Response to Chemin and to Pitt

We reply to the discussion and criticisms of Matthieu Chemin (MC) and Mark Pitt (MP) to our paper ((Duvendack and Palmer-Jones (DPJ)) (all this issue). MC clarifies many issues which now make replication pure probable (but not yet achieved), and MP identifies a number of problems with DPJ (some of which are shared with Chemin, 2008). Chemin (2008) made at least one crucial undocumented and unrealistic assumption, and did not document many of his variable constructions. MP correctly identifies inappropriate members of control groups, and other problems, but his claim that his propensity score matching (PSM) results provide support for Pitt and Khandker's (1998 – PnK) most important claim is misleading as it is not robust. We see no reason to change our conclusion that PnK is limited as an evaluation of microfinance by a weak research design which cannot be convincingly mitigated by the sophisticated methods used in PnK, or by PSM.     

瑞典要率先告别"石油经济"

油价一路攀升,让长期以来使用燃油供暖的瑞典人,为度过2005年这个特别寒冷的冬天付出了不菲的代价.正当人们望"油"兴叹时,瑞典政府在近期宣布,要在2020年告别"石油经济",成为全球第一个不依赖石油的国家.     

Cruelty to Animals and Violence to People

The topic of animal cruelty has been largely neglected by criminological researchers. However, studies suggest that children who are cruel to animals disproportionally tend to be violent to people later in life. Case histories of serial killers and mass murderers suggest that many were cruel to animals in their childhood. Furthermore, it is argued that cruelty to animals in a family tends to be associated with domestic violence, child abuse, and elder abuse. Unfortunately, much of the previous research was based on small, unrepresentative samples, with poor or no control samples and retrospective information. Prospective longitudinal surveys of large representative samples are needed. Family based prevention programs might be effective in reducing cruelty to animals, but experimental evaluations of such programs are required. The time is ripe for a major research program to advance knowledge about the causes and prevention of animal cruelty and its implications for criminology.     

日本派兵赴伊意欲何为

2003年12月9日下午,日本政府连续召开安全保障会议以及临时内阁会议,最终以内阁决议的形式,正式确定了向伊拉克派遣自卫队的基本计划.在身为日本援伊政策的中心人物的外交官遇害身亡尸骨未寒之际,朝野各界尚且论争纷纭之时,日本匆忙之中的断然举动,彰显出其中蕴涵着耐人寻味的战略意图.     

网络游戏成瘾对青少年越轨行为的加剧及对策

近年来,青少年网络游戏成瘾的现象越来越严重。这种现象又对青少年越轨行为起到了加剧作用。青少年网络游戏成瘾具有内部、外部两个方面的原因。因此我们也应从这两个方面采取措施,实施对策,以保证青少年的健康成长,以预防更多青少年犯罪的发生。     

Free to choose,free to win,free to lose: the phenomenology of ethical space

This paper argues that, contrary to some points of view, most public administrators have sufficient discretion to act ethically; they have ‘ethical space’ within field constraints. This conclusion is arrived at by way of a theoretical perspective called phenomenology. Along the way we describe this orientation and try to show its relevance to practitioners.     

China's provincial diplomacy to Africa: applications to health cooperation

There is a prevailing view of China as a unitary actor in its relationships with African countries. This view is incomplete: on the contrary, China is a collection of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities with myriad strategic ties to African countries, with decentralization shaping the current form of Chinese government and its level of efficiency. In this paper, factors have been explored for why Chinese provinces have played a role in foreign cooperation in health of African countries, in addition to trade and foreign direct investment. Incentives and disincentives for Chinese provinces to engage internationally in foreign cooperation and health assistance have been identified. The concept of paradiplomacy for health has been presented and this typology has been applied to the example of Chinese medical teams. Finally, we draw linkages between China and other members of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.     

From Communism to Confucianism: China's Alternative to Liberal Democracy

Buoyed by its creditor's hold on the United States and its ability to withstand the harsh winds of recession blowing from across the Pacific, China has graduated in its own mind from an emerging economy to a world power. From their confrontation with Google to their renewed repression of dissidents to their dissing of President Obama, China's leaders clearly feel that the time has come for the world to accomodate China, not vice‐versa. Is the West ready for this new reality? Is China's new arrogance well‐founded, or is it going to be the next bubble to burst? As it moves beyond “the primary stage of socialism” is it ready to open up politically? In this section, some top China scholars, one of China's most well‐known dissidents and a former US spy chief discuss these issues.     

海外侨胞积极为推动祖国经济发展做贡献

改革开放以来,中国的综合国力和国际影响不断提升.据统计,从1978-2004年,中国GDP年均增长9.4%,已成为世界第六大经济体.祖国的发展壮大,为海外侨胞创造了特有的发展机遇.