Socio-political tensions in Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) development in low-income Asian cities

International development agencies, with the help of the central government, support building state of art Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in low-income Asian cities. However, BRT investment over indigenous modes of mobility is creating socio-political tensions at the local level. This article uses multi-level governance as a theoretical lens to examine the relationships among actors in BRT investment decisions in Bandung and Surabaya, Indonesia. The research finds that local stakeholders can distort national and supranational policy initiatives totally or in a way that while projects are delivered, they are of limited use to the local communities they intended to help.     

Shaking off the neoliberal shackles: “democratic emergence” and the negotiation of democratic knowledge in the Middle East North Africa context

ABSTRACT

There is a general assumption in democracy promotion that liberal democracy is the panacea that will solve all political and economic problems faced by developing countries. Using the concept of “good society” as analytical prism, the analysis shows that while there is a rhetorical agreement as to what the “good society” entails, democracy promotion practices fail to allow for recipients’ inclusion in the negotiation and delivery of the “good society”. Contrasting US and Tunisian discourses on the “good society”, the article argues that democracy promotion practices are underpinned by neoliberal parameters borne out from a reliance on the transition paradigm, which in turn leave little room to democracy promotion recipients to formulate knowledge claims supporting the emergence of alternative conceptions of the “good society”. In contrast, the article opens up a reflective pathway to a negotiated democratic knowledge, which would reside in a paradigmatic change that consists in the abandonment of the transition paradigm in favour of a “democratic emergence” paradigm.     

对社区侵财型案件多发现象的分析

城市社区侵财型案件呈现出多发态势,成为影响社会治安秩序的一个突出问题。导致此类案件多发的原因主要包括社会原因、群众自身防范能力不足以及公安机关在实施社区警务战略方面存在着一定问题等。公安机关只有发挥主观能动性,通过提高群众的防范意识、转变打防观念、创新警务模式等措施,才能最大限度地减少社区侵财型案件的发生。     

俄远东地区2001年工业运行浅析

工业是俄罗斯远东地区的主导经济部门。2001年远东工业仍未走出低谷,但有的工业部门生产已出现恢复性增长。按部门概述远东工业生产运行状况,指出存在的问题及成因,以探讨解决问题的途径。     

东盟东增长区的发展与引资成效

自20世纪90年代初以来,东盟次区域经济合作非常活跃,先后出现了新加坡、马来西亚柔佛和印尼的廖内群岛等组成的"新柔廖增长三角",又被称为"东盟南增长三角";印尼、马来西亚、泰国相邻部分组成的"东盟北增长三角";文莱、印尼、马来西亚和菲律宾相邻部分组成的"东盟东部经济增长区(简称东盟东增长区)"等.这些由东盟各国自愿组成的各种增长三角已成为东盟进行合作的重要形式,促进了东盟各国间经济联系和相互合作,带动了贸易和投资的发展.本文选取东盟区域内最大的、最年轻的东盟东增长区,分析其带动资本流动的效果,探讨其发展成效.     

转变治理理念 构建和谐社区——试析社区治理中的居民参与问题

社区治理的主体既包括政府部门,也包括社区自治组织和居民个人。在以往的社区治理模式中,都过分强调政府的作用而忽视了居民个人对社区公共政策的参与,这就造成了当前我国城市社区中居民参与水平低下、参与机制缺乏的状况。因此,采取积极稳妥的政策措施,转变政府治理理念,改进治理模式,全面理顺政府与社区关系,为居民参与社区治理创造有利条件,大力构建和谐有效的社区治理体系乃是当务之急。     

试论构建“东亚共同体”的思想文化基础——从历史启迪与未来追求的视角

创建共同合作、协同发展的“东亚共同体”,业已成为不可抗拒的发展趋势。历史事实证明:东亚地区是世界历史上最早“一体化”的区域;它既有成功的、进步的古代“东亚文化圈”,也有反动的、失败的近代“大东亚共荣圈”,还有设想中的“东亚共同体”。然而,现实中的“历史认识问题”,是直接关系到“东亚共同体”能否迅速建立的前提条件。为促进未来“东亚共同体”区域内的沟通和交流,需要在汉字的基础上创建共通文字,这不是复旧,而是与时俱进的创新。当人们思考构建“东亚共同体”时,在普遍关注经济协作的情况下,尤应重视思想文化观念的问题,因为东亚各国间的政治的、经济的、外交的问题,不能光靠政治的、经济的、外交的手段来解决,而确实需要从思想文化观念方面去寻求解决问题的办法。     

文明论:东北亚研究的新视角

作为东北亚区域研究重要的理论架构,文明理论可以帮助我们打破传统的东亚文明“浑然一体论”的束缚,进一步理解东北亚区域文明的基础构造,把握东北亚区域文明结构体系内部“中心—边缘”间复杂的互动关系,处理好国别研究和区域文明整体研究之间的关系,在比较中加深我们对东北亚区域的理解。     

Community-managed rice banks: lessons from Laos

Rice banks are increasingly used in South-East Asia as a means of addressing seasonal food crises facing poor communities. Despite general agreement about the effectiveness of community-managed rice banks in improving food security, there has been almost no research into their effectiveness in reaching the poorest, or the prospects of sustainability linked to regular repayments of rice. Concern Laos sought to answer these questions through community mobilisation, forming rules and regulations to encourage the participation of the poorest, developing simple tools and procedures in line with existing community capacity, and building greater community capacity. Other challenges remain, such as changing the prevailing ‘relief’ mentality, ensuring women's participation, and establishing regular savings schemes, in order to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of the rice banks.     

构建与新型社区管理相匹配的警务机制

针对基层派出所防范管理主业还未完全凸显,基础工作信息体系还未完全构筑,群防群治网络还未合理严谨的问题,应通过着力推进社区治安巡访机制,强化情报信息和人口管理意识,以构建群防群治网络,严密基层的阵地控制,整治治安问题突出地区,继而调整管理防范的薄弱部位,实施新型社区警务战略。