Public institutions under idiosyncratic uncertainty

Analysis of public institutions must be robust to the uncertainties facing agents within them, and the varying ways in which individuals cope with these uncertainties. This dissertation uses formal theoretical models to analyze the subjective and idiosyncratic nature with which most citizens face risk and uncertainty. This dissertation focuses on how different public institutions perform in specific settings based on the possibilities that agents may err in either their assessment of possible outcomes or the relevant choices and payoffs that are available. In the first chapter, I show that allowing for voter beliefs to feature ex-post error changes the incentives for candidates to set policy platforms, reducing the incentives for candidate convergence even with purely electorally-motivated candidates. Therefore, even if voters are on-average correct about political platforms and behavior, the distribution of imprecision will still change the incentives of political actors competing for their votes. This reopens consideration of how American political polarization may be driven by changes in the ways in which voters form beliefs about politicians, even as the distribution of political preferences may have remained unchanged. In the second chapter, co-authored with Keith N. Hylton, we determine that the incentives for potential litigants depend fundamentally upon the specific setting in which courts make determinations. We show that courts, facing only the facts concerning this particular decision, and not all the facts necessary to determine the global optimum, will be more likely to create incentives for socially excessive (i.e., defensive) care. In the final chapter, I modify a model of strategic communication to consider situations under which groups may be able to manipulate legislators who are uncertain which topics are most salient to said groups. Such uncertainty changes the incentives of interest groups, providing a new avenue of exploration for why different ideological groups take on different issues. I find that they must weigh the ability to “hide” their salient issue within a bundle of others with the possibility that taking on too many will cause the receiver to ignore their advice entirely

Incentives to Take Care Under Contributory and Comparative Fault

Previous literature on contributory versus comparative negligence has shown that they reach equivalent equilibria. These results, however, depend upon a stylized application of the Hand Formula and an insufficiently coarse model of strategic incentives. Taking this into account, we identify a set of cases where care by one agent significantly increases the benefits of care by the other. When such cases obtain under bilateral harm, comparative negligence generates greater incentives for care, but this additional care occurs only when care is not socially optimal. By contrast, under unilateral harm or asymmetric costs of care, contributory negligence creates socially excessive care. Therefore, it is possible to socially rank negligence regimes depending upon the symmetry of potential harm and costs of care. We discuss a potential reform, the Retrospective Negligence Test, that when applied in the case of bilateral harm would make comparative negligence optimal

Caring in prison: the intersubjective web of professional relationships

In this paper, we present a synthesis of two doctoral theses where links are made between the intersubjective, relational dynamics seen in clinical supervision, and applied in practice to a framework for emotional labor in prison nurses. We explore the nature of intersubjectivity, from nursing and psychotherapeutic perspectives, and discuss the way in which it impacts on and influences relationships between nurses, prisoner patients, prison officers, and organizations within prison healthcare settings. The impact of this intersubjectivity is illustrated through the exploration of an intersubjective web that is created and informs interaction between the key actors within the prison nurse's practice, i.e., prison officers, prisoner patients, and the organization. We suggest that by being cognizant of the intersubjective web that influences these interactions, a more meaningful understanding of practice and relationships can be achieved. This deeper understanding can then be utilized to develop practitioners both professionally and personally. We conclude by promoting regular, formal clinical supervision as an ideal space within which to explore the way in which this intersubjective web influences relationships, impacts on emotional labor, and subsequently patient care and staff well being

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration: Pertaining to Public Safety and Homeland Security

Despite the efforts of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Government, Armed Forces, and other law enforcement agencies, illegal drug uses continues to be a major issue. The direct connection between illicit drugs and terrorism, specifically in Afghanistan, poses a major threat to America along with the effects these drugs have on public health. In order to continue to successfully counter illegal drug trafficking and abuse in the United States it is essential to bolster numerous aspects of the Drug Enforcement Administration its efforts. This includes management, public-private partnerships, and critical infrastructure protection. It is also necessary for the Drug Enforcement Administration to develop strategic plans and carry out assessments of all efforts to insure each programs success. This document will address all of these areas in order to illustrate how to move forward in combating illegal drug trafficking, sales, and abuse

