从金融海啸看金融产品创新与风险管理

金融产品创新可以提高交易效率、降低交易风险，进而实现资源的优化配置，但它也蕴含着极大的金融风险。本次金融海啸的重要成因和直接导火索是爆发于华尔街的次贷危机，这使人们不得不对金融产品创新和风险管理重新给予高度重视和新的审视。加强对金融产品创新与风险管理问题的研究，切实防范金融风险，已经不仅仅是个别金融企业、金融界甚至某个主权国家自身的经济问题，它将影响到全球的经济发展。本文围绕金融产品创新和风险管理进行了一些初步的探讨和分析。     

Identifying barriers to GIS-based land management in Guatemala

The development of a cadastral system for the Republic of Guatemala was one of the priorities of the 1997 Peace Accord which ended 30 years of civil war. In response to uncertainty about land ownership and land titles, the development of a national cadastre, the equitable distribution of land, and transparent records of land tenancy are viewed as key to maintaining peace in Guatemala. This article addresses the most significant barriers to developing a National Land Information System to support cadastral reform. Interviews with government agencies indicate that, although technical improvements can be readily implemented, social problems and governance factors seriously hinder the completion of the cadastral process. These findings are discussed in the light of international aid and development policy.     

On the agenda: North–South research partnerships and agenda-setting processes

Co-operation between researchers in the global North and South is critical to the production of new knowledge to inform development policies. However, the agenda-setting process is a formidable obstacle in many development research partnerships. The first section of this article examines how bilateral donor strategies affect collaborative agenda-setting processes. The second section explores researchers' motivations for entering into North–South partnerships; the obstacles that Southern researchers encounter in agenda-setting processes; and the strategies that they employ to ensure that research partnerships respond to their concerns. This analysis suggests that while strong Southern research organisations are best placed to maximise the benefits of collaboration, donors and researchers alike are well advised to recognise the limitations of this approach and use it prudently, because North–South partnerships are not necessarily the best way to advance research agendas rooted in Southern priorities.     

Rethinking poverty alleviation: a ‘poverties’ approach

This article argues that the practice of poverty alleviation is greatly limited by a vision of poverty that fails to capture the locally specific causes of and solutions to the challenges that threaten human well-being. This problematic vision of poverty takes real-world form in such initiatives as Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers. It is a key reason why this and other contemporary poverty-alleviation efforts do not show greatly improved results compared with previous efforts. By reframing our understanding of the challenges to human well-being from poverty to ‘poverties’, however, we might envisage a new approach to policy development in relation to poverty that moves us towards a truly sustainable development.     

Post-disaster reconstruction: lessons from Nagapattinam district,India

As disaster losses continue to rise around the world, it has become increasingly important to understand the long-term outcomes of post-disaster recovery programmes. Often, disaster recovery projects have an abbreviated planning period, involve multiple NGOs, and lack long-term plans for evaluation. This article describes outcomes of the shelter reconstruction programme following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in Nagapattinam, India. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected to assess the effect of the programme on housing, community infrastructure, and livelihoods. The study provides useful lessons for future reconstruction programmes and demonstrates the importance of evaluating post-disaster recovery programmes after projects end.     

金融危机对实体经济影响:危机溢出和跨国传导

在金融部门存在扭曲和经济结构呈现刚性的环境中,不可持续的经济失衡、资产价格或是汇率目标对均衡水平的大幅偏离,都有可能引发金融危机.由于金融部门和实体经济之间存在的正反馈机制,伴生金融危机的经济衰退往往面临更加深幅的调整.与股市泡沫相比,住房融资体系的发展和金融加速器的作用也会放大房价泡沫对实体经济的溢出效应.由于贸易一...     

Ruralisation: a tool for rural transformation

There is a concept that development practitioners have either not heard of or not read, or have chosen to ignore – ruralisation. Unlike urbanisation in urban studies, ruralisation is rarely used as a concept in rural research. It remains a poorly explored concept. By challenging existing notions about the use of the concept, this article attempts to (re)introduce ruralisation as a fundamental concept in rural studies. What is ruralisation? Why do we need it? How can we use it for rural transformations? The article addresses these critical questions. It defines ruralisation and presents its conceptual framework for rural transformation.     

Commentary on "the organization of work as a factor in social well-being"∗

The work cooperative as a social institution offers us a radical alternative to transnational market-based workplaces. Models such as the Mondragon coop network in Spain tell us it is possible for people to have their work-life's cake and eat it too. The coop movement is part of a movement to transform power-based work arrangements into a cooperative commonwealth in which the needs of all are met.     

中国—东盟金融合作的政治学分析

金融合作作为经济合作的重要内容,在中国—东盟关系中扮演越来越重要的角色。一方面中国—东盟自由贸易区的建成促进了金融合作的发展,另一方面,金融合作的深化也必将提升自由贸易区的运行水平,这种良性的互动有助于推动自由贸易区向更深层次推进。本文从国家利益角度来阐述中国—东盟的金融合作,并以此来分析相关影响因素,把握合作进程。     

A case for integrated development: pathways to improve child well-being

Economic strengthening interventions may increase income, assets, and food security. Donors and implementers see the potential for improvements in child well-being. This article presents lessons learnt from the implementation of two economic strengthening interventions. It finds missed opportunities with regard to child nutrition, and recommends: (1) integrating economic strengthening interventions with complementary development activities; (2) deep formative assessment to inform programme design; and (3) the use of community-based feedback loops. Development practitioners, funders, policymakers, and researchers must take every opportunity to improve the lives of children as young as possible to build healthy families, communities, and nations.