Some Notes on Workplace Equality Renewal in the Swedish Labour Market

In 2001, Swedish authorities imposed a new obligation upon all firms with ten or more employees to undertake annual wage surveys, ‘workplace equality audits’ in which it is possible to ascertain, remedy and prevent unwarranted wage differentials and other unfair employment terms between men and women. An important implication of the new system, called ‘workplace equality renewal’ (självsanering), is that, at the level of the firm all Swedish employers must explain what they mean by work of ‘equal value’ as opposed to ‘different value’. This article discusses the practical pros and cons of the new system, and considers how the surveys can be used in research into the present state of gendered work division. A main finding is that the introduction of this new legislation in the long run might change the Swedish industrial relations system as well as the preconditions for many companies’ human resource management policies. Yet, neither the governmental agencies involved nor the parties’ confederate organizations have been able to clarify what the issue is really about to the single, small business employer or to the local trade union branches. Many employers find any interference, whatever it may be, threatening and trade unions have not realized the potentialities of the system from an employee perspective, potentialities connected to the fact that companies are now more or less forced to make transparent their wage policies at large.     

浅议商标反淡化法律保护

针对我国商标反淡化法律保护中存在的问题,通过比较的方法、实证分析的方法,探讨我国商标反淡化法律保护制度的建构。考察了商标反淡化保护的理论依据——商标淡化理论,在阐述商标淡化的表现形式、危害的基础上,结合我国商标反淡化立法保护的现状,探讨了商标反淡化保护的适宜对象、网络保护、淡化侵权的构成要件等问题,从而为进一步完善商标反淡化法律保护制度起到积极的推动作用。     

完善城市民族立法的思考

城市化给我国城市民族关系带来了新的变化,城市民族法律法规在城市发展中的作用更加突出。文章对我国目前城市民族立法取得的主要成就和存在的问题进行了全面系统的分析,并在此基础上结合新时期社会发展与城市民族工作的需要,提出了进一步完善城市民族立法体系、提高立法质量的基本构想。     

我国农村人口出生性别比偏高的动力机制研究

B超的滥用、强烈的男孩偏好以及对非法流产行为监控的失效共同构成我国出生性别比偏高的充要条件,三者中任一条件不满足都不可能出现出生性别比偏高。尽管B超发明和滥用前出生性别比并没有异常,但也不能说出生性别比偏高与受教育水平、传统文化等因素无关。事实上,这些因素通过影响男孩偏好和B超的可获得性而影响出生性别比。由此出发,促进出生性别比回复正常,短期内应标本兼治,以治标为主———坚决禁止B超的滥用,关键是加强立法和管理;长期内则必须治本———消除男孩偏好,关键是加速农村城市化。     

Industry and the environment: a case study of cleaner technologies in selected European countries

The aim of this case study is to discuss the role of technology in addressing environmental problems. The paper tries to scratch beneath the surface of the increasingly frequent ‘quick-fix’ solutions to the present environmental problems, based on such beguiling catchwords as Cleaner Technologies, Best Available Technologies, and Best Available Technologies Not Exceeding Excessive Costs, etc., in an attempt to discover whether there is any substance in them, or whether they are just full of hot air. Recent data from case studies performed by the author in Germany and Finland as well as a postal questionnaire in Denmark are presented. The paper analyses and discusses the roles and responsibilities of designers, industrialists, and government policy-makers. It is argued that existing regulatory regimes, supranational industrial structures, and market mechanisms do not favour the development of cleaner technologies, nor do they promote a reduction in consumption patterns. Evidence from ongoing empirical research in Northwest Europe suggests that industry is far from developing and/or implementing cleaner technologies. The paper closes with a discussion of some of the policy implications involved and some examples of urgently needed further research.     

中国典当行业监管立法及其完善——评《典当行业监管规定》

典当行业复建30余年来,虽然取得了不错的经营成绩,但是关于行业监管理论的认知存在一定误区,监管制度建设亦存在不足.理论认知方面尤其对机构的金融机构属性认知存在偏差,在设立许可、典当行名称等方面也有误区.监管制度上,专门性行业监管立法理念陈旧、不合理等限制了典当行的经营自由,存在立法体例欠科学,个别制度规范设计与其他法规范相冲突,立法技术欠缺,法律概念使用不准确等问题.比较相邻部门法的立法例,考查国外立法经验,科学的典当监管立法模式应采用统一的《典当行法》,适当扩大典当行经营范围,使其回归金融专业监管体制,采取国家集中监管与自律监管相统一的模式,建立健全完善的典当法律体系.     

论老年人犯罪从宽暨免死的年龄标准与立法模式——以《刑法修正案(八)》为视角

老年人犯罪从宽的年龄标准应当有别于老年人免死的年龄标准。当前,中国对老年人犯罪从宽的年龄宜规定为"年满70周岁",而对老年人犯罪免死的年龄则宜规定为"年满75周岁"。对老年人犯罪从宽应当与对未成年人犯罪从宽相一致,统一规定为"应当从轻或者减轻处罚",而没有必要区分故意和过失犯罪分别规定。考虑到老年人犯罪免死的根据、刑罚目的和国际上的普遍做法,中国应当免除所有老年人犯罪的死刑,而不应有例外。     

中国环境立法的困境与出路

在环境法律实践的过程中,通过与污染受害者沟通和交流,发现许多问题都是根源于环境立法存在的问题。也就是,环境立法中的单向的立法理念,只注重至上而下的国家力量,这会导致法律与最初目的的偏离,从保护环境利益走向保护部门利益。因此,要寻求新的出路——发展双向融合的立法理念,即注重至上而下的政府主导与至下而上的公众参与有机结合,通过公众有效参与环境立法,发现环境法律实践中的问题,及时反馈到立法领域。从而在有效的互动中完善环境法治。     

危险驾驶罪的立法浅析

《刑法修正案(八)》将醉驾、飙车行为入罪，对严厉醉驾行为确实起到了震慑作用，收到了积极的社会效果。但是，对于刑法的提前介入以及该罪的内涵与外延该如何理解；社会舆论对于醉驾行为的性质还存在行为犯或者危险犯的争论：这些问题对于该罪在司法实践中的适用极其重要，值得我们深入思考。     

Senior centres in the lives of older Americans: implications for Chinese older adults

As a critical community resource, the senior centre has provided older Americans with a wide array of recreational, nutritional, health, and social service programmes. Funding resources include the Older Americans Act allocations, local organisations and governments, national charities, voluntary associations, and religious associations. The types of programmes offered at a senior centre reflect two models: social agency model or voluntary organisation model. The five most popular programmes are nutrition, health and fitness, recreation, volunteering, and social services. Participation in senior centre activities has positive impacts on the overall well-being of older adult participants. With the rapid growth in the ageing population and improved life expectancy in China, senior centres may serve as a focal point for Chinese older adults by providing a broad spectrum of social services to enhance the well-being of community-dwelling older adults, to support their independence and dignity, and to facilitate ageing in place in later life.