The Technologies of Normalization and Self: Thinking About IRBs and Extrinsic Research Ethics With Foucault

In this article, the authors discuss the technologies of normalization and self in relation to ethics and the problematization of extrinsic research ethics. They argue that institutional review boards (IRBs) and other similar institutional mechanisms promote extrinsic forms of ethics that are exemplified through institutionalized structures such as (a) the Belmont Report, (b) IRB protocol, (c) informed consent, and (d) localized interpretations of IRB rules and regulations. However, at the same time, institutional normalization enables researchers and participants to construct themselves as ethically responsible participants through resistance and critical reflection. Such “care of the self” and critical awareness of dominant discourses and regimes of power and knowledge are essential to the development and practice of research that is ethical, free, and responsive. Finally, the authors conclude that the discussions about researchers\u27 ethical decision making and freedom of choice need to be separate from discussions related to researchers\u27 compliance, duties, and institutional responsibilities

Dealing with urban terror: heritages of control, varieties of intervention, strategies of research

The events of September 11th bring urgency to problems of urban security, both in terms of finding ways to protect cities from attacks by terrorists and also protecting urban life from repressive measures that form in reaction to those attacks. We outline a rationale for urbanists to participate in analysis and policy-formulation on security issues and examine the utility of past urban research strategies, including criminology, in terms of their relevance to the current challenge. We suggest principles to guide future urban policy in light of past experiences. Copyright Joint Editors and Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2003.

Measurement of the CP violating asymmetry amplitude sin 2beta

We present results on time-dependent CP-violating asymmetries in neutral B decays to several CP eigenstates. The measurements use a data sample of about 88 million Y(4S) --> B Bbar decays collected between 1999 and 2002 with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy B Factory at SLAC. We study events in which one neutral B meson is fully reconstructed in a final state containing a charmonium meson and the other B meson is determined to be either a B0 or B0bar from its decay products. The amplitude of the CP-violating asymmetry, which in the Standard Model is proportional to sin2beta, is derived from the decay-time distributions in such events. We measure sin2beta = 0.741 +/- 0.067 (stat) +/- 0.034 (syst) and |lambda| = 0.948 +/- 0.051 (stat) +/- 0.030 (syst). The magnitude of lambda is consistent with unity, in agreement with the Standard Model expectation of no direct CP violation in these modes.Comment: 7 pages, 2 postscript figures, submitted to PR