Conductive composite films comprised of single-walled carbon nanotubes coated with molecularly imprinted poly-4-vinylphenol are produced and characterized using ultraviolet and infrared ...spectroscopies, confirming the successful molecular imprinting of the film with cotinine. The electrical resistance of the imprinted film changes significantly upon binding cotinine, by more than 30 kΩ, while the unimprinted film in comparison elicits little response. Additionally, once the cotinine template desorbs from the film, the resistance of the imprinted film returns to a value close to the pre-adsorption baseline. Scanning electron microscopy is used to study the morphology of the film compared with the unimprinted control, and gas chromatography quantitatively confirms that the imprinted film selectively detects cotinine while discriminating against the structurally similar alkaloid, nicotine.
This paper analyzes three decades of civil–military relations reform in Argentina, which transformed the armed forces from an organization that chronically intervened in politics to one effectively ...subordinate to civilian control that is more far-reaching than any other in contemporary Latin America. Through a qualitative case study, the paper identifies a sequence of strategies involving confrontation, incorporation, and finally subordination, as civilian leaders first undertook a lengthy process of legal and institutional reforms to subordinate the military, and more recently sought to develop a citizen soldier model through legal, gender equality, and educational innovations. Thus institutional restructuring has led to efforts to promote a culture shift in the armed forces. The analysis finds that while this sequencing of reforms has been positive, it is not without obstacles, and concludes that bringing a non-partisan citizenship model to fruition within the armed forces requires sustained commitments from civilian political leaders and civil society.
Despite the recent shift to democratic regimes and market-based economies, in many Latin American countries the military retains important economic roles as owner, manager, and stakeholder in ...economic enterprises. Such military entrepreneurship poses a challenge to the development of democratic civil-military relations and, by extension, to the development of liberal democracy in the region. While scholars have noted this situation with concern, they have given little attention to distinguishing the different types of military entrepreneurship, which reflect distinct historical patterns and implications. This article identifies two major types of military entrepreneurs in Latin America: industrializers, determined to build national defense capabilities and compete for international prestige; and nation builders, seeking to promote economic development that can foster social development and cohesion. Case studies of Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, and Ecuador demonstrate important differences between these two types in their origins, paths, and political consequences.
In the twentieth century, Latin American militaries developed economic industries, organised businesses, and provided security and development assistance in lieu of the state. Despite shifts to ...democracy and the market, the military remains an economic actor in many countries in the region. This article seeks to open debate and suggest ways to approach the subject theoretically. It examines the concept of military entrepreneurs and scholarship on the topic, and then suggests how three approaches from the domain of comparative politics - rational, structural and cultural-can be useful to develop theoretical frameworks for studying the military's role in the economy.
Contemporary Latin America appears to be plagued with the problem of insecurity. Across the region, citizen insecurity regularly tops public opinion surveys of problems that governments must better ...address, making recourse to gated communities and security guards the new norm. Mexico and the countries of Central America face the additional challenge of drug and gang wars that appear unrelenting. Meanwhile, the military remains indispensable for protecting oil pipelines and mining enterprises, particularly in the Andean countries. Yet while the range of security problems appears bewildering, in fact it reflects a disturbingly rich array of markets for force that engage both
The Markets for Force Molly Dunigan, Ulrich Petersohn / Molly Dunigan, Ulrich Petersohn
01/2015
eBook
The Markets for Forceexamines and compares the markets for private military and security contractors in twelve nations: Argentina, Guatemala, Peru, Ecuador, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, ...Ukraine, Russia, Afghanistan, China, Canada, and the United States. Editors Molly Dunigan and Ulrich Petersohn argue that the global market for force is actually a conglomeration of many types of markets that vary according to local politics and geostrategic context. Each case study investigates the particular characteristics of the region's market, how each market evolved into its current form, and what consequence the privatized market may have for state military force and the provision of public safety. The comparative standpoint sheds light on better-known markets but also those less frequently studied, such as the state-owned and -managed security companies in China, militaries working for private sector extractive industries in Ecuador and Peru, and the ways warlord forces overlap with private security companies in Afghanistan.
An invaluable resource for scholars and policymakers alike,The Markets for Forceoffers both an empirical analysis of variations in private military and security companies across the globe and deeper theoretical knowledge of how such markets develop.
Contributors:Olivia Allison, Oldrich Bures, Jennifer Catallo, Molly Dunigan, Scott Fitzsimmons, Maiah Jaskoski, Kristina Mani, Carlos Ortiz, Ulrich Petersohn, Jake Sherman, Christopher Spearin.
