Death of Rationality: The Social Networks’ Factor in Policy Response to Ebola

The sociopolitical role of social networks in public decision-making is far from fully understood. Their fast-pace and elusive nature makes the situation fluid and therefore susceptible to rushed theorization. The emerging dominant view is that social networks increase mass political polarization. A new view proposes that social networks increase harmony and tolerance. By examining the role of social networks in the policy response to Ebola in the United States, this paper suggests that social networks play a dual role: increasing polarization around politically divisive issues and promoting tolerance regarding less contentious issues. The paper also expanded the definition of social networks to include online discussions forums. Using the public choice theory and its rational model as a frame of reference, the study focused on six online forums during the peak of Ebola scare, October 2014 through January 2015.     

Cuba: heading for a new development and political model – an introduction

Cuba, this iconic revolutionary island which has brought so much hope to the Third World and, at one point, worry for a nuclear World War III, is going through a process of change never seen since Fidel Castro led his revolutionary forces to triumph around New Year’s of 1959. Yet, 10 years into the change process, led by the younger Castro Raúl (now 85), nobody can really forecast where the country will end up in socio-economic and political terms. In this TWQ subsection, two economists and three political scientists – two Cubans and three European Cuba watchers – analyse the reforms and their possible outcome.     

Participation for What? A Policy-motivated Approach to Political Activism

Normatively and intuitively, we conceive of political participation as an integral component of democratic policymaking. However, research on participation generally does not include policy considerations as part of individuals’ decisions to engage in activism. I offer an opportunity model of participation that begins to study how policy goals shape individual participation and how aggregate participation shapes policymaking. The central argument is that individuals’ policy goals allow them to recognize those moments when it is most efficient and/or effective to take action. Examining black participation from 1980 to 1994, I show that black Americans are more likely to participate when they face external threats, are embedded in social networks, and have greater access to policymakers. Most importantly, the recognition of these opportunities varies according to individuals’ resources. This research moves beyond the discussion of who participates to address the equally fundamental question: participation for what?     

地方政府绩效评估的"南通模式":效应、瓶颈及努力方向

基于目标导向的地方政府绩效评估的“南通模式”具有十分明显的传递效应、导向效应和监督效应。同时,也存在着指标体系没有充分体现现代政府绩效评估的要求、政府绩效评估工作机制有待统一完善、政府绩效考核的方法和工具比较单一、政府绩效考核的结果运用不够全面等亟待消除的难点与瓶颈。完善基于目标导向的地方政府绩效评估模式的主要路径是：以科学发展观指导地方政府绩效评估、完善政府绩效评估工作机制、将政府绩效评估从技术方法提升到制度安排、深化地方政府绩效评估结果运用等。     

汇率水平、生产成本与贸易发展——基于动态博弈模型分析

该文基于动态博弈模型分析了一国汇率和产品生产成本变化对国内贸易和进出口贸易的影响,得出一国汇率与国内贸易和出口正相关,而产品生产成本与国内贸易和出口负相关,同时汇率对生产成本发挥作用的程度具有乘数效应的结论。充分认识这种关系有利于正确把握社会主义市场经济条件下的宏观调控方向,对中国实现经济又好又快发展意义重大。     

能源安全观与中欧对非能源 可持续开发模式比较

欧洲视非洲为其传统势力范围,在一体化进程中也始终将非洲作为其身份的外部对应,将其置于非常重要的地缘政治战略地位。过去十年来,非洲经济迅速发展,考虑到非洲大陆蕴涵着丰富的能源资源,欧盟日益关注在非洲的利益,通过倡导“可持续”能源开发理念,对非洲实施新的能源开发布局。新中国成立以来,中国同非洲一直保持着积极友好的合作关系,随着中国经济的崛起,非洲不仅成为中国能源安全多样化风险分担的重要地区,也是中国实施“走出去”战略的重要实验场所。中国援助非洲把资源优势转化为经济发展优势,结合中国经验走出了“以基础设施建设换能源”的对非洲能源开发模式,取得了不俗的成绩。由于中国和欧盟对能源安全的可持续性有着不同的理解,导致双方在非洲能源开发中走出了两条不同的路径。非洲对基础设施建设和能源可持续开发的关注,促进了中国和欧盟在非洲能源开发中的合作。     

电子商务法律模型论纲

本文尝试将法律模型论的方法引入电子商务法律理论研究工作之中 ,提出电子商务法律模型的概念 ,并对构建电子商务法律模型应遵循的基本原则及该模型的基本结构作了初步论述。希望这种尝试能对我国电子商务立法的理论准备有所裨益 ,进而有助于加快我国电子商务立法的步伐。     

论刑事和解中的证明责任和证明标准

刑事和解与刑事审判程序不同,它更加重视当事人双方自由选择的意愿,不能忽视证明责任和证明标准这两个证据法中的基本问题。在实践占主导地位的司法调解模式下的刑事和解作为审判前程序．由检察机关主持,包含加害方自愿认罪和双方达成赔偿协议两个阶段,蕴含着刑事和民事两种不同的证明对象、证明责任和证明标准。应当参照刑事诉讼和民事诉讼的规则．明确刑事和解程序中的证明责任主体、分配规则以及不同阶段的证明标准,这有利于刑事和解顺利开展,达到案结事了。     

谈社区警务的运作模式--兼论打防控一体化的理论与实践

社区警务不仅是一种警务模式、警务方法,更是一种警务理念、警务哲学。打防控一体化是把社区警务理论与地区实际相结合的具体运用,是扩大化的社区警务,是社区警务运作模式的一种实践,可概括为建立三个机制,构架两个网络,即治安管控机制、社区服务机制、快速反映机制和人防网络、技防网络。     

东盟5国能源消费与经济增长关系——基于生产型模型时间序列分析

基于生产型模型,采用时间序列协整分析和因果关系检验方法,对东盟5国1971—2007年能源消费与国内生产总值之间的关系进行实证分析。结果表明,从短期来看,马来西亚与新加坡是从能源消费到经济增长单向因果关系,印尼存在从经济增长到能源消费因果关系,菲律宾和泰国则存在双向因果关系。从长期来看,东盟5国都存在长期能源消费到经济增长的单向因果关系。最后,根据研究结果给出政策建议。