冷战后德国对东南亚地区的公共外交探析

两德统一后,鉴于自身实力进一步增强,德国开始在亚太地区加大外交战略部署和投入。为使国家利益最大化,德国在亚洲各国大力经营公共外交战略,特别是在冷战后经济高速增长、地缘政治地位凸显的东南亚国家。德国积极开展与东南亚的公共外交首先是出于自身经济利益的考虑,其次是想通过插手东南亚事务提升国际话语权与制衡中国影响力。德国对东南亚地区的公共外交主要表现为以下几个特点:通过履行企业社会责任传播企业文化;通过国际教育合作培养亲德人才;通过落实对外援助措施彰显大国担当。德国对东南亚开展公共外交势必对中国产生影响:加剧东南亚地区形势的复杂性;增大"一带一路"倡议推进的压力,且有可能损害中国与东南亚国家之间的战略互信。对此,中国需要借鉴德国经验,加强在东南亚的软实力建设,并注意谋划与德国有共同利益的外交活动,促进中德间的良性互动以及在东南亚各国更深层次的合作。     

东南亚国家经济外交的策略研究

一般认为,小国在外交领域很难有大的作为,所谓"弱国无外交"就是这一思维定式的简单表述。不过,在观察当代国际事务时,我们经常可以看到小国凭借其在自然资源、地理位置以及联合成立组织等方面的优势发挥其外交能量。通过巧妙利用大国对地区主导权的竞争,小国不但可以从中收获经济利益,而且还能实现一定的政治、安全利益。本文通过分析东南亚各国在多边国际组织、自由贸易协议、次区域合作等实践领域中的经济外交行为,总结了其中的经济外交策略及其启示。     

英国东南亚特派员与粮食供应(1946-1948)

太平洋战争结束后,重返东南亚的英国试图全面重建战前的殖民统治.鉴于战后东南亚地区普遍的粮食危机已导致一定的社会、政治危机和外交困境,英国政府派遣凯勒恩勋爵为东南亚特派员主管东南亚地区的粮食供应并促进东南亚区域经济合作.自1946年3月16日至1948年3月27日,凯勒恩勋爵召集了一系列会议,组建了各地的联络机构,疏通粮食供应的交通渠道,促进粮食生产,并同东南亚主要产粮国(本文仅论暹罗)展开外交联系以保证英属东南亚地区的粮食进口.特派员的工作在一定程度上缓解了东南亚粮食危机,促进了东南亚各国的战后重建,为英国在该地区的经济与防务合作战略开辟了道路.     

浅析奥巴马政府的东南亚外交

"9·11"事件后,美国在全球反恐战争的大背景下"重返"东南亚.但是,由于美国的东南亚外交缺乏连贯、全面的战略安排以及政策上的失误,美国在该地区的战略影响力不升反降.奥巴马政府上台以来,在确保其东南亚战略利益和战略目标基本不变前提下的,在"巧实力"外交理念的指导下,全面介入该地区的各项事务.美国在东南亚外交上的调整必将对该地区权力格局的演变及地区安全秩序的塑造产生重大影响.     

东盟“大国平衡外交”在南海问题上的运用

"大国平衡外交"是指不排除大国在东南亚的存在和影响,利用各大国的优势、它们之间的矛盾以及它们对权力的追求,主动与其发展政治、经济、安全等全方位关系;同时,防止任何大国的势力过于强大,以实现大国在东南亚的势力均衡,维护地区安全与稳定。近年来持续升温的南海争议业已成为中国与某些东盟成员国乃至整个东盟组织之间政治和安全关系发展的最大障碍,也成为东盟成员国对中国加大实施大国平衡外交的重点平台之一。东盟组织与其成员国对于大国平衡外交的侧重点不尽相同。目前,南海问题中呈现出的关注力量国际化、解决方法复杂化和权利诉求法理化,都对中国一向秉持的"搁置争议、共同开发"这一和平解决南海问题的方针提出了严峻挑战。     

小/弱国的“大国平衡”外交机理与菲律宾的中美“再平衡”

