The Creative Industries Concept: Stakeholder Reflections on Its Relevance and Potential in Australia

The creative industries concept or term continues to attract attention in both developed and developing economies worldwide. However, it is not universally applied, with other terms such as cultural industries, arts and culture, copyright industries, or the experience economy used in various global locations. There is also ongoing debate and critique in relation to the creative industries concept, given that it emphasises employment and wealth creation and gathers together a range of disparate disciplines. This article explores these issues via interviews with twenty-two key leaders representing fifteen different industry organisations, advocacy groups, and government funding bodies in the Australian creative industries sector. The findings reveal only a moderate level of understanding and application of the creative industries concept, with a range of views on its relevance and utility for those working in the sector. In addition, the findings propose that there is significant potential and need for the sector to work towards a stronger advocacy position and profile within the broader economy. However, this represents a major challenge for the creative industries sector, given the existing vertical and horizontal power structures within this complex and diverse area of the economy.     

Priorities for International Co-operation with Libya: A Development Perspective

This article provides a development co-operation perspective on the challenges facing Libya during its post-Qadhafi transition. Four key areas for international co-operation are outlined: peace, reconciliation and justice; governance and public administration; economic diