I. Problemeinführung II. Reformdimensionen III. Anwendungsfälle und Gründe IV. Der (verfassungs-)rechtliche Rahmen V. Ausgestaltung und Konsequenzen VI. Fazit

I. Demokratische Innovationen und deliberativer Imperativ II. Thesen zu Deliberation und Gebietsreform III. Deliberation während der Eingemeindung IV. Deliberation nach der Eingemeindung V. Fazit Literatur Quellen

I. Ausgangslage: Demografie und Finanzen II. Funktional- und Gebietsreformen in Brandenburg III. Verfassungsrecht und Grundsatzfragen IV. Ausblick

I. Reformbedarf II. Konsequenzen III. Funktionalreformen IV. Bausteine einer umfassenden Verwaltungsmodernisierung V. Das Leitbild „Gemeinde der Zukunft“ VI. Freiwilligkeitsphase VII. Zukunftsvertrag zwischen Land und Kommunen VIII. Zur FAG-Änderung 2012 IX. Haushaltskonsolidierung und Kommunaler Haushaltskonsolidierungsfonds X. Kofinanzierungsfonds XI. Fazit

I. Verwaltungsmodernisierungsgrundsätzegesetz als Grundlage des Modernisierungsprozesses II. Kreis- und Gemeindegebietsreformen III. Neustrukturierung der Landkreise – Kreisgebietsreform IV. Gemeindegebietsreform V. Funktionalreformen

I. Staat und Kommunen: Ein Weg oder viele in Europa? II. Ausgangspunkte: Spielarten kommunaler Selbstverwaltung in Europa III. Reform der intergouvernementalen Beziehungen zwischen Dezentralisierung und Zentralisierung, Verstaatlichung und lokaler Autonomie IV. Entwicklungslinien: Reformen der intergouvernementalen Beziehungen in Deutschland, Frankreich und Großbritannien V. Europäische Kommunen zwischen Konvergenz und nationaler Eigenlogik. Und schließlich doch: Welche Rolle spielt die EU?

I. Einleitung II. Modelle kommunaler Selbstverwaltung im deutsch-französischen Vergleich III. Frankreich IV. Deutschland V. Ländervergleich VI. Fazit und Ausblick Literatur

I. Stellung und Funktion der deutschen Kommunen und ihrer kommunalen Selbstverwaltung II. Restriktionen III. Zusammenfassung Literatur

This study examines drug use behavior in a self-described sample of users. Comparisons are made between subjects whose only illicit drug use is marijuana and those who use both marijuana and other drugs. Data are from the DRUGNET study (1996, 1998, 1999), a multi-panel study conducted over the internet from 1996 - 1998. This sample was predominately white, male, young, and college educated. The majority of respondents were employed with incomes in the $50,000 - $60,000 (USD) range. A subset of respondents to the DRUGNET survey was selected for this analysis. Respondents had to be at least 18 years of age, a US citizen and report marijuana drug use (n = 283). The major finding from this study is that there were no significant differences between the two groups on any variable measured other than gender, household income and the age of onset of marijuana use. Women are more likely to report using marijuana alone while males are more likely to report using marijuana and other drugs. The individuals having low and middle class household income were more likely to report the use of marijuana and other drugs compared to the upper middles class income groups who were more likely to report the use of marijuana alone. After Bonferroni's adjustment was done, it was observed that the mean age of onset for the group who used marijuana alone was greater in comparison to the group who used marijuana along with other drugs. While this study is the first one to make this comparison and may have implications for drug education, policy, and treatment. The result obtained from this study may be an artifact of the study design and/or sample.

Obesity rates have aggressively climbed in both children and adults, and notably for particular ethnic and lower socioeconomic status groups. National data from 1999-2002 have shown that approximately one-half of African-American women were obese, as compared to one-third of Caucasian women. It has been substantiated that a significant portion of overweight or obese children will become obese adults, with a number of factors identified that may influence obesity in children including gender, ethnicity, and environment. This study analyzed secondary data from The Youth Behavioral Risk Factor Survey administered to students at BGHS to identify variations in body image for particular ethnic groups and gender. SPSS was used to analyze data descriptively and inferentially to test hypotheses. Results revealed that 54.9% of participants did not report their weight status accurately, with approximately 83.8% of those participants who reported their weight to be lower than their actual weight. However, participants were more accurate when assessing the weight status of others. Significant differences were detected between males and females on self-perceived weight status. Males were more likely to underestimate their weight status significantly more than females. Results also showed that significantly more females were trying to lose weight, as well as females using a greater number of weight loss strategies in the past 30 days. No significant ethnic differences in perception of weight status, nor in the accuracy of perceived versus actual weight status was detected. Number of and types of weight loss strategies did reveal significant differences for ethnicity, with American Indian, Biracial, and Caucasian groups using exercise more often as a weight loss strategy. There was no significant difference detected between immigrants versus non-immigrants related to accuracy of perceived weight status, although a significant difference was identified with immigrants more likely than non-immigrants to perceive their weight status as lower than actual weight. While previous studies have demonstrated a relationship between ethnicity and perceived body image, this study failed to do so. However, significant gender and immigrant differences in body image perception were detected in this study. Further study of the relationship between body image, gender, and ethnicity is essential.