与大国相比,小/弱国是一种独特的国际行为主体,其外交政策要与自身的实力地位和国家利益相一致。面对两个存在一定竞争或对抗关系的大国,小/弱国通常采取"大国平衡"外交,而这种外交具有不同于大国视角的内在机理。杜特尔特当选菲律宾总统之后,对中国和美国的态度截然不同,也迥异于上届政府,似乎呈现一种"亲中疏美"的趋势。实际上,杜特尔特政府不过是试图从上一届政府的对美"选边"倾向向"大国平衡"回调,其主要原因在于菲律宾的首要任务是发展经济、中美地区影响力的消长和杜特尔特的鲜明个性,基本目标是维护外交自主、谋求中国的经济帮助和维持大国平衡状态。在可预见的未来,在这种"大国平衡"外交框架下,美菲同盟仍将继续得到维持,但两国互信可能有所降低,菲律宾将减少对美国的防务依赖。     

中国的东南亚外交再思考

在21世纪的中国地缘外交中,处于首要地位的应该是东南亚外交.只有中国和东南亚整体关系达到高度稳定和高度互信的状态,中国和平发展的周边环境才会得到充分的保障.在今天,内政中有外交,外交中有内政的观点已为世人所公认,而中国和东南亚的关系证明,传统意义上的内政和外交的边界更加模糊化.全球性金融危机所引起的大国合作趋势,有可能使东南亚的大国平衡战略失去效用,中国应该积极地推动大国关系与东南亚关系的和谐双赢.在东亚一体化的过程中,东亚大国和东南亚之间只有建立完全平等、互不从属基础上的合作,才能使东亚一体化朝着健康、积极的方向发展.     

小国的“大国平衡外交”机理与马来西亚的中美“平衡外交”

出于对本国实力地位和国家利益的考虑,小国在处理与大国的关系时通常选择"大国平衡外交",以最大限度地维护本国的利益。根据不同标准,小国的"大国平衡外交"具有不同的类型。此外,小国实施"大国平衡"需要具备一定的国内外条件。文章认为,划分国家大小(强弱)应基于"多维度-多因素"视角;中国周边和前苏联地区的小国常采取"大国平衡外交";不能将"均势"、"制衡"和"平衡外交"相混同。基于上述观点,文章探讨了小国的"大国平衡外交"机理和马来西亚对中美的"大国平衡外交"实践,分析了马来西亚"大国平衡外交"的动机、特点和条件,并从中得出一些对中国外交具有启示意义的结论。     

探索中国特色的大国经济外交

大国经济外交,是大国以权势转移、塑造世界秩序为首要目标的经济外交,其主要特征是拥有大国实力、大国意愿和大国影响。由于中国经济外交仍是以经济社会发展为首要目标,因此还不是完全意义上的大国经济外交。但中国具有实施大国经济外交的有利条件,特别是具备高效率运用经济实力的制度优势,以及义利并重的文明属性和丰富的历史文化传承。未来中国实施大国经济外交的战略,是逐步确立大国雄心和大国意识,加强战略规划和打造大国均势体系,因国施策实施精细外交,与金砖国家等协同实施"共同经济外交战略"。中国要稳健审慎使用实力资源,渐进推进大国经济外交。     

中美关系周期变化与东南亚国家的外交选择

从新中国成立到奥巴马政府上台之前,中美关系历经1949—1969年、1969—1989年和1989—2009年三个"20年周期",意识形态、地缘政治和经济相互依赖是中美关系这三个周期变化的重要因素。奥巴马政府提出"重返亚太"、"亚太再平衡",特朗普政府提出"美国优先"并掀起贸易战,中美关系再次陷入低谷,权力结构性矛盾使中美从战略竞争走向战略对抗的可能性增大,这表明中美关系实际上已处于2009—2029年第四个20年周期的关键时期。中美关系前三个20年的周期性变化对东南亚国家的外交选择具有十分重要的影响,具体体现在:按照意识形态"选边站";维护地缘安全;实施"大国平衡",推进经贸合作和区域一体化建设。在当前美国对中国采取战略对抗的形势下,东南亚国家坚持不"选边站"的立场会面临极大的挑战,中国需要思考其部分国家在极端情况下是否会重回"选边站"的问题。     

Locating Kaliningrad And KÖNigsberg In Russian And German Collective Identity Discourses And Political Symbolism In The 750Th Anniversary Celebrations Of 2005

This article begins by briefly exploring issues of conflict and control in relation to the 750th anniversary of the city of Kaliningrad/Königsberg. An analysis of the tensions between Russian regional (Kaliningrad) and national (federal) identity discourses on the political symbolism of the 750th anniversary commemoration is offered, using Russian media reports and interviews conducted in Kaliningrad. German narratives on the political symbolism of the anniversary events and their implications for German national identity discourses are investigated via interviews conducted in Kaliningrad and Germany, German media reports, books, films and a theater production about Königsberg. Particular attention is given to the impact of the German expellee organizations on framing the discourse about Königsberg in contemporary Germany. The article will conclude by comparing and contrasting the various discourses and interpretations of the anniversary in the Kaliningrad region, Russia and Germany.     

CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES AND THE TREATMENT OF PAKISTAN’S RELIGIOUS MINORITIES

Although Pakistan was created as a homeland for South Asia's Muslims, religious freedom was one of its founding principles. Seventy years later, Pakistan is better known for religious extremism and the persecution of Muslim and non-Muslim religious minorities. Pakistan's blasphemy law is a state-sanctioned tool of religious oppression used to target members of minority faith communities whether Ahmadiya, Christian, Hindu, or Shiite, as well as Sunnis who criticize the law. This paper discusses the blasphemy law and other laws that have led to the state of religious oppression in Pakistan.     

'Adorned with the Mix of Faith and Profanity that Intoxicates the People': The Festival of the Senhor do Bonfim in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, 1930–19541

This essay looks at a formative period in the history of the festival of the Senhor do Bonfim, one of Salvador's most important religious festivals. The essay focuses on the public ritual washing of the Church of Bonfim and the tensions between the Catholic Church, who periodically banned the washing from the larger festival, and a variety of historical actors including politicians, journalists, authors and working-class Salvadorans whose efforts eventually contributed to the lifting of the prohibition once and for all in 1953. The author suggests that the defence of the washing both reflected and contributed to a larger hegemonic process taking place in Salvador after 1930, as actors within Salvador's dominant class accepted and even praised Afro-Bahian cultural practices, including them as integral parts of a larger Bahian identity.     

The FBI's Role in Expelling Germans from Ecuador During the 1940s

The expulsion from Latin America of immigrants from axis countries and their descendants is an important but little‐studied episode of the Second World War. The role of the US, and in particular that of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), in their removal has largely disappeared from historical memory. This article examines how the FBI advanced US commercial interests, and in the process harmed vulnerable people who were subject to these expulsions.     

The Health of the Rurality: The Encuesta de Folklore and Popular Healing Practices in Tucumán, 1921

This article examines healing practices among the rural inhabitants of Tucumán in the opening quarter of the twentieth century through a reading of the 1921 National Folklore Survey. It argues that popular medical practices, referred to as curanderismos (popular healing), continued into the twentieth century not only as cultural practice of the popular classes but as necessity due to limited investments in public health in the rural regions on the part of the national and provincial government.     

INDIA’S DEMONETISATION: MODI’S ‘NUDGE’ TO CHANGE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR

This article offers an account of the impact of Indian PM Narendra Modi’s decision in November 2016 to withdraw suddenly all Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes from circulation in India with the avowed intent of combatting fraud, tax avoidance and other economic problems. The article assesses the impact from the demonetisation in November to the March 2017 Indian regional elections, where wide-scale victories for Modi’s political party, the BJP, appear to have vindicated his reforms. The article provides an analysis of the political background of the period, as well as looking at the economic and societal impact of the changes, including the way in which the behaviour of Indian citizens has been ‘nudged’ with particular regard to use of banking, transactions, social effects, and payment of tax.     

DROUGHT: THE ACHILLES HEEL OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN

Approximately 97% of the country is experiencing drought conditions. Due to gross water mismanagement and its damaging impact on the country, Iran faces the worst situation in water resources of any industrialized nation. Tens of thousands of villages have been deserted and most of the major urban centers have passed their limits to absorb new rural migrants. Some officials predict that in less than 25 years, 50 million Iranians would be displaced from their current homes because of the pressing ecological conditions. This is happening at the time that the gap between the grassroots and the state has widened and there is increasing dissatisfaction with governance plagued by corruption, nepotism, economic mismanagement, unaccountability and a foreign policy which has produced various regional and trans-regional adversaries. This paper evaluates the pressing ecological challenges in Iran and by conceptualizing political resilience it critically evaluates whether the Islamic Republic is prepared to face the devastating ecological crisis and its socio-economic consequences.