Why can't development be managed more like a funeral? Challenging participatory practices

The adoption of techniques to elicit community participation in development practice is an important step forward. The question remains whether this is sufficient for development outcomes that accord with the aspirations of ‘participants’. Community perceptions are somewhat different, as our own conclusions demonstrate. We have developed a ‘methodology of inclusiveness’, based on community institutions which embed collective social action in everyday life. We use the analogy of funerals as collective action in which activities are planned, roles are demarcated, responsibilities are assigned, and desired outcomes are realised. We ask the question: why can't development be managed more like a funeral?     

The problem of gender quotas: women's representatives on Timor-Leste's suku councils

This article examines the experiences of women occupying reserved seats on the suku councils of Timor-Leste (each of which represents a number of small villages). The limited political participation of these women is often ascribed to patriarchal ideas within rural areas, and the need for capacity development. This article argues, however, that there are further structural issues at play, whereby the interaction between traditional and modern governance makes it difficult for women occupying reserved seats to make their mark. While gender quotas can be a useful tool to encourage women's political participation, these structural issues need to be recognised and addressed in order to truly empower women.     

Good intentions are not enough: French NGO efforts at democracy building in Cameroon

NGOs have traditionally had little scope to bring about political reform in developing countries. This was certainly true of French development NGOs (NGDOs) operating in Cameroon during the early post-colonial decades. This situation changed in 2002 when French NGDOs, with support from the French state and Cameroonian civil society, initiated a multi-actor consultative programme (the PCPA), aiming to build democracy in Cameroon. This article traces the origins of the PCPA, assesses its achievements, and explains why the programme failed. It then identifies key lessons and asks whether the PCPA represents a useful model for French NGOs and donor states.     

司法能动的软法之治

随着现代社会的转型,司法者需要在司法过程中发挥司法能动性,但过分司法能动又会损害司法权的地位。治理司法能动的手段可以是硬法,但更多的是软法。软法治理就是要通过普遍认同的方式来谋取司法裁量的正当性,并寻求多种治理路径,通过建立一定的软法保障机制,发挥软法的＂软约束力＂,推动司法目标的实现。     

权利能力概念的形成和变迁

为了表达法律人（Person）承担权利的资格这种属性,实现法律概念的精确化,德国学者提出了权利能力的概念。然而,由于权利的意志之力本质和无意志者的权利能力之间的矛盾以及权利能力平等和权利能力限制之间的矛盾,权利能力概念的内涵处于不断变化之中。总体来看,权利能力概念的形成使得法律人的概念解体了,人的要素分化为人格、权利能力等个别的制度。而权利能力在本质上仅仅是法律人在实证法上的一种属性。     

政府创新的类型与特征——基于“中国地方政府创新奖”获奖项目的多案例研究

尽管关于中国地方政府创新积累了大量案例研究,但关于政府创新的属性、特征与类型的认识和理解仍然有待于进一步深化。利用"中国地方政府创新奖"五届共计100多个入围项目的内容分析,对中国地方政府创新的类型、特征与分布进行了经验研究。分析显示,管理创新、服务创新与合作创新是中国地方政府创新的主要类型,而技术创新与治理创新的重要性在逐步提升。东部地区的地方政府获得创新美誉的比例多于西部地区,其次是中部地区。党政机构仍然是中国地方政府创新的主力军,越来越多的社会团体和非营利组织也在加入创新的队伍。相比其他行政层级,地市和区县政府的创新精神更强。     

过去10年的中国地方政府改革——基于中国地方政府创新奖的评价

依据中国地方政府创新奖创办以来五届申请项目的资料,辅以问卷调查,对过去10年来中国地方政府创新的若干问题进行了讨论。这些问题包括中国地方政府创新的现实性、创新的分布、创新的类型、创新的动力和可持续性以及创新的影响力。研究发现,必须从中国社会政治发展的总体背景出发来审视丰富多彩的地方政府创新。这些创新多是从问题出发的,是对现有体制的充实和发展。但是,创新分布于不同的层级和部门,所以其对整体制度的影响也会由于层级、部门之间的矛盾而受到削弱。     

整体治理:现代警务机制创新的必然逻辑

"整体治理"是在对传统科层官僚制、新公共管理改革模式进行反思和扬弃的基础上形成的全新治理模式,是现代警务机制改革的必然逻辑和理想选择。其改革途径包括:发展整体服务型警务,深化公安大部制改革,建立"内联外协"式整体作战警务模式,运用信息技术建设及加强组织间协调,完善信息主导警务等方面。     

善治视角下的政府体制改革

善治作为一种全新的治理理念,已经逐步地打入中国市场,不断被学者及当局研究并予以尝试。从1949年建国之初开始至今,为适应新时代各个方面的发展,我国进行了多次政府体制改革。本文立意从政府治理的角度出发,把善治的理论运用于政府体制改革的研究过程中来,力图寻求一种基于善的视角下,更具有现实性、科学性和中国特色的政治体制。     

Open source software (OSS) governance in the organisation

Going into the century's second decade, Open Source Software (OSS) is ubiquitous. But there remains a disconnect between OSS use and its effective management. In order to ensure that OSS is used in a way which complies with relevant licence requirements and reduces risk (for example, of adverse action from the OSS community and IP leakage through unintended application of the ‘copyleft’ terms of the GPL2); organisations should consider putting in place an effective OSS governance mechanism. OSS governance should take account of the people context, seeking to get buy-in from all stakeholder groups inside and outside the organisation. The high-level OSS strategy should then be agreed between the stakeholders, consistently with other statements of operational strategy. The next level down is the OSS policy statement, which should be clear, brief, event-driven, able to settle 80% of OSS decisions arising day to day and set out what information is to be collected and tracked. Finally, appropriate processes should be put in place to take the strain of OSS governance. Organisations should consider appointing an Open Source Compliance Officer and acquiring a software based indicator tool enabling a number of key governance processes (code review, setting agreed ‘do's and dont's’) to be automated.