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Using a model that distinguishes local, national, international, transnational, & global interaction networks, four supposed threats to nation-states -- global capitalism, environmental danger, identity politics, & postnuclear geopolitics -- are analyzed. All four actually impact differently on nation-states in varying regions, contain both state-weakening & -strengthening tendencies, & increase the significance of international & transnational networks. Capitalist transformation is slightly weakening northern nation-states, most clearly so within the European Union, yet economic development would strengthen southern nation-states. Although the decline of hard geopolitics in a postnuclear age weakens northern, but not most southern, states, soft geopolitics is everywhere bringing new state functions & maintaining the strength of international networks. Identity politics, contrary to most views, probably strengthens nationally bound politics. These patterns are too varied to argue that the nation-state & the nation-state system are strengthening or weakening. However, the expansion of global networks seems to weaken local interaction networks more than national ones. 14 References. Adapted from the source document.

Informed by David Lockwood's (1966) study of the source of variation among working-class mobilizations in the early & mid-20th century UK, the influence of various political ideological perspectives upon working-class movements across Europe throughout the 20th century is studied. Overviews of the various circumstances that engendered socialist & anarcho-syndicalist movements throughout early 20th century Europe are provided; in addition, the disparate effects that WWI had upon socialist & anarcho-syndicalist mobilizations immediately following the war are highlighted. Attention is subsequently dedicated to analyzing how conservative & liberal political perspectives addresses socialism's prosperity during the interwar period; for example, it is demonstrated that conservative political groups utilized nationalism, religion, & technocratic thought to attack the perseverance of socialism. After discussing factors that contributed to the surfacing of authoritarianism & fascism throughout interwar Europe, socialist political groups' responses to these sundry competing approaches are reviewed. Furthermore, multiple data sources are scrutinized to measure the influence of socialism, liberalism, conservatism, & fascism upon European working-class images of society during this period. Several conclusions regarding the relevance of Lockwood's various working-class images of society & the success of the different ideological perspectives in affecting working-class movements are offered. J. W. Parker

Eric Hobsbawm's (1994) separation of 20th century political & social developments into three periods is reconfigured. Problems with Hobsbawm's characterization of the period from 1914-1947 as one dominated by catastrophes caused by WWI, Bolshevism, & fascism are highlighted; for instance, it is stressed that supporters of the German Nazi party should be perceived as individuals motivated primarily by racial intolerance, not economic or class-based concerns. Conversely, it is asserted that these catastrophes all possessed foundations within prevailing notions of the nation-state & within nationalist mobilizations. Attention is subsequently directed toward identifying difficulties with Hobsbawm's delineation of "The Golden Age" & his contention that this period was superseded by "The Landslide," which commenced in 1973. It is asserted that the preceding period of nation-statism & nationalist mobilization led to a period dominated by the institutionalization of nation-states. The various difficulties experienced by sundry minority groups (eg, women, youth, ethnic groups, & non-heterosexuals) during this period, the effects of the globalized economy upon relations between nation-states, & the emergence of generational & gender conflicts in industrialized societies are deemed prominent features of this latest age. Hobsbawm's claim that Western societies have actually entered "The Landslide" period is also challenged. J. W. Parker

Notes the thesis that South Africa relies on a technical form of knowledge for the legitimation of its practices, with the result that politics is depoliticised. Discussed an example of this in education. (PAS)

Background: Whilst prevalence of youth smoking in middle and high income countries has decreased, inequality has prevailed. The introduction of legislation regulating tobacco use in public spaces varies across countries, impacting the tobacco control context. Thus reviewing our knowledge of how social networks may influence smoking differently within different contexts is required to facilitate the development of context-specific interventions.Methods: The search, conducted on 31st May 2019, included the following smoking-related terms; schools, adolescents, peers and social networks. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied throughout the title and abstract screening and full text screening. Quality assessment and synthesis followed. Studies were narratively synthesised to identify changes according to legislative context. This synthesis was conducted separately for findings relating to three categories: socioeconomic status; social selection and influence; and network position.Results: Thirty studies were included. Differences in the relationship between network characteristics and smoking according to socioeconomic status were measured in five out of fifteen studies in Europe. Results varied across studies, with differences in network characteristics and their association with smoking varying both between schools of a differing and those of a similar socioeconomic composition. For studies conducted both before and after the introduction of comprehensive smoking legislation, the evidence for selection processes was more consistent than influence, which varied according to reciprocity. Findings showed that isolates were more likely to smoke and in-degree and out-degree centrality were related to smoking both before and after the introduction of legislation. The relationship between popularity and smoking was contingent on school level smoking prevalence in studies conducted before the introduction of legislation, but not after.Conclusions: Overall, effects according to socioeconomic status were ...

BACKGROUND: Whilst prevalence of youth smoking in middle and high income countries has decreased, inequality has prevailed. The introduction of legislation regulating tobacco use in public spaces varies across countries, impacting the tobacco control context. Thus reviewing our knowledge of how social networks may influence smoking differently within different contexts is required to facilitate the development of context-specific interventions. METHODS: The search, conducted on 31st May 2019, included the following smoking-related terms; schools, adolescents, peers and social networks. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied throughout the title and abstract screening and full text screening. Quality assessment and synthesis followed. Studies were narratively synthesised to identify changes according to legislative context. This synthesis was conducted separately for findings relating to three categories: socioeconomic status; social selection and influence; and network position. RESULTS: Thirty studies were included. Differences in the relationship between network characteristics and smoking according to socioeconomic status were measured in five out of fifteen studies in Europe. Results varied across studies, with differences in network characteristics and their association with smoking varying both between schools of a differing and those of a similar socioeconomic composition. For studies conducted both before and after the introduction of comprehensive smoking legislation, the evidence for selection processes was more consistent than influence, which varied according to reciprocity. Findings showed that isolates were more likely to smoke and in-degree and out-degree centrality were related to smoking both before and after the introduction of legislation. The relationship between popularity and smoking was contingent on school level smoking prevalence in studies conducted before the introduction of legislation, but not after. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, effects according to socioeconomic status were ...