The market for construction wood in Mopti, Mali

This paper investigates the supply networks, the structure and operation of the markets and the increasing scarcity of good quality construction poles and hewn construction timber in Mopti, Mali. Using a variety of rapid appraisal methods the research identified separate groups of agents performing retailing, transporting and wood cutting functions within the supply network. A survey of the retail sector of the open or organised wood market in Mopti found the market to involve lower than expected volumes of timber and higher than expected mark-up variability across retailers and products. It was found that some users of construction wood do not buy their wood in the open market. The paper discusses one alternative method of obtaining wood involving the formation of a rural–urban solidarity network in which wood is ‘traded’ for various forms of help and assistance. The paper concludes that the re-empowerment of local communities so that they can manage and benefit from natural resources under their jurisdiction is probably a necessary condition for sustainable improvements in the supply of construction wood to Mopti. However, additional measures may be needed to replenish the stock of trees and human and institutional capital in the wood supply areas.     

Large-Scale Urban Projects in Smaller Metro Areas: Towards a Broader Conceptual Perspective

Large-scale projects seem to be as popular in urban politics as they are risky in implementation. Existing research shows a certain bias towards studying projects in large metropolitan regions. The paper aims at extending the scope of research on large-scale urban projects by analysing such projects in a smaller metropolitan area. The case of the city region and country of Luxembourg shows that decision-makers in small metropolitan regions also make use of large-scale urban projects as a planning and place-making instrument. The case is also used to explore methodological approaches of examining the symbolic nature and discursive place-making dimension of planning large-scale projects, and proposes a methodological approach based on constructivist grounded theory and situational analysis of discourses.     

Factor analysis of the personal authority in the family system questionnaire

The factor structure of the Personal Authority in the Family System Questionnaire (PAFS-Q) has been used in numerous studies, but the factor structure has not been examined since its development in 1984. This study examined the factor structure of the PAFS-Q. Findings suggest a six-factor solution with important differences from those reported when the PAFS-Q was developed. The main differences between this study and the original factor analysis are that this study found separate Mother and Father Intimacy factors instead of a single Intergenerational Intimacy factor and the original Spousal Fusion and Spousal Intimacy factors were not separate factors in the current study. Implications and future directions for research are also discussed.     

After a Long‐Term Placement: Investigating Educational Achievement,Behaviour, and Transition to Independent Living

This study describes the transition towards independent living of 123 former fostered young people reared for long periods in a private French organisation, SOS Children’s Villages. Three generations of care leavers were analysed through a postal survey and interviews. Their narratives show typical pathways after leaving care. Two‐thirds became independent without major problems by the age of 24–25. Analyses have shown that the absence of severe emotional and behavioural disorders, and diplomas obtained, improved their odds of becoming independent. Results suggest a vital need to implement appropriate therapeutic care during placement and to develop care leaver support well beyond the age of 18, in order to help them personally and academically and to ensure their successful transition to adulthood.     

Risk Management and the Wisdom of Aldo Leopold

Human demands on nature have increased due to our burgeoning population. The applications of scientific knowledge to the development of increasingly powerful technologies and consumptive lifestyles by more and more people have created a modern category of human‐caused disaster—stealth disasters. Stealth disasters—such as agriculturally‐induced soil erosion and release of unprecedented amounts of greenhouse gases into Earth's atmosphere—tend to have protracted, unobvious onsets; do not necessarily have dramatic manifestations; and often do not attract public attention until they reach a stage approaching catastrophic consequences. At this late stage it is difficult or impossible to undo damage. Scientists tend to be among the first to understand the physical causes and notice the developments of stealth disasters and their risks and yet scientific knowledge is not enough to prevent or mitigate them. As we search for ways to deal with stealth disasters, the concept of “land health” assembled by the prominent conservationist and author, Aldo Leopold (1887–1948), can, in normative terms, provide an ecologically grounded example of nature in good condition toward which society can aim. Evidence of the reverse—symptoms of land illness—can provide a checklist for risk analysis and management that helps guide people away from harm‐causing attitudes and activities and toward beneficial outcomes. Leopold's criteria of land health motivated by a land ethic that incorporates the whole of nature may be applied at geographic scales ranging from local to global as a framework for contemporary risk management.     

Egalitarianism and utilitarianism in committees of representatives

We consider a committee of representatives that makes dichotomous choices (acceptance/rejection) by vote. Given the size of each group represented, what is the most adequate voting rule for the committee? We provide answers based on each of the two principles commonly used to make normative assessments in different contexts: egalitarianism and utilitarianism. To that end, we introduce utilities into the model and adopt a normative approach.