The role of the state laboratories in multi-level climate policy research – considering India

The federal state of India is among the most vulnerable countries in the world with regard to climate change. Despite its low per capita emissions, India is the world’s third largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Accordingly, the country’s domestic climate policy requires substantial problem solving capacities to respond to these huge challenges involving different levels of government. This paper considers the question of whether comparative climate policy research should explore the role of India’s states in climate policy. Should state climate action in India be considered and even investigated through the “laboratories of experimentation” lens? By considering this question from a theoretical perspective, this paper aims at encouraging a more intense discussion of the topic. The paper presents a synopsis of the current state of research reviewing three strands of discussion: first, the laboratories of experimentation literature, second, comparative climate policy analysis dealing with the role of federal states in multi-level climate governance in the USA and Germany; and third, literature on the role of the Union states in India’s federal system. Moreover, to assess the scope for subnational state climate action, the institutional context of India’s multi- level climate governance structure is scrutinized. Using anecdotal examples of progress in Indian states, the paper calls attention to important areas of research which appear to hold key information but have not yet been adequately explored. It concludes that there are good reasons to include India’s states in comparative subnational climate policy research and, in particular, for considering interstate competition as a potential driver behind subnational climate action and energy policy in India. Keywords: climate change policies, multi-level governance, bottom-up approaches, India, innovation policy, industrial polic

Incidens och prevalens av icke-affektiva psykoser i Stockholms län : en registerstudie

Objective: To estimate the incidence and prevalence of non-affective psychoses including the subgroup schizophrenia in Stockholm County, using health-care records, and to investigate the relationship between psychiatric out- and inpatient care for persons with non-affective psychosis. Method: Data from the psychiatric out- and inpatient health-care in Stockholm County has been collected at local level and constitutes Stockholm Non-Affective Psychoses-registry (SNAPS). The register comprises 13,561 individuals registered with the diagnosis of non- affective psychosis at some time during the years 1997–2006. SNAPS include information about outpatient visits (1997–2006) and inpatient occasions (years 1973–2006) as well as information about psychiatric diagnoses. Incidence and prevalence based on both out- and inpatient data and incidence based solely on inpatient data were estimated for the year 2005. Furthermore, prevalence over time were estimated, and for the year 2005, different geographical areas in the county. Results: When data from out- and inpatient care used, the incidence of schizophrenia was estimated to 28/100 000 inhabitants (age range 18–34 years) and non-affective psychosis to 72/100 000 inhabitants (age range 18–44 years). Considerably lower incidences were noted when only inpatient data were used (schizophrenia 13/100 000 and non-affective psychosis 42/100 000). Schizophrenia prevalence was estimated to 0.37% and for non-affective psychosis to 0.67% (age group 18–64). There were large geographical differences in the prevalence of non-affective psychosis in Stockholm County (from 0.35% to 1.32%). The proportion of persons who only had contact with outpatient care during the years 1997–2006, was estimated to 45%. When consideration to previous inpatient care was taken, the proportion reduced to twenty-five percent. For prevalent cases in 2005, the proportion of persons who only appeared in outpatient care was 67%. Conclusion: Treatment incidence and prevalence of non-affective psychoses can be estimated with the health-care based registry SNAPS. Estimations of psychosis incidence and prevalence based on health-care records after the millennium, should include both out- and inpatient data, to avoid too much underestimation and misclassification of incident cases. Given the development in psychiatric care, with more out- instead of inpatient care, information about diagnoses from both out- and inpatient care will be needed in the future. This is important for health-care planning as well as for research.Syfte: Att skatta incidens och prevalens av icke-affektiva psykoser inklusive subgruppen schizofreni i Stockholms län med hjälp av vårdregister, samt att undersöka förhållandet mellan psykiatrisk öppenvård och slutenvård för personer med icke-affektiv psykos. Metod: Data från psykiatrisk öppen- och slutenvård i Stockholms län har insamlats på lokal nivå och utgör Stockholm Non-Affective Psychoses-registry (SNAPS). Registret innehåller 13 561 individer registrerade med diagnos icke-affektiv psykos någon gång under åren 1997–2006. Förutom information om öppenvårdsbesök (åren 1997–2006) och slutenvårdstillfällen (åren 1973–2006), innehåller registret information om psykiatriska diagnoser från båda vårdformerna. Incidens och prevalens baserat på både öppen- och slutenvårdsdata och incidens baserat på enbart slutenvårdsdata skattades för år 2005. Vidare skattades prevalensen över tid och för olika geografiska områden i Stockholms län för år 2005. Resultat: Då information från både öppen- och slutenvård användes, skattades incidensen för schizofreni till 28/100 000 invånare (åldersgrupp 18–34 år) och för icke-affektiv psykos till 72/100 000 invånare (åldersgrupp 18–44 år). Betydligt lägre incidenser noterades då enbart slutenvårdsdata användes (schizofreni 13⁄100 000 och icke-affektiv psykos 42/100 000). Ettårsprevalensen för schizofreni skattades till 0,37% och för icke-affektiv psykos till 0,67% (åldersgrupp 18–64 år). Det var stora geografiska skillnader i prevalens för icke-affektiv psykos inom Stockholms län (från 0,35 % till 1,32 %). Andelen personer som enbart haft kontakt med öppenvården under åren 1997–2006 skattades till 45 %, och då hänsyn till tidi- gare slutenvård togs, reducerades andelen till tjugofem procent. För prevalenta fall under år 2005, var andelen personer som endast återfanns i öppenvården 67 %. Slutsats: Vårdincidens och vårdprevalens av icke-affektiva psykoser kan beräknas med det vårdbaserade registret SNAPS. Vid skattning av psykosincidens och prevalens baserat på vårdregister efter millenniumskiftet, bör både öppenvård och slutenvårdsdata inkluderas, för att undvika allt för stor underskattning samt felklassificering av incidenta fall. Med tanke på utvecklingen inom den psykiatriska vården, med alltmer öppenvård istället för slutenvård, förväntas behovet av båda informationskällorna kvarstå men förutsätter diagnosregistrering inom båda vårdformerna. Detta har betydelse för både vårdplanering och forskning

