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Are there limits to cultural diversity? Does an animal have rights? Do we overlook the implications of stem cell technology? Do the public media have their own accountability? Does sport go together with gene therapy? Is ' global governance ' an answer on the instability of the world after 9/11? At the beginning of the 21st century, we are faced daily with these and other ethical questions. In our pluralist society, in which divergent views coexist with each other, no one ethical approach can offer us a unique vision. In Ethics - from DNA to 9/11, the authors scrutinize a number of ethical issues and help the readers arrive at their own conclusion. This is a unique title for everyone who wishes to be informed thoroughly and reliably on the way in which ethical questions are handled nowadays. With contributions from Govert den Hartogh, Guido Pennings, Michiel Korthals, Ronald Commers, Paul Cliteur, Amade M'Charek, Frans Jacobs, Hugo van den Enden, Hub Zwart, Peter Derkx, Sigrid Sterx, Rob van Es and Rik Coolsaet

Are there limits to cultural diversity? Does an animal have rights? Do we overlook the implications of stem cell technology? Do the public media have their own accountability? Does sport go together with gene therapy? Is ' global governance ' an answer on the instability of the world after 9/11? At the beginning of the 21st century, we are faced daily with these and other ethical questions. In our pluralist society, in which divergent views coexist with each other, no one ethical approach can offer us a unique vision. In Ethics - from DNA to 9/11, the authors scrutinize a number of ethical issues and help the readers arrive at their own conclusion. This is a unique title for everyone who wishes to be informed thoroughly and reliably on the way in which ethical questions are handled nowadays. With contributions from Govert den Hartogh, Guido Pennings, Michiel Korthals, Ronald Commers, Paul Cliteur, Amade M'Charek, Frans Jacobs, Hugo van den Enden, Hub Zwart, Peter Derkx, Sigrid Sterx, Rob van Es and Rik Coolsaet. - Zijn er grenzen aan culturele diversiteit? Heeft een dier rechten? Overzien we de implicaties van stamceltechnologie? Hebben de publieke media een eigen verantwoordelijkheid? Gaat sport samen met gentherapie? Is 'global governance' een antwoord op de instabiliteit van de wereld na 11 september 2001? Aan het begin van de 21e eeuw worden we dagelijks we geconfronteerd met deze en andere ethische vragen. In onze pluralistische maatschappij, waarin uiteenlopende opvattingen naast en tegenover elkaar bestaan, kan niet langer één ethische benadering de overhand hebben. Ethiek van DNA tot 9/11 biedt ons een handreiking. Op toegankelijke wijze laten de auteurs ons kennismaken met theoretische én toegepaste ethiek. Verschillende opvattingen worden nauwkeurig gewikt en gewogen zonder ons een visie op te dringen. Het boek biedt een praktische kijk op zeer uiteenlopende ethische kwesties en helpt de lezer bij het innemen van een eigen standpunt. Voor iedereen die zich grondig en betrouwbaar wil informeren over de manier waarop vandaag de dag met ethische vraagstukken wordt omgegaan, is dit boek onmisbaar. Met bijdragen van Govert den Hartogh, Guido Pennings, Michiel Korthals, Ronald Commers, Paul Cliteur, Amade M'Charek, Frans Jacobs, Hugo van den Enden, Hub Zwart, Peter Derkx, Sigrid Sterx, Rob van Es en Rik Coolsaet.

In the Fourth National Spatial Policy Plan Extra (1990) the development areas were pointed out (the so-called "Vinex-areas"). This encouraged project developers to buy large and strategic situated properties. The key question is how to assure that also next generations of inhabitants, politicians and developers will still be prepared to invest in quality improvement. The concept of Sustainable Spatial Quality has been examined from the perspective chosen by the Brundtland Commission in its famous report 'Our Common Future' (1987). Quality Assurance is a concept made operational in Quality Management practices based on the ISO 9000 standards. The essential mechanism of Quality Assurance is the Deming-cycle In Vinex-area development in The Netherlands three types of PPP are fairly common: the so-called 'Development-Claim', the Joint Venture and the Concession. A basic assumption behind the effectiveness of Quality Assurance is the ability of controlling human behaviour and, in our case, spatial planning and development processes by means of institutional systems. Institutional governance is based on the idea that in a consistent institutional context different people will act more or less similar in a predictable way. Scott (2001) provides us with a theoretical framework based on an extensive and broad research of (neo)institutional literature. By combining the scientific work of economists, social and political scientists he creates a concept for the analysis of institutions. This concept consists of three types of institutional systems: Regulative, Normative and Cultural-cognitive. The Regulative system is typical for the Development-Claim model. The Joint Venture however is based on dialogue and negotiation on an equal level between public and private parties. The effectiveness of the Concession model for the public interest is determined by the way the government uses the willingness of private parties to go into competition. The empirical research was conducted in three different Vinex-areas: Leidsche Rijn near Utrecht, Vathorst near Amersfoort and Ypenburg near The HagueThe research included analysis of plans, contracts and documents followed by a series of interviews with stakeholders. Quality Assurance is failing on several critical points. Indifferent of the PPP-type the weakest elements in the process are the poorly developed interactive involvement of (potential) user groups in the planning process, the inability of both public and private parties to react adequately on changing circumstances and preferences of user groups and the lack of competition for area development. There is no 'best' PPP for assuring Sustainable Spatial Quality. Our recommendations to optimise the quality assurance function are partly generally applicable and partly specified for each type of PPP separately. Generally applicable is the recommendation for improving the interactivity of the planning process as well as enhancing a more proactive strategy of anticipation on changing user preferences. We need empowerment of the civil society, led by an independent process-manager and using a suitable framework for the debate. Anticipation on changing user-preferences can be improved by introducing periodic evaluations. The quality assurance function can also profit from introducing more competition, for example by awarding efforts of private parties to make their plans more sustainable.