The dual governing system of the People's Republic of China

The dual governing system of the People's Republic of China has proved to be an effective way to cope with the extraordinary problems of managing a polity on the massive scale of China. Because it is unusual in the world today, perhaps even unique, it is important to clarify how the present order came about and how it functions. Some outsiders may unthinkingly assume that the Chinese government operates as the power governing the country. But in the People's Republic of China, the government is in fact the outward and visible face of the governance system. Behind (and above) the government is the Communist Party of China. The Party now has around 85 million members, between 5% and 6% of the population. This group defines the political class in today's China and functions as a leadership oligarchy. The Party determines policy and oversees appointments at all levels of public service. These officials are in fact in charge, dominating their government counterparts through the dual system of governance. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Interdisciplinary problem solving workshops for grizzly bear conservation in Banff National Park,Canada

We used the policy sciences as an organizing framework for a series of workshops with stakeholders in Banff National Park on “Interdisciplinary problem solving for grizzly bear conservation and management.” In recent years, bear conservation efforts in this region have been hindered by acrimonious disputes about the production and use of scientific knowledge in management. The workshops introduced the policy sciences as a means of thinking more effectively about problems, and encouraged participants to use this approach to develop innovative solutions to the problems of grizzly bear conservation. Each workshop addressed different aspects of the policy sciences framework: (i) Standpoint Clarification; (ii) Problem Orientation; (iii) Social Process Mapping; and (iv) Decision-Process Mapping. In this article, we discuss the design and outcomes of the workshops and assess their effectiveness in integrating knowledge to find common ground.     

What not to wear and other stories: addressing religious diversity in schools

This article considers the position of religion in schools in England and Wales in light of the recent decision in The Queen on the application of SB v Headteacher and Governors of Denbigh High School. This held that the refusal to allow a pupil to wear the jilbab was a breach of her rights under the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms 1950 and the Human Rights Act 1998. It contrasts approaches based on human rights principles with those based on discrimination law principles, highlighting overlap and inconsistency between both the definitions applicable to different forms of discrimination and the position of teachers and pupils. It concludes that the law is in urgent need of rationalisation to provide consistency.     

One Love Too Many: The Undoing of Pauline Hanson

This paper focuses on desire and its animating force in the Pauline Hanson One Nation Party. Examining the symbolic logic underpinning the rapport between Pauline Hanson and her constituency, it explores the connection between forms of love and forms of political organisation. Locating the implosion of One Nation within the context of Hanson's failure to sustain the love-bonds of a totalitarian leader with her/his followers, it argues that the lack of democracy within One Nation was not a cause of its failure. The desire animating One Nation was for an autocratic leader and the totalitarian structure of One Nation posed no obstacle to the movement's fortunes until love shifted the libidinal field.