interdisziplinäres Studienangebot der Freien Universität Berlin ; Studienkonzeption und praktische Umsetzung

Seit Herbst 1996 bietet die Freie Universität Berlin das umweltwissenschaftliche Wahl- bzw. Nebenfach Umweltmanagement an. Umweltmanagement entstand in Kooperation von Vertretern der Politikwissenschaft, Rechtswissenschaft und Betriebswirtschaft und ist in mindestens einer Hinsicht bundesweit bislang noch einmalig: Es handelt sich um ein Lehrangebot von Sozial- und Rechtswissenschaft an Studierende naturwissenschaftlicher Diplomstudiengänge. Letztere haben an der FU Berlin jetzt die Möglichkeit zu einer berufsorientierten Qualifizierung im öffentlichen und betrieblichen Umweltmanagement. Die dabei verfolgten Ziele, das Studienkonzept des Wahl- bzw. Nebenfachs und die Durchführung sind Gegenstand des vorliegenden Berichts. Dieser wiederum ist Grundlage für die interne und externe Evaluation des Studienangebots im Herbst 1998, auf deren Basis über die Weiterführung und Ausweitung dieses Segments umweltwissenschaftlicher Lehre an der Freien Universität Berlin entschieden werden soll

The EU's Normative Role: The Use of Political Conditionality in Relations with Cuba, China and Zimbabwe

The European Union (EU) is a unique foreign policy actor, because of its history and the diversity of its member states. The EU has developed a distinct approach to promoting human rights and democracy in third states. Its focus lies on positive engagement through constructive dialogue. This preference for using positive rather than negative engagement is the subject of this thesis. It is argued that it is necessary for the EU to judge and conducts its relations with each individual state on a case by case basis. Case specific considerations need to be taken into account as it provides the foundation on which the relationship is based on and continues to shape the negotiations and any use of political conditionality throughout the relationship. This does not diminish the EU¨s normative basis that continues to be well founded in the international human rights treaties. This thesis proceeds to analyse three distinct cases by focusing on the evolution of the Unions relationship with the Peoples Republic of China, Cuba and Zimbabwe. They demonstrate the fragile nature of political dialogue regarding human rights and democratisation and underline the need to constructively engage the recipient state

Teaching Gaby Brimmer: A Disability Studies Approach

Gaby Brimmer (1979), the collaborative “autobiography” of the Mexican disability rights activist, narrates her childhood and young adulthood through the voices of Brimmer herself; her mother, Sari Dlugacz Brimmer; her caregiver, Florencia Morales Sánchez; and Elena Poniatowska. This article presents ideas and resources for teaching Gaby Brimmer from a disability studies perspective, in courses on contemporary Spanish-American literature, women writers, genre theory, human rights and activism, or in a disability studies course

Factors affecting solidarity: An argumentative analysis of the European Parliament debate on migration in the Mediterranean

The 12th of April 2016, the European Parliament held a debate concerning the migration on the Mediterranean Sea. The issue has turned into a political crisis that has divided the member states of the European Union. This study intends to examine whether geographical distance may condition solidarity. Through an argumentative analysis, arguments by Swedish, Finnish, Greek and Italian members of the European Parliament will be analyzed to establish whether political orientation, or geographical location is more likely to explain the difference in statements. It is found that the hypothesis of North European arguments being more often characterized by logic and South European by emotion is correct. Thereby the conclusion of the study is that the geographical distance, in this case, is more likely to explain the different arguments than political orientation