Mechanisms of conflict and dispute resolution in Ancient Near Eastern Treaties

The paper focuses on the problems of a juridical classification and evaluation of Ancient Near Eastern treaties with regard to the question if there existed an Ancient Near Eastern International Law or not. Alternatively treaties and their content are looked at uncommitted as mechanisms of conflict and dispute resolution. Main aspects are preliminary and prophylactic conflict resolution in treaties and the procedural context and efficiency of treaties

Curating the invisible: contemporary art practices and the production of meaning in Eastern Europe.

Previously in the University eprints HAIRST pilot service at http://eprints.st-andrews.ac.uk/archive/00000394/Article 6 of 6 in an issue devoted to the visual culture of South Eastern EuropeThis article addresses the system of art and the issue of contemporary art curatorship in the area known as ‘Eastern Europe’, with a particular emphasis on the status of curatorial practices in the postsocialist condition. The problems explored are focused firstly around the issues of the representation of Eastern Europe and contemporary Eastern European art, in terms of organizing exhibitions in the context of globalisation, and secondly the role of a contemporary art curator as compared to the role performed by a contemporary cultural manager. The question to be raised is related to ‘The Image of Eastern Europe’ within the functioning of global cultural imperialism, i.e. how do the models of contemporary artistic and especially curatorial practices respond to the up-to-date demands of cultural policy issues related to the area of the former communist/socialist countries in Eastern Europe?Postprin

Biology of the Genus \u3ci\u3eHemileuca\u3c/i\u3e (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) in Michigan

The habitats and host plants of buckmoths (Hemileuca: Saturniidae: Hernileucinae) in Michigan are described and compared to those of the three species known from eastern North America, H. maia, H. nevadensls, and H. lucina. Michigan populations show variation in host plant and habitat use spanning the entire range of all three species. The presence of transitional phenotypes and the host plant and habitat data suggest that Michigan populations are a single, variable species. These things combined with the intermediate geographical location of Michigan\u27s populations call into question the taxonomic distinctness of the three eastern buckmoth species

Analysing agricultural productivity growth in a framework of institutional quality

This paper addresses the question whether the institutional environment of transition countries in Eastern Europe affects productivity growth in the agricultural sector. Situated in a neoclassical growth framework, a dynamic panel model for the period 1996-2005 provides evidence that poor institutional quality leads to a slowdown in agricultural productivity growth. Productivity growth is limited by a high degree of corruption, which is of particular importance given that corruption has been proven to be most prevalent in Eastern European countries. Moreover, agricultural productivity in countries where privatisation and transferability of land is restricted is found to grow at a slower rate than countries supporting market-oriented land reforms. Interestingly, the results suggest that a high degree of openness leads to a loss in agricultural productivity, suggesting that timing and sequencing of trade reforms matter. An improvement of the poor institutional quality is thus of central importance to accelerate productivity growth in Eastern European countries. --Eastern Europe,Transition,Productivity growth

CREATION OF LAND MARKETS IN TRANSITION COUNTRIES: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE INSTITUTIONS OF LAND ADMINISTRATION

This paper describes (1) the processes of privatization of land management in selected transition countries and (2) the post-privatization changes in land administration institutions which are being crafted to establish land markets. It begins with the proposition that there are similar land market institutional problems which most "transition" countries are facing, due largely to common experiences in creating command economies during the past 50-80 years and the almost simultaneous decisions of these countries to move toward market political economies in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Each country has had unique historical experiences, but this paper proposes that there is enough similar institutional history among the transition countries to venture into comparative analysis. In this regard, the Albanian experience with land market institutional development is presented as being potentially relevant to experiences in other transition countries of Europe and the former Soviet Union. The broad question is: How can countries construct the institutions of immovable property markets once they have made the political-economic decision to "go market"?Land use--Government policy--Europe, Eastern, Land use--Economic aspects--Europe, Eastern, Land tenure--Government policy--Europe, Eastern, Land administration--Europe, Eastern, Land administration--Albania, Land markets--Europe, Eastern, Land markets--Albania, Privatization--Europe, Eastern, Post-communism, Land Economics/Use,

Determinants of House Prices in Central and Eastern Europe

This paper studies the determinants of house prices in eight transition economies of central and eastern Europe (CEE) and 19 OECD countries. The main question addressed is whether the conventional fundamental determinants of house prices, such as GDP per capita, real interest rates, housing credit and demographic factors, have driven observed house prices in CEE. We show that house prices in CEE are determined to a large extent by the underlying conventional fundamentals and some transition-specific factors, in particular institutional development of housing markets and housing finance and quality effects.house prices, housing market, transition economies, central and eastern Europe, OECD countries

The effects of public R&D subsidies on firms' innovation activities: the case of Eastern Germany

This study analyzes the effects of public R&D policy schemes on the innovation activities of firms located in Eastern Germany. The main question in this context is whether public funds stimulate R&D activities or simply crowd out privately financed R&D. Empirically, we investigate the average causal effects of all public R&D schemes in Eastern Germany using a non?parametric matching approach. Compared to the case where no public financial means are provided, it turns out that firms increase their innovation activities by about four percentage points. --Public Innovation Subsidies,Non?parametric Matching

THE ROLE OF SOIL TEST INFORMATION IN REDUCING GROUNDWATER POLLUTION

Will nitrogen soil testing improve groundwater quality enough to decrease the demand for direct regulation? This question is addressed using a dynamic simulation model of irrigated agriculture in eastern Oregon. Results indicate that soil testing reduces applied nitrogen, increases farm profits and improves groundwater quality, but not enough to avoid regulation.Environmental Economics and Policy,

Reserved Indian Water Rights in Riparian Jurisdictions: Water, Water Everywhere, Perhaps Some Drops for Us

In this Article, the author explores the question of whether nonfederally recognized eastern Indian tribes can claim reserved tribal rights to water under the Winters doctrine. The urgency of resolving this question in the tribes \u27favor is underscored by the mounting problem of water scarcity in the East, where most such tribes live, and the problems these tribes have in claiming water under the prevailing systems for managing water in that part of the country, riparianism and regulated riparianism. Recognizing that, to date, these rights have been claimed almost exclusively by federally recognized western tribes who live on withdrawn federal lands in states that manage water under the prior appropriation system, the author nonetheless puts forth an array of reasons why these factors should not bar eastern tribes from claiming the same rights. After examining the major features of the three systems for allocating surface flow and the Winters doctrine, the author will show that there are no insurmountable obstacles to the assertion of Winters rights in non-prior appropriation jurisdictions. The author then turns to various normative and utilitarian reasons why eastern tribes should be able to claim these rights. The Article concludes by showing why the artifacts of federal recognition and federal reservations should not pose a barrier to eastern tribes\u27 assertion of their Winters rights

Foreign direct investment: a tool or a target for industrial policy in Eastern Countries?

Is there any linkage between industrial policy and the inflow of Foreign Direct Investment in Eastern European countries? This is the core question which is analysed and discussed in this paper. The transition process of Central and Eastern Europe to a market economy has raised a lot of challenging questions both to Applied Economics and to Management Science. Enterprise adjustment remains one of the most interesting and complex as it is closely related to a wide range of economic, policy and management issues. Foreign Direct Investment, privatisation and industrial policy and their sort of linkage, remain some of the most interesting factors in the transition process. It seems that no sharp distinction can be presented between FDI as a target and FDI as a tool for industrial policy, but national differences remain significant as well as enterprises adjustment capacity