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This article offers an analysis of how sport can occupy a progressive role in contemporary culture. Contrasting the political constitution of Latino identities with the marketing strategy of Major League Soccer, readers are introduced to alternative and antagonistic constructions of Latinos. Upon examining the constitution of Latino audiences, the author argues that sport does serve a progressive function by challenging the dominant political discourse. Although clearly in pursuit of economic goals, Major League Soccer's constitution of Latinos suggests that the ideological marginalization of minorities in the United States can, and in many instances will, be counterbalanced by popular culture's need for minority groups as consumers.

The 1989 student pro-democracy movement in China was sparked by the death of former Party General Secretary Hu Yaobang on 18th April 1989. Unofficial mourning for Hu began shortly after students learned of his death. At the beginning these mourning activities were confined to students. Society at large was not involved. Wide-scale societal support grew slowly and snowballed at a later stage. The author uses a cultural perspective to explore how the masses were drawn into the movement and explains the scale of mobilization and the CCP's (Chinese Communist Party's) justification for a bloody crackdown. (DÜI-Sen)

Transfrontier cooperation between units of local government in different fields of activity such as environmental & spatial planning, transport, traffic, improvement of local infrastructure, forestry, agriculture, water supply, energy, health service, the economy & employment, trade, tourism, education, & culture is the norm among the member states of the Council of Europe & other countries as well. The author discusses principles of transfrontier cooperation for local units of different states, following the regulation of the European convention on transfrontier cooperation between territorial communities or authorities, the European charter on local government, & the new Croatian regulation on transfrontier cooperation. Adapted from the source document.

Vietnam officially became the seventh member of ASEAN on July 28th, 1995. As a consequence of its membership, Vietnam has agreed to join with other ASEAN countries to form an AFTA (ASEAN Free Trade Area). Much has been written about Vietnam's recent economic transition towards a market economy and its attempts to integrate itself with the rest of the world, but no attempt has yet been made to address the relevant question, according to the author, of whether or not Vietnam will be able to meet its obligations under AFTA. He assesses how Vietnam has so far performed its AFTA obligations. (DÜI-Sen)

The UN Security Council has fulfilled its "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace & security" only insofar as a third world war has not occurred. International armed conflicts & civil wars have been the order of the day. In analyzing the reasons of the lack of success of the Security Council, the author reviews its composition & procedures; he also looks at such questions as Germany's role in the Council, the veto privileges of the Permanent Members, & the endeavors for a reform of the Council. He finishes by pointing to the present crisis of the Security Council &, in that context, the ongoing Kosovo conflict. Adapted from the source document.

THIS ARTICLE IS A RESPONSE TO STEPHEN WALT'S "RIGOR OR RIGOR MORTIS? RATIONAL CHOICE AND SECURITY STUDIES." THE AUTHOR HIGHLIGHTS A SIGNAL OF STRENGTH OF FORMAL WORK THAT WALT NEGLECTS: ITS ABILITY TO GENERATE LINKED, COHERENT SETS OF PROPOSITIONS AND INSIGHTS. HE ADDRESSES THE BENEFITS OF FORMALIZING THE INSIGHTS OF INFORMAL RATIONAL CHOICE. HIS REVIEW SHOWS THAT THERE IS NO APPARENT DANGER OF FORMAL WORK BECOMING DOMINANT IN THE FIELD OF SECURITY STUDIES, CALLING THE NEED FOR WARNINGS SUCH AS WALT'S INTO QUESTION. SINGLING OUT FORMAL MODELING AS A THREAT TO THE FIELD IS UNFOUNDED AND DOES NOTHING TO ENCOURAGE DIVERSITY.

The author states that the euro was made for two reasons: it is an indispensable stage in the European construction, & it is a response to globalization. Two aspects have to be taken into account regarding the expectations of the euro in the international monetary arena: (1) the balancing of the SMI (systeme monetaire international) (international monetary system), considering the double dynamic -- commercial & financial -- of the euro; & (2) the opportunity of an increased stability of the SMI, if the EU is capable to express itself in one voice. With the euro, Europe opens to the world & is in the process of becoming a great monetary power. E. Sanchez

THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT NULL HYPOTHESIS SIGNIFICANCE TESTING AS PRACTICED IN POLITICAL SCIENCE IS DEEPLY FLAWED AND WIDELY MISUNDERSTOOD. THIS IS IMPORTANT SINCE MOST EMPIRICAL WORK ARGUES THE VALUE OF FINDINGS THROUGH THE USE OF THE NULL HYPOTHESIS SIGNIFICANCE TEST. IN THIS ESSAY, THE AUTHOR REVIEWS THE HISTORY OF THE NULL HYPOTHESIS SIGNIFICANCE TESTING PARADIGM IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES AND DISCUSSES MAJOR PROBLEMS -- SOME OF WHICH ARE LOGICAL INCONSISTENCIES WHILE OTHERS ARE MORE INTERPRETIVE IN NATURE. HE SUGGESTS ALTERNATIVE TECHNIQUES TO CONVEY EFFECTIVELY THE IMPORTANCE OF DATA-ANALYTIC FINDINGS. THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE ILLUSTRATED WITH EXAMPLES USING EMPIRICAL POLITICAL SCIENCE PUBLICATIONS.

This article poses three questions related to the current revision of democratic citizenship in plurinational states. The first question focuses on the analytical limits of the term 'multicultural' and on the question of where nationalist movements stand within cultural pluralism. The second question asks whether it is possible to overcome the inherent difficulties in the traditional concept of liberal-democratic citizenship in plurinational states. Finally, the third question asks whether federalism is an adequate framework to regulate a revised concept of democratic citizenship in plurinational states. These three questions are developed in three sections. In the first I put forward a typology that allows us to identify four kinds of cultural pluralism movements that are present within the current liberal democracies. In the second section I identify some of the shortcomings of the traditional concept of citizenship with respect to the plurinational integration of some democracies, making special reference to the standard liberal version by Rawls. I defend the right of the minority liberal nationalisms to be included in a revision of the concept of democratic citizenship for the next century. Finally, I discuss the role of federalism, paying special attention to the case of Catalonia and Spain within Europe, and to possible 'asymmetrical' reforms to the concept of democratic citizenship. (European Journal of Political Research / FUB)