Reflective-verbal language and reverie in a qualitative interview

In contrast to dominant approaches to therapy research that look at outcomes and focus on large samples, another primary strand of research considers microphenomenal processes and focuses on small samples. This study contributes to the latter genre in regard to the implicit impact of language. Aim: This study aims to apply relational psychotherapeutic thinking about empathic dialogue, specifically the concepts of reflective-verbal language and reverie, to qualitative interviewing. Methodology: An example from a small-scale study about emotionally evocative language is reviewed in detail, focusing on the interviewer’s phenomenological experience of her conversation with a participant in a qualitative interview. Findings: The authors argue that the interviewer’s reflexive awareness of her reveries and the reflective verbal nature of the research dialogue gave her an alternative perspective on the participant’s (and her own) experience. Implications: The study highlights the value within research and practice of maintaining awareness of language at a microphenomenal level, using techniques based on the principles of psychological therapy

Ionophoric properties of a tetra-tetrazole functionalised calix[4]arene

© 2015 Taylor & Francis. The synthesis and characterisation of p-t-butylcalix[4]arene functionalised at the lower rim with four tetrazole moieties is reported. The macrocycle is found to be a poorer ionophore for lanthanoid cations than the bis-tetrazole-substituted analogue. Solution-phase photophysical studies strongly suggested that the cations interacted only weakly with the calixarene ligand. A mixed sodium/triethylammonium salt of the calixarene ligand was crystallised in the presence of lanthanoid cations and structurally characterised. Strong intramolecular interactions are hypothesised to be the cause of the observed behaviour

Overarching Priorities for Health and Care Research in the United Kingdom: A Coproduced Synthesis of James Lind Alliance ‘Top 10s’

Introduction: James Lind Alliance (JLA) Priority Setting Partnerships (PSPs) produce ‘Top 10’ lists of health and care research priorities through a structured, shared decision‐making process with patients or service users, carers and health or care professionals who identify questions that are most important to them. To date, over 150 PSPs in different areas of health and care have published research priorities. Some PSPs share similar priorities, which could be combined, promoted and addressed through collaborative research to increase value and reduce research waste. Aim: The aim of this study was to identify overarching themes common to JLA PSP priorities across different areas of health and care. Methods: Our analysis included ‘Top 10’ research priorities produced by UK‐based JLA PSPs between 2016 and 2020. The priorities were coded deductively by the Health Research Classification System (HRCS) health category and research activity. We then carried out online workshops with patients, service users and carers to generate new codes not already captured by this framework. Within each code, multistakeholder inductive thematic analysis was used to identify overarching themes, defined as encompassing priorities from three or more PSPs covering two or more health categories. We used codesign methods to produce an interactive tool for end users to navigate the overarching themes. Results: Five hundred and fifteen research priorities from 51 PSPs were included in our analysis. The priorities together encompassed 20 of 21 HRCS health categories, the most common being ‘generic health relevance’ (22%), ‘mental health’ (18%) and ‘musculoskeletal’ (14%). We identified 89 overarching themes and subthemes, which we organised into a hierarchy with seven top‐level themes: quality of life, caregivers and families, causes and prevention, screening and diagnosis, treatment and management, services and systems and social influences and impacts. Conclusion: There are many overarching themes common to research priorities across multiple areas of health and care. To facilitate new research and research funding, we have developed an interactive tool to help researchers, funders and patients or service users to explore these priority topics. This is freely available to download online. Patient or Public Contribution: Patients or service users and carers were involved throughout the study, including deciding the aims, designing the study, analysing priorities to identify themes, interpreting and reporting the findings

The Engaged University: Providing a Platform for Research That Transforms Society

Despite a growing recognition that the solutions to current environmental problems will be developed through collaborations between scientists and stakeholders, substantial challenges stifle such cooperation and slow the transfer of knowledge. Challenges occur at several levels, including individual, disciplinary, and institutional. All of these have implications for scholars working at academic and research institutions. Fortunately, creative ideas and tested models exist that provide opportunities for conversation and serious consideration about how such institutions can facilitate the dialogue between scientists and societ