The southern regional conference on technology assessment: Summary

The proceedings of a conference on technology assessment are presented. A survey of recent Federal activity in technology assessment was discussed initially. Emphasis was placed on state and local activities with respect to technology assessment to include the following subjects: (1) the technology assessment desired by states, (2) organization of technology assessment activities, (3) how to perform technology assessments for less than $5,000, and (4) the preparation of environmental impact statements. Specific application of technology assessment to solid waste management in Connecticut is reported

RURAL GROWTH IN U.S. HEARTLAND

This study identifies factors that explain growth in rural areas using data from 618 counties in the U.S. rural heartland. We evaluate many of the growth hypotheses in the context of sectoral employment growth for counties in Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota. Separate estimates for rural and urban counties provide insight into factors that are important in explaining employment growth. The results support the importance of human capital as a factor contributing to sectoral employment growth and show that increased concentration and specialization of employment within a county lead to slower growth in the rural heartland counties.Community/Rural/Urban Development,

The Tragedy of the Commons: The Case of the Blue Crab

The blue crab has achieved iconic status throughout the Chesapeake Bay area, while the pugnacious crustacean and the majestic estuary are national treasures. The shallow waters provide optimal habitat for the species that has been deeply woven into the bay\u27s economic and cultural fabric. Last year, after a respected committee ascertained that the crab was in jeopardy, anticipated future deterioration, and proffered extreme recommendations, Virginia and Maryland imposed draconian strictures which could reduce harvests by one third and help ameliorate the creature\u27s depletion. A recent Executive Order, ambitiously designed by President Barack Obama to safeguard and restore the Chesapeake, illuminates the problem\u27s significance and offers promising strategies. The attempts to halt precipitous decline-which exemplifies the Tragedy of the Commons and illustrates numerous acute complications that undermine the ailing watershed\u27s health--constitute bold experiments in aquatic species resource management. These propositions demonstrate that the new efforts merit scrutiny, which this piece undertakes. Section two traces the history of the venerable blue crab as well as the crustacean\u27s regulation, fall, and perhaps imminent demise. The third part assesses the nascent rules and critically evaluates, and derives lessons from, recent actions. It finds that multiple sources-notably overharvesting and grave pollution--contribute to the organism\u27s dire straits, and the remedies afford helpful immediate protection, but burden commercial crabbers and have unclear long-term effects. The final section details measures to prevent the impending requiem for the last substantial estuarine fishery

The Tragedy of the Commons: The Case of the Blue Crab

The blue crab has achieved iconic status throughout the Chesapeake Bay area, while the pugnacious crustacean and the majestic estuary are national treasures. The shallow waters provide optimal habitat for the species that has been deeply woven into the bay\u27s economic and cultural fabric. Last year, after a respected committee ascertained that the crab was in jeopardy, anticipated future deterioration, and proffered extreme recommendations, Virginia and Maryland imposed draconian strictures which could reduce harvests by one third and help ameliorate the creature\u27s depletion. A recent Executive Order, ambitiously designed by President Barack Obama to safeguard and restore the Chesapeake, illuminates the problem\u27s significance and offers promising strategies. The attempts to halt precipitous decline-which exemplifies the Tragedy of the Commons and illustrates numerous acute complications that undermine the ailing watershed\u27s health--constitute bold experiments in aquatic species resource management. These propositions demonstrate that the new efforts merit scrutiny, which this piece undertakes. Section two traces the history of the venerable blue crab as well as the crustacean\u27s regulation, fall, and perhaps imminent demise. The third part assesses the nascent rules and critically evaluates, and derives lessons from, recent actions. It finds that multiple sources-notably overharvesting and grave pollution--contribute to the organism\u27s dire straits, and the remedies afford helpful immediate protection, but burden commercial crabbers and have unclear long-term effects. The final section details measures to prevent the impending requiem for the last substantial estuarine fishery

Overlapping Authorities in U.S. Energy Policy

The authors argue overlapping intergovernmental authorities explain much of the complexities in U.S. energy policy, by accounting for limited powers, uncertain autonomy, cooperation and conflict, inter-state differences, and intersecting policies. Additionally, the authors identify implications of overlapping authority for policymakers, regulators, and industry leaders, including polycentric policymaking venues, direct and indirect policy effects, and energy system governance. Overlapping authority provides a framework for understanding intersecting roles of national, state, and local governments in energy policy

Epistemic policy networks in the European Union’s CBRN risk mitigation policy

This paper offers insights into an innovative and currently flagship approach of the European Union (EU) to the mitigation of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) risks. Building on its long-time experience in the CBRN field, the EU has incorporated methods familiar to the students of international security governance: it is establishing regional networks of experts and expertise. CBRN Centers of Excellence, as they are officially called, aim to contribute to the security and safety culture in different parts of Africa, the Middle East, South East Asia, and South East Europe, in the broadly construed CBRN area. These regional networks represent a modern form of security cooperation, which can be conceptualized as an epistemic policy networks approach. It offers flexibility to the participating states, which have different incentives to get involved. At the same, however, the paper identifies potential limitations and challenges of epistemic policy networks in this form

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference: an early career regional researcher's narrative journey

The role of a university researcher, particularly in the light of recent reports, such as the Bradley Review into Higher Education, has changed substantially since the elitism of the Menzies era. One of the emphases in the Bradley Review is to increase members of groups under-represented within the system including those from regional areas. My current role as a university academic and researcher has been informed by my perception of marginalisation initially represented by my regional origins, gender and later my artistic practice. This paper will provide insights into key moments of my research journey using critical event narrative analysis in order to create a 'storied ground' which aims to link the reader socially and culturally to these experiences. Polkinghorne (1988) notes that even though each of us has direct access to our own cognitive processes of meaning-making they are not directly observable to others. Therefore, the narrative events composed through this methodology have enabled me to construct, re-construct and ultimately make sense of experiences in relation to my research journey. In turn this allows others to engage with the events described in these narratives and connect with them according to their personal and professional experiences. In this paper I explore my transformation through three critical hybrid identity transformations: artist to artist-teacher; artist-teacher to sessional academic; and sessional academic to senior lecturer in the regional context. Bohl (1995) notes that the most important qualification for an event to be considered critical is that it has an impact on the person telling the story, and is usually a change experience that is not recognised as such until a certain period of time passes. Upon reflection these critical events were crucial in forming my academic and researcher identity. As Weeks (1990) notes, identity is about having a sense of belonging, about what you have in common with some people and what differentiates you from others. I am currently positioned in a regional university which, as the Bradley Review has recommended, is supporting marginal groups currently under-represented in the system. Critical Event Narrative Analysis (Webster & Mertova, 2007) has enabled me to reflectively consider how the events I have chosen have been informed by a sense of marginalisation which continues to affect, but also enrich, my current and complex position as an academic and researcher in a regional area. The findings from this research may assist those teachers and academics who take 'the road less travelled' to understand how their experiences shape and inform their interest in and commitment to those on the margins