BACKGROUND In this paper we present the research design and methods of a study that seeks to capture local level responses to an Australian national social policy initiative, aimed at reducing inequalities in the social determinants of health. METHODS/DESIGN The study takes a policy-to-practice approach and combines policy and stakeholder interviewing with a comparative case study analysis of...

It has been ten years since the welfare reform law was signed by President Clinton amid predictions of disaster from the left. Thanks to provisions in the legislation itself that provided millions of dollars for research, to an unprecedented level of research sponsored by foundations, to data reported by states to the federal government, and to national data collected and reported on a routine ...

Australia does not have uniform defamation law. Each of the eight states and territories has its own law,2 despite decades of reform efforts.3 But, after statements by the Commonwealth Attorney-General late in 2003,4 national defamation reform again appears possible. The matter is before the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General, and the federal government appears willing to act if states and...

We examine implications of delegating delivery of an infrastructure service to an elected local government rather than bureaucrats appointed by a central government. The latter is uninformed about local need and unable to monitor service allocations. Bureaucrats charge bribes for services as monopoly providers, resulting in underprovision of services, especially for the poor. Local governments ...

Studies of the political determinants of economic inequality have usually focused on the national government, but in federalist systems subnational governments may also be important. In recent decades, the U.S. national government has been less active in fighting inequality, but increasing devolution means that states wanting to address this problem have had a greater incentive and perhaps mean...

A long standing question related to immunization financing and sustainability has been whether the existence of a specific line item for vaccines purchasing within the national health budget can contribute significantly to increasing national government financing of vaccines and routine immunizations. Based on immunization financing indicators from 185 countries collected through the joint WHO ...

Christian Rupp has been appointed Federal Executive Secretary of EGovernment in May of 2003. At that point of time a new E-Government Platform was introduced. He reports on the current developments of E-Democracy in Austria. A new-networked economy and a knowledge-based information society have emerged in our midst. The way people live, learn, work and relate to each other is being unalterably ...

For several years now, the Supreme Court has disquieted observers and commentators by reasserting the presence of constitutional limitations on national power resulting from the federal structure of the American political system. Although not quite amounting to a revolution in American constitutional law, the recent federalism cases are nonetheless striking. They are, of course, most remarkable...

The proposed research will comprise part of a much larger Oil and Gas Research and Development initiative in the Atlantic Provinces of Canada. The Federal Government of Canada has established a $300 million fund to support innovation and economic development in Atlantic Canada (the provinces of Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island). Oil and Gas related research and ...