Using Cultural Theory to Analyze the Metagovernance of the Nuclear Renaissance in Britain,France, and the United States

The governments of Britain, France, and the United States are seeking to promote renewed investment in nuclear power through metagovernance. Metagovernance describes the way governments can leverage state power and resources to shape the behavior of networked actors to advance policy goals. To metagovern, governments use a variety of policy tools but the factors shaping the design of these policy tools remains unclear. Grid‐group cultural theory is used to show that the design of the policy tools used in metagovernance reflects both an underlying cultural bias within government and prevailing institutional circumstances. The paper demonstrates the utility of cultural theory in the study of metagovernance.     

Are the LDCs really the world’s least developed countries?

The term ‘the least developed countries’ (LDCs) is widely understood to designate, exactly as stated, the world’s least developed countries. In conjunction with the 2015 United Nations (UN) triennial review of the LDC category, this article attempts to critically evaluate the UN’s list of LDC countries in the light of various indicators – economic, social, political, military and security related, and psychological. It concludes that the official and actual lists of LDCs, despite important similarities, are not completely identical. The term ‘the LDCs’ as used by the UN is therefore not fully consistent with the reality it attempts to designate and describe.     

The role of rural indebtedness in the evolution of capitalism

Few studies have attempted to systematize the broader consequences of ordinary indebtedness – the inevitable other side of credit. My purpose here is to suggest four preliminary theses on the role of indebtedness in the evolution of capitalism, with special reference to the rural sphere. I argue that across time and space, credit/debt relations have not only been a key factor behind social differentiation through the control of land, labour and capital (Thesis I). They have also fostered market discipline by forcing the borrower – whether a poor peasant or a company manager – to calculate, pay, trade, work, intensify (Thesis II). Interest-bearing and guarantee-based loans have thus generated pressures for economic growth, short-termism and innovations, but have also undermined traditional community bonds and environmental conditions (Thesis III). Through its remarkable reward-or-punish nature, the credit/debt couple represents a powerful mechanism of social selection that has, in the long run, crucially shaped the evolution of capitalism (Thesis IV).     

Inquiring into the political economy of oil palm as a global flex crop

Oil palm production and consumption, and the trade of its multiple commodities, have expanded exponentially in recent decades. This paper argues that this expansion will continue due to, and along with, the rise of ‘flexing’ among its increasing multiple uses, especially for more industrial and energy purposes. Oil palm has been extensively analysed in the context of land grabs and agrarian change, land conversion and deforestation. However, its nature as a flex crop remains unexplored, especially with respects to the convergence of global food, fuel and environmental crises. This paper provides a preliminary discussion of how oil palm fits in the flex-crop framework to analyse its enabling material and ideational bases, as well as who informs, decides and controls the nature of flexing. This is done through an analysis of the different roles played by state, corporate (private) and social actors in the flexing of oil palm across the globe. We conclude by drawing some implications for further research.     

The Albanian approach to municipal borrowing: From centralized control to market discipline

Local governments (LGs) in transitional countries face pressing infrastructure needs, which, given the severe shortcomings of traditional funding, make a strong case for debt financing. This article explores the case study of Albania, using document analysis and interviews with mayors, civil servants, citizens and investors. We go beyond an analysis of technical aspects (macroeconomic conditions and legal constraints on borrowing) to include ‘soft’ elements (political and managerial issues, attitudes of key actors), with the aim of highlighting the approach adopted under current policies and the approach that should be adopted. Favorable macroeconomic conditions and the completeness of the legal framework have motivated policy‐makers to choose the market model. Their aim is to develop the financial market rapidly; however, the development of sound management systems at the local level is largely ignored. We argue that the role of managerial capacities, public accountability and professional mechanisms is not adequately taken into account. Future policies need to make the best use of some early experiences of public participation and build upon the extensive training in accounting and auditing issues provided to local civil servants in order to exploit other models of municipal borrowing control. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

社会主义社会产生和发展的两种方式与马克思主义意识形态建设——从马克思主义革命理论的产生到科学发展观的形成

社会意识形态在漫长的形成和发展中,往往都经历社会发展的“常态”与“非常态”的发展过程。当代中国社会主义的意识形态建设,无论是从外部资本主义的发展,还是中国内部社会主义的发展来分析,已进入了一个“常态”发展阶段。与19世纪马克思主义产生的外部和内部环境、20世纪社会主义产生和发展的世界环境不同,当代社会主义不仅面对着资本主义的常态化发展,而且面对着自身的常态化发展。社会主义的意识形态建设,必须正视这些方面的“常态”内容,充分吸收这些常态化的制度建设、社会建设的成果,作为意识形态建设的基础和根基。当代中国共产党思想理论建设取得的成果———科学发展观正是以此为基点的建设性收获。     

经济全球化:发展中国家的机遇与挑战

经济全球化已成为不可阻挡的世界性潮流,不管我们喜欢它也好,不喜欢它也好,它都实实在在地影响和改变着我们的生活,任何国家、民族都无法独立于经济全球化之外.由于经济全球化是资本主义主导下的历史进程,是资本主义生产方式的必然延伸,因此,广大的发展中国家在这一过程中处于相对不利的地位,面临较大困难.但它们必须成为这个过程的一部分,抓住机遇、迎接挑战,扬长避短、趋利避害.此外别无选择.     

"妇女与发展":印尼的妇女非政府组织

本文考察了印尼妇女运动的发展过程,以及在此过程中印尼妇女非政府组织与妇女的社会动员所扮演的角色、起到的作用以及面临的各种问题.通过揭示印尼既定政治环境中妇女非政府组织、妇女的社会动员与妇女运动之间复杂的互动与联系,本文尝试对"妇女与发展"问题在印尼的表现进行初步的勾勒与分析.     

广西北部湾经济区与东盟国家的经贸合作

广西北部湾经济区是中国与东盟之间唯一既有陆地接壤又有海上通道的区域,连接着中国和东盟两个市场,区位优势非常明显。随着中国与东盟国家经济的进一步发展,广西北部湾经济区与东盟国家经贸合作正面临前所未有的发展机遇。     

Policy Changes on Canada's Rivers: Different but not Isolated

I address two questions in this article. First, how do policy changes in Canada differ from those in the United States? Second, are such changes isolated from American influence? I argue that Canadian policy changes will be more driven by subnational bureaucrats, more dependent upon fortuitous alignments of interests and institutions, and less quickly emulated by other jurisdictions than policy changes in the United States. I will also argue that policy changes in Canada are not completely isolated from those in the United States, not given the ability of ideas to cross international borders to change the framing of issues. I examine these arguments in the context of changing river management policies in British Columbia and Ontario.