Political Violence and the Illicit Economies of West Africa

This comparative analysis draws on field research in several West African countries to illustrate the dynamic relationships between political violence and organized crime in this sub-region. These relationships are often transactional, and almost always on a temporary basis. While some alliances of convenience may be forged, in other cases an adversarial relationship exists between organized crime and terrorist networks. In some cases, key actors within West African governments have benefited from these relationships. We then examine recent policies and strategies pursued by the U.S. and the international community that, in the name of combating terrorism, seek to constrain the illicit economies of the region, but in doing so may do more harm than good. The article concludes with some policy recommendations based on this analysis.     

Potential,freedom and space: reflections on Agamben’s potentialities in the West Bank

A special kind of infrastructure has emerged around the West Bank, which lays bare Israel's capacity to spatialise its colonial power and to constantly solidify its presence. Reading these spatial devices through Agamben's work, this paper proposes a reflective attempt to read this site of contemporary occupation through a “resistant” lens as a novel take on Agamben's spatial topology and political aesthetics. The paper offers preliminary remarks on the search for alternative theoretical construction of Agamben “potentialities”. The paper allow speculations on the heterotopian nature of Israeli produced infrastructures, perceived at once as actualised potentials in space, and spaces of potential.     

Corruption and Economic Development in West African Economic and Monetary Union （UEMOA）

The theoretical and empirical debate on the effects of corruption on economic development is unclear. Available cross-country evidence suggests that the impact of corruption on economic development may be either positive or negative. It is widely assumed that the struggle against corruption is essential for economic growth. However, corruption is clearly a multidimensional concept, encompassing a variety of discrete components. The author reviews the theory underlying these different causal mechanisms linking corruption to economic growth, and provides an introduction to some outstanding measurement issues. This paper takes a critical look at the effect of corruption on economic development in West African Economic and Monetary Union （UEMOA）. The major results of the investigation indicate that all UEMOA countries are corrupt according to the variables of the Worldwide Governance Indicators （WGI）. UEMOA countries have a deficiency to control corruption, so they need to improve their system of control. As a result, the fight against corruption is still a necessary job for all of UEMOA people.     

中西诚信伦理的主要差异

中西方对“诚信”的研究和应用有悠远的历史,并在目前的企业管理中有成功的实践。从各自发展历史看,中国传统的道德诚信与西方文化中的道德诚信具有基本相同的内涵和要求,但由于社会制度和文化传统的差异,在具体的理解上,两者存在着实质性的区别,并由此影响了不同文化背景下诚信行为表现特征上的差异。     

Economic voting in multi-level contexts: Evidence from Kerala and West Bengal in India

What determines electoral support for national incumbent parties and state-level challengers in sub-national pro-poor contexts? Based on survey data from the Indian states of Kerala and West Bengal, collected prior to the 2019 national election, we find that voters were more (less) inclined to vote for the sub-national incumbent relative to the national incumbent if their household economic conditions were perceived to have improved (deteriorated) relative to national economic conditions. Our findings indicate that voters in these settings correctly assume that the sub-national incumbent cannot be held responsible for changes in national economic conditions, but, at the same time, the existence of a strong welfare state at the sub-national level creates expectations that the sub-national government is responsible for personal welfare. Hence, the national election is used to assess the economic performance of both the sub-national and the national incumbent.     

西部行政执法环境与舆论监督互动关系研究

西部行政执法环境的改善离不开媒体的舆论监督。然而舆论监督与行政执法环境既存在一致性,也存在不协调性。行政执法机关与新闻媒体之间应建立信任与合作的互动关系,促成行政机关、媒体与大众之间充分的交流与沟通,进而形成良性的舆论监督环境,最终达到宣传执法形象,化解执法矛盾,促进执法效率,实现西部行政执法环境的良性发展。     

芥川龙之介的杭州之行——一个大正西湖梦的破灭

1921年,日本大正时代代表作家芥川龙之介应大阪每日新闻社之邀请赴中国旅行考察,撰写了《中国游记》,其中以不小的篇幅记录了他的杭州之行。本文从“中国趣味”和西湖景观在日本历史中的特殊地位以及二十世纪早期杭州现代化进程等方面探讨芥川的浪漫西湖梦及其破灭的原因。究其根本,芥川对西湖乃至近代中国的批评．也是对西化日本的反思,中国之行成为他探寻传统回归本我的重要媒介。西湖梦的破碎其实流露了芥川内心对日本背离传统一味模仿西方的失望。     

文化软实力与西部民族文化生态建设

西部地区民族文化生态的保护和开发是关系到西部经济的可持续发展、民族团结和社会稳定的大事。提升我国和西部文化软实力,事关中华民族本土文化的传承与复兴。西部民族文化生态与经济建设、精神文明建设、民族团结、文化创新都有着密切关系。加强西部民族文化生态的保护和文化建设,树立文化新思维,从提升文化软实力的战略高度,要高度重视西部民族文化生态实施的开发与保护,并建立和完善相应的法律制度。     

The Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina and nation building by Muslims/Bosniaks in the Western Balkans

The disintegration of the former Yugoslavia posed challenges for the universal concept of the Yugoslav Muslim nation for which several development paths were imaginable under the new circumstances. The concept of Bosniakdom, which was initially developed to address the Muslims of Bosnia and Herzegovina, gradually grew to become a new and coherent national program to include all the Muslims of former Yugoslavia, primarily due to its new pan-Bosniak orientation. The present article traces the conceptual history of the national ideas of Muslimdom versus Bosniakdom within the former Yugoslav states, as well as the conceptual and institutional history of the pan-Bosniak idea and movement during the 1990s and 2000s. It does this by emphasizing the decisive role the Official Muslim Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina played in their development and divulgence. This article claims that, contrary to some expectations, the strategy of internationalization and universalization of the hitherto territorial concept of Bosniakdom toward Muslims in neighboring countries during the second half of 1990s and 2000s was closely linked to the idea of the construction of the Bosniak national state. It also proposes that the evolution of Bosniakdom into pan-Bosniakdom during that time primarily followed concerns related to that goal.     

西部大开发经济报道热中的理性思考

西部大开发中的经济报道,是当今新闻报道的重心之一。西部大开发既要利用现有条件与相关优势,更要调整产业结构、发展市场体制、重视管理与人才、发挥中小企业的重要作用。本文试图梳理目前经济报道中的热点与不足之处,并提出相应的报道对策。