Longing for the light: darkness, dislocation and spaces of exile

There have been many studies of light and this paper acknowledges all of the scholarship that goes before, however, this is not a study of light but a study of how light defines perceived identity and how our relationship to it in turn defines our own sense of self. I shall be examining work from different areas of the arts, literature, photography and film to develop my argument, showing how writers and artists have located both the subject and the reader/viewer to exploit this dynamic. Light, as Foucault reminds us, became the most visible symbol of those that, during the Enlightenment, sought to banish darkened spaces and create a visible society. This led eventually to Bentham’s design for the Panopticon which became a model of “‘power through transparency’, [and] subjection through ‘illumination’” which, as Foucault points out, could serve as a template for other areas of society where visibility was a necessary adjunct to other forms of more physical control (the police or the army). Light itself, defines space, sets its visible limits, reveals, creates and, as I shall show, establishes identities. Where one positions oneself, in relation to the light, depends on a number of factors and determines the limits of inclusion into what we may term civilized society. This paper sets out to look at instances where both spatial and individual identity is established through the position in which the subject is placed in relation to the light and its source

James Wilson: Presbyterian, Anglican, Thomist, or Deist?: Does it Matter? (Chapter 7 of The Founders on God and Government)

Excerpt: James Wilson is buried in America\u27s Westminster Abby-Christ Church, Philadelphia. This Anglican church is only blocks away from the First Presbyterian church in Philadelphia, where Wilson rented a pew until the end of his life. Some scholars report that Wilson joined the Anglican Communion in 1778, perhaps at the behest of one his best friends, William White, the first Anglican bishop of Philadelphia. Others claim he that never abandoned the Presbyterianism of his native Scotland. Still others pay no attention to his denominational commitments, arguing that he was actually a Thornist or a deist. Finally, some scholars say nothing about his religious identification or beliefs, apparently concluding that these things are unrelated to his political and legal accomplishments

Madison’s Memorial and Remonstrance, Jefferson’s Statute for Religious Liberty, and the Creation of the First Amendment

Jurists, scholars, and popular writers routinely assert that the men who framed and ratified the First Amendment were influenced by James Madison’s Memorial and Remonstrance (1785) and Thomas Jefferson’s Statute for Religious Liberty (1786). In this essay I demonstrate that there is little evidence to support these claims. Because these documents represent only one approach to church-state relations in the era, jurists and others who believe that the religion clauses should be interpreted in light of the founders’ views need to look well beyond these texts if they want to understand the First Amendment’s “generating history.

The Defensive Effect of Medical Practice Policies in Malpractice Litigation

The theoretical prospects for medical practice policies to reform malpractice law by giving conclusive defensive effect to medical custom were studied. A practice policy, however rigorous, is of no use if the nature of the claimed error is either incorrect performance of the treatment in question or failure to recognize the correct practice policy to employ by virtue of a falure in diagnosis

Risk Adjustment Under the Affordable Care Act: A Guide for Federal and State Regulators

Summarizes discussions from a conference about the consequences of the 2010 healthcare reform's risk adjustment provisions, design and implementation challenges, and the merits of various risk adjustment strategies. Recommends diagnostic risk measures

The Theory and Practice of Disclosing HMO Physician Incentives

Despite the widespread consensus that physician incentives under managed care should be disclosed, there is little agreement on the who, what, when, and how of disclosure, nor is there agreement on the primary purpose of disclosure. Three forms of market failure point to three distinct, but overlapping purposes of disclosure, each of which points toward different forms, sources and contents of disclosures

James Wilson, a Man for All Seasons (Chapter 7 of The Political and Legal Philosophy of James Wilson 1742-1798)

Excerpt: This work began with the claim that James Wilson was one of the most important, yet one of the most frequently overlooked, founders. It has attempted to demonstrate that he merits examination because of his significant role in the founding period. Wilson\u27s contributions as a member of Congress, constitution maker, law professor, and Supreme Court justice should not be overlooked. But his political significance does not necessarily mean that his political theory is worthy of attention

Connecticut: Baseline Report - State Level Field Network Study of the Implentation of the Affordable Care Act

This report is part of a series of 21 state and regional studies examining the rollout of the ACA. The national network -- with 36 states and 61 researchers -- is led by the Rockefeller Institute of Government, the public policy research arm of the State University of New York, the Brookings Institution, and the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania.Connecticut demonstrates how well even a smaller state can do in implementing health insurance reform through its own exchange. Broad political and industry support for a state-based exchange has resulted in one of the very best functioning exchanges in the country. Difficult or potentially contentious issues that Connecticut may face in coming years include: 1) high health care costs and the diminished level of price competition among hospitals; 2) whether additional insurers will enter the exchange and whether the new nonprofit insurance co-op will remain financially viable; 3) whether the SHOP exchange will achieve critical mass; and 4) the appropriate level of consumer representation on the exchange board