Remoteness as a gendered construct

This article explores the potential of using children’s perceptions of distance to reflect a gendered understanding of remoteness. Data collected from 1,549 children in Tanzania concerning their perceptions of remoteness in relation to accessibility of school, health care, and water resources were analysed in reference to their impact on school attendance and performance. Gendered variability in perceived distances to services by children may indicate that remoteness is as much of a social issue as it is a geographic phenomenon, in that girls perceive distance and time between home and destination to be further than boys who travel approximately the same distance.     

Why madrassah education reforms don’t work in Pakistan

Despite global pressure and national security concerns, the efforts of the Government of Pakistan to reform the madrassah system have proven to be futile. Extant literature on madrassah reform challenges relies overwhelmingly on information provided by governments and experts situated outside of these institutions. While these studies and reports present important findings and viable analysis on madrassah systems; most of the research fails to give voice to the major stakeholders of this system itself, such as the administration staff, teachers, students and parents. Our study fills this crucial gap by conducting semi-structured interviews and field observations inside Pakistani madaris (plural for madrassah) and their professional associations. We find that these madaris have been reluctant to participate in policy interventions offered by the government due to a major trust deficit brought on by differences over financial and curriculum regulation, degree recognition and the government’s role in shaping popular perceptions about madaris. This reluctance has turned down attempts for madrassah reformation and has in turn made them vulnerable to radicalisation. We conclude with policy recommendations for more effective government reforms and a stronger relationship between madrassah representatives and the Government of Pakistan.     

Democratization through education? Theory and practice of the Czech post-revolution education system and its reforms

The transformation process from an authoritarian/totalitarian system entails many institutional changes, however, the individual citizen is often being overlooked in this chaotic, fast-paced process and his or her “transformation” into a democrat is taken for granted. The changing socio-political system and its exigencies may lead to nostalgia and social frustrations, which in turn cause democratic backsliding. In order to cultivate a democratic society and avoid future backsliding, the post-communist states quickly set out to reform their educational systems, both in form and substance. By reviewing the reform process of the Czech educational system and discussing the prevailing legacies left by the communist regime, the article will show that through the “destruction” of the former system and its de-monopolization, decentralization and de-ideologization, the state deliberately lost significant means and power to transform Czechs from “homo sovieticus” to “homo democraticus” and is now left with a dependence on the highly autonomous schools and their propensity to foster democratic generations that will uphold the democratic state in the future. This paradox is reminiscent of the so-called Böckenförde dilemma, claiming that the liberal democratic state “lives by prerequisites which it cannot guarantee itself”.     

Accountability mechanisms in community-driven reconstruction in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

A lack of accountability is often considered a root cause of conflict. Many post-conflict reconstruction efforts therefore aim to enhance accountability between authorities and the population through community-driven reconstruction programmes. This article examines the accountability mechanisms in the Tushiriki community-driven reconstruction programme in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The ethnographic research found little impact of formal programme accountability. Rather, accountability was shaped differently and had its own context-specific meaning. To make accountability more sustainable, stronger embeddedness in local institutions and more appropriate translations of abstract concepts into the local context are needed.     

Meeting development goals: evidence from the Civil Society Education Fund

In recent years, the Civil Society Education Fund has supported national education civil society coalitions (NECs) in low-income countries so that they put pressure on governments and donors to implement the Education for All agenda and the Millennium Development Goal on education. This article draws on literature on global governance as well as on an extensive evaluation of the CSEF to explore the actual contribution of this initiative to the activity of NECs. The article highlights the achievements and shortcomings of the CSEF and includes a set of practical recommendations on the role of global civil society in international development processes.     

中国传统社会基层治理的法律机制与经验

基层社会治理对于整体社会治理起着重要的基础和支撑作用.在中国传统社会的基层治理中,形成了一套圆融自洽、顺利运行的法律机制,其中蕴含了我国在基层社会治理方面的宝贵经验.传统儒家法与道德相混成,一直将道德教化作为重要的社会治理手段,德治与法治相结合;而基层的自治制度,不论在立法还是司法上,都为国家法律体系的有机组成部分.中...     

我国事业单位制度变革的路向与策略——一个公共治理的分析框架

在公共治理框架下的我国事业单位变革的总体思路应该是统筹规划,全盘布局,分类改革,分立政策,分别引导,分层操作,通过深层次制度变革和配套政策引导,将现存的事业单位各自引导成长为不同的社会治理主体部分,从传统的一元治理模式(即政府管理社会事务)向多元治理模式(即政府、企业、第三部门共同治理社会事务)方向发展。其中公益性事业单位的改革是我国事业单位改革的重点和难点,要针对这类事业单位改革目标进行二次认定,区分为政立事业单位和社立事业单位,并设定各自的改革方向和变革路径。     

园艺园林类高职在校大学生创业现状调查及对策研究——以苏州农业职业技术学院为例

对园艺园林类高职在校大学生创业现状进行了调查,认为当前学生具有一定的创业意识,但缺乏主动性和学生创业能力、基本技能和实际参与能力方面还有待提高,并在此基础上提出相应对策。     

贵州省国有企业履行社会责任的展望和思考

工业强省战略实施以来，工业企业总体发展态势趋好，贵州众多国有企业纷纷投身社会责任实践，在责任意识、理论发展和实践效果上实现了“三个突破”，呈现出企业责任意识持续增强，利益相关方满意度持续增加，社会期望值持续增高和履责环境持续优化“三增一优”的阶段性特征。企业主动履责、政府引导激励、行业全力助推、社会共同参与“四位一体”的良好势头逐渐形成。     

高校实施通识教育的改进策略与措施

我国高校实施通识教育应从推广和普及通识教育理念、精心构建通识教育课程以及构建通识教育人才培养模式方面进行改进。具体措施包括成立专门机构协调安排通识课程;改革通识教育教学方法,推进学制、学分制改革;加强通识教育师资队伍建设,整合校内通识教育教学资源,利用校外资源,提高教学质量与效益;营造良好的校园文化氛围。