EUROPEAN BRIEFING

This article explores alternative interpretations of the meaning and method of urban policy evaluation within the European Union (EU) Structural Funds. Using the EU URBAN Community Initiative Programme 1994-1999 it draws a distinction between 'instrumental' techniques that are primarily concerned with performance and efficiency measures and 'interpretative' approaches that stress the need to explore power relationships in the development and delivery of spending programmes. Empirically, it reflects on the interpretation of EU guidance and the MEANS (Means for Evaluating Actions of a Structural Nature) Collection to evaluate the Derry/Londonderry (UK) URBAN Sub-programme 1994-1999. The analysis concludes by emphasizing the need to ensure that urban policy evaluation is consistent with the broader social turn in the scope and content of regeneration programmes.     

A Look Back at the Dred Scott Decision

Thank you for inviting me to deliver the 2009 Annual Lecture of the Supreme Court Historical Society. I am a great admirer of the Society's commitment to preserving the history of the Supreme Court and to increasing the public's awareness of the Court's contributions to our nation's history.     

MATERIAL CHARACTERIZATION OF CERAMIC TILE MOSAIC FROM TWO 17TH‐CENTURY ISLAMIC MONUMENTS IN NORTHERN INDIA

Coloured tiles from two northern Indian monuments were analysed for their body and glaze composition. The results suggest that three different groups of tiles were used, all comprising a stonepaste body with alkali glaze. One group has strong similarities to a major Indian glass group, known as high alumina mineral natron glass, while the other two are similar to Western and Central Asian plant ash glazes, although with much lower lime content. The colorants conform with those usually employed in pre‐modern glazes, with lead‐tin yellow Type I and Type II for opaque yellow, copper blue‐turquoise, cobalt blue, manganese purple, and green through mixing of lead‐tin yellow and copper blue.     

Canadian foreign direct investment in the United States by type: mergers and acquisitions, greenfield, real estate, joint ventures and investment increases

This paper provides an overview of Canadian foreign direct investment (FDI) in the United States by type. Mergers and acquisitions (M&As), greenfield investments, joint ventures, real estate purchases and increases to existing investments are compared spatially, through time (using a data set that consists of transactions from 1977 to 1994) and by industrial classification. Over this study's time-frame, direct investors from Canada were most likely to perform a real estate or M&A transaction in the United States (and least likely to be involved in a joint venture). The most consequential years for real estate purchases were the 1970s and early 1980s; whereas M&A and greenfield transactions have gained in proportionate importance through time. M&As, greenfield and investment increases were most often enumerated as manufacturing transactions, but mining and consumer and business services were also very common. A series of bivariate regression models established that growing state economies significantly increased M&A, real estate, greenfield and investment increase activity from Canada. Relative regional specializations (as given by location quotients) provided additional spatial information. M&As formed a pattern of specialization that emphasized the Great Lakes region and also the central portion of the US (roughly following the Mississippi River). Greenfield and investment increase transactions favoured states along the east coast and those adjacent to the Canada-US border. Real estate investors were most attracted to the US south and extreme west.     

The Reputation and Authority of the Speaker and the Speakership of the House of Commons, 1640–60

The speakership during the civil war and interregnum has received scant attention by historians. This article considers the occupants of the Speaker's chair as a group, making some observations about their age and background, including within its scope the short-lived and irregular speakerships of men such as Sir Sampson Eure and Henry Pelham. The popularity of the Speaker within the Commons is found to have depended much on his perceived competence and goodwill, while his reputation in the country at large depended greatly on the unpredictable cut and thrust of political opinion. The speakership of William Lenthall in the Long Parliament is examined in some detail and judged to be exceptional in a number of respects, not least in his grappling with the explosion in the number and power of executive committees. Lenthall's dealings with the press suggest that he was well aware of the uses of print as well as its potential for damage to his reputation. The contemporary allegations of venality aimed at Speakers are examined with respect to individual occupants of the office and are also set in the context of fee-taking by Commons' officials. While this period seems not to have been a particularly important one in terms of lasting procedural innovation in the chamber, it was significant in heralding the possibility of a separation between the person and office of Speaker. The article provides as an Appendix an authoritative list of Speakers in this period.     

Monitoring Saline Discharge Areas: Farrell Flat,a Case Study

By monitoring saline groundwater discharge areas, an indication of the extent of dryland salinisation processes occurring in an area may be determined. Processed remotely sensed data (SPOT MS and aerial photography) has been analysed within a geographic information system database to identify the dynamic relationship between changing vegetation cover and increasing salt levels on a saline groundwater discharge area. Temporal analysis of this database was conducted for a saline discharge area on a wheat/sheep property in South Australia from the period 1966 to 1990. The results provide a directional and quantitative assessment of the change in salt affected areas during the study period. Information of this type benefits land managers at the regional scale by quantifying salinisation trends.