Abortion law reforms in Colombia and Nicaragua: issue networks and opportunity contexts

This article analyses two instances of abortion law reform in Latin America. In 2006, after a decades-long impasse, the highly controversial issue of abortion came to dominate the political agenda when Colombia liberalized its abortion law and Nicaragua adopted a total ban on abortion. The article analyses the central actors in the reform processes, their strategies and the opportunity contexts. Drawing on Htun's (2003) framework, it examines why these processes concluded with opposing legislative outcomes. The authors argue for the need to understand the state as a non-unitary site of politics and policy, and for judicial processes to be seen as a key variable in facilitating gender policy reforms in Latin America. In addition, they argue that ‘windows of opportunity’ such as the timing of elections can be critically important in legislative change processes.     

Reviews

Damsholt, Nanna, Kvindebilledet i dansk höjmiddelalder (København, 1985). ISBN 87–418–7425–0. 339 pp.

Kouri, E. I., Saksalaisen käyttökirjallisuuden vaikutus Suomessa 1600‐luvulla. Ericus Ericin postillan lähteet. (The influences of German Gebrauchsliteratur in 17th century Finland. The sources of the Book of Homilies by Ericus Erici). Suomen kirkkohistorial‐lisen seuran toimituksia 129. (Helsinki, 1984). ISBN 951–9021–52–4. 325 pp. German summary and appendix.

Hovi, Kalervo, Alliance de revers. Stabilization of Frances's Alliance Policies in East Central Europe 1919–1921 (Annales Universitatis Turkuensis, Ser. B, tom. 163, Turku, 1984) ISBN 951–642–437–6. 135 pp.

Hovi, Kalervo, Interssensphären im Baltikum. Finland im Rahmen der Ostpolitik Polens 1919–1922 (Spheres of interest in the Baltic. Finland's role in the Polish eastern policy 1919–1922). Studio historica 13. (Helsinki, 1984). ISBN 951–9254–51‐X. 180 pp.     

Dendrochronological dating of a wooden causeway in Finland

A mean ring‐width chronology for Scots pine in eastern Finland has been compiled based on living trees and dendrochronologically dated historical timber constructions. As an application of this master chronology, a young archaeological site near the town of Hämeenlinna, southern Finland, was dated. A previous assumption of the age of this site was that it could even be medieval. The construction was not older than 160 years, the road having been built after 1828, the year of growth of the outermost tree rings of the samples. A new pine chronology for southern Finland extending to the year AD 1539 is presented and it is now applicable for precise dating purposes in this area.