Is there difference in democracy promotion? A comparison of German and US democracy assistance in transitional Tunisia

Since the 1990s, comparative scholars and constructivists have recognized the universally liberal character of democracy promotion and yet continued the analysis of difference in this area. Mainly in studies of German and US democracy promotion, constructivists have demonstrated the recurring and difference-generating impact of ideational factors. In this article, I hence assume the likeliness of difference and address the question of how we can analyse and explain those differences through a comparison of German and US democracy assistance in transitional Tunisia. I conceive of Germany and the US as a dissimilar pair and adopt a broad perspective to uncover differences at the diplomatic level and between and within the respective approaches to democracy assistance in Tunisia. Theoretically, I argue that national role conceptions hardly impact democracy assistance in a clear manner, and that roles are renegotiated in the process. I rather focus on liberal and reform liberal conceptions of democracy, which shape perceptions of the local context, and democracy assistance agencies different organizational cultures, which impact civil society support. Finally, I account for transnational dialogue and coordination as a factor mitigating differences in democracy promotion.     

建构主义教学理论对大学英语教学的启示

建构主义教学理论以其新颖而独特的理念越来越受到教育界的关注和推崇。它认为学生是认知的主体,强调教学应以学生为中心,重视学生对知识的主动探索,主动发现和对所学知识意义的主动建构,并重视创设真实的情境和良好的学习环境,其评价机制是过程评价,建构主义教学理论对我国大学英语教学带来了新的启示,对大学英语教学具有启发、借鉴和推动作用。     

沟通行动理论与国际关系研究

哈贝马斯的沟通行动理论是一种社会批判理论,属于德国法兰克福学派,其理论基于人类解放的认知旨趣,蕴含着丰富的人文传统。20世纪90年代以来,从国际关系批判理论中产生了不仅注重批判,更加注重建设的建构主义理论。应用沟通行动理论研究国际关系成为欧洲建构主义的特色,这种以理解具体行动意义为目的的阐释学方法不同于美国建构主义对行为的实证研究。沟通行动的应用研究解决了结构与行为体互构机制的难题,避免了建构主义经验研究中的结构偏向,使行为体的施动性重回研究视野,奠定了规范内化的微观基础,从而回归了建构主义的实践本体论。国际文化的制度化,国际制度的合法化以及国家的社会化都离不开国家间的沟通行动。另外,国际关系中公共领域和生活世界的存在也使得国家间沟通行动成为可能。但是,虽然沟通行动理论在国际关系中的应用研究在某种程度上实现了科学传统与人文精神的融合,但是对于国际体系中的突现现象,仍无法予以有力的解释,这也显示了沟通行动理论应用研究的局限性。     

财类院校英语专业"体验英美文学“教学模式探究

本文从财经类院校英语专业英美文学教学所面临的消极与积极影响出发，提出了当前英美文学教学的应对性策略，即“体验英美文学”教学模式。文章重点介绍了“体验英美文学”教学模式的理念与具体的实践环节，给陷入困境的英美文学教学找到了一种应对性的教学办法，目的是使英美文学课程的教学获得预期的效果。     

建构主义视野下大学生思想政治教育探析

传统大学生思想政治教育的弊端仍然没有完全摒弃,大学生思想政治教育工作的路径和形式仍有探索的空间。以建构主义理论为指导加强大学生思想政治教育,可以改变以往以教师为中心、以灌输为主的教育形式,符合大学生思想政治素质的形成规律。     

论儿童观的范式转型——社会建构主义视野中的儿童观

后现代主义认识论颠覆了传统的知识观:知识不是被展现出的而是被建构出的.后现代主义的杰出代表社会建构主义着重强调了知识建构的社会性.儿童观是认知主体以儿童为对象建构出的一种社会知识,随"儿童形象"的诞生而形成,并影响着"儿童形象"的塑造.儿童观的社会建构属性使得儿童观随着社会的发展变迁、认识论的演变而不断更替,直至引发一场范式的转型,然后在新范式的指导下进行新一轮的建构.儿童观建构取向从聚焦于尺有所短的劣势视角转变到聚焦于寸有所长的优势视角标志着儿童观范式的转型,这一转型颠覆了儿童的传统形象,开启了一种全新的儿童成长空间.     

Introduction: making sense of Korean discourses and the East Asian regional order

This opening article presents rationales for the Special Section which analyses South Korea's debates and discourses on crucial issues related to East Asian regional politics. The article opens with a consideration of why attention is drawn to South Korea and particularly to its discourses. Expanding upon constructivist theoretical insights, this article shows how they matter in foreign policy-making and state behaviour. In addition, the article clarifies the scope of analysis of this Special Section. While recognising that many different actors and issues shape the regional order in East Asia to varying degrees, we hold that the most direct impact on changes and/or continuity in that order comes from state actors in the realm of security (or the security–economy nexus). The article ends on a cautiously optimistic note: although the perspectives and discourses analysed in this Special Section are not exhaustive, the analysis can serve as a useful reference point for discussion that seeks to advance our understandings of how South Korea is likely to behave toward its neighbours and what the future of the East Asian regional order will look like.     

The prism of strategic culture and South Asian nuclearization

In this paper, Ken Booth's concept of strategic culture is drawn on to examine India and Pakistan's nuclear policy options/policies. The thrust of the argument is that the perceptions of India and Pakistan's strategic insecurities as interpreted by their security managers, through the prism of their strategic cultures, have, in conjunction with material, domestic and technological factors, defined their nuclear trajectories. In framing the argument, although appreciative of the material (realist) realm, attention is drawn simultaneously to the inter-subjective (constructivist) realm, namely, that productions of insecurities are also ‘cultural’. This constructivist line of analysis, which draws attention to culture ‘as both a source of insecurity and an object of analysis’ in international relations, has implications on the future of a nuclearized South Asia.     

Gestalt Ontology in International Relations: The Case of European Integration

This article proposes a new interdisciplinary perspective in international relations (IR). It suggests that contributions from perception studies can help us reconceptualize some elements of IR. Specifically, the article takes up the concept of Gestalt and applies it to European integration. The Gestalt laws and phenomena demonstrated by European integration can be identified in other examples of regional integration, as well as in various international organizations, or alliances. They also provide insight into other features of IR, such as the international order. The Gestalt approach per se may contribute to the development of a psychological constructivist theory of IR.     

中国环境权理论的认识论研究

中国目前的各种环境权理论都没有达致认识主体间的理解、交往和商谈。二十世纪末期的环境权理论具有建构主义的倾向,二十一世纪初的环境权理论不仅具有现实主义的倾向,而且更为符合中国精英的“自然主义认识论”倾向。当下中国语境中主张“现实主义者的建构主义认识论”的理论家们试图在一个弱势的自然主义基础上个体性和群体性地建构中国环境权的公共话语。