts of federalism, the reference jurisdiction, Scottish devolution, and supranational federalism and the European Court of Justice. Examples of informal dispute resolution are few. The South African Constitution includes a provision, requiring parties to an intergovernmental dispute to exhaust all other remedies before resorting to litigation. The dispute resolution process contained in chapter 20 of the North American Free Trade Agreement may stimulate experimentation with similar models in federal systems. Dispute avoidance techniques are many and varied; they include the drafting of constitutional instruments and the use of intergovernmental forums within and outside the constitutional framework. The electoral process may be employed in federal systems to determine the fate of governments, specific legislative measures and proposed constitutional amendments. Each federal society has its own culture of conflict management, which exerts a subtle but significant influence on the operation of, and the relationship among, dispute resolution systems.

AJP centennial. One hundred years of journal publication.

AJP centennial. One hundred years of journal publication.

Where to Begin?

Ifwhat goes on in human societies are viewed as institutionalfacts rather than brutefacts, then basic issues are raised with regard to the meaning of federalism. Institutional facts are constituted by reference to rules and rule-ordered arrangements. Such arrangements turn upon design concepts and theirplace in the constitution oforder in human societies. Constituting societies through patterns of covenantal relationships implies that federal societies cannot be understood by placing primary reliance on forms of government. The question where to begin? raises basic ontological and epistemological problems bearing on the place of language and culture in the constitution of covenanting societies.

The effects of federalism on policies for care of the aged in Canada and the United States.

Debates about who should care for the elderly often center on the relative responsibilities of the state and family. In federal societies such as Canada and the United States, however, multiple governments are involved. This article compares and contrasts federalism in these two nations and its effects on the division of fiscal, administrative, and programmatic responsibilities for care of the aged between the national and regional (i.e., state, provincial) governments. Two major policy arenas, health care and social services, are examined, with particular attention focused on the roles played by the nongovernmental sector. Because most care of the aged is provided informally--a situation firmly rooted in the value systems and public policies of both nations--national and regional policies that assist family caregivers directly are examined. Policymakers at the regional level have been more active and often more innovative in constructing policies that are supportive of family caregiving, but in general, few programs of direct assistance exist in either nation and these largely depend on their geographic location. The article concludes with a discussion of the continued effects of federalism for future policies affecting care of the aged and suggests some approaches that can be undertaken to empower families in their caregiving roles.