Description: This paper discusses a research investigation into the treatment of mens rea in the quest to hold individuals accountable for genocide. This paper focuses on doctrinal controversies and examines how genocide is and has been addressed by modern tribunals, with special emphasis on the subjective mens rea (mental element) required for genocide.

Description: This paper discusses research on for-profit and nonprofit microfinance and how the poor are affected. Abstract: Of the world's 6.5 billion people, 2.8 billion are living in poverty on less than $2 per day. After a general discussion of poverty among several perspectives, this research will focus on the microfinance industry. Microfinance has proven itself an effective poverty alleviation tool. Traditionally, the microfinance industry has been nonprofit, geared toward helping the poor rise from poverty through the provision of small loans to create or expand businesses. The need for additional funding capital and the growing popularity of the industry have spurred an industry-wide debate between the traditional nonprofit model and newer for-profit microfinance model ideals. Many social and economic trade-offs occur on the spectrum that shifts between these two models. As this industry continues to transform itself rapidly, this study works to explain the major points of the debate within the context of two microfinance institutions from both models (i.e., Alternativa Solidaria and Compartamos). Although there were several limitations such as time and funding, this paper offers ideas of how each might overcome their inadequacies in the future to find a stronger balance between funding, satisfying the market demand for ...

Description: This paper discusses research on the subjectivity of state legitimacy. Political philosophers that have attempted to legitimize the state as an objectively just entity have traditionally drawn upon three distinct bases: consent of the ruled, the objectivity just nature of the state's laws, and the state's unique potential to reduce societal harms. This paper attempts to demonstrate the shortcomings of each strategy, specifically with respect to their shared reliance upon practical necessity as a rationalization for the alleged legitimacy of the state. This paper does not attempt to establish a criterion according to which the merit of a given state may be judged, but rather only to demonstrate that the state is, in every case, the mechanism by which the politically powerful impose their will upon society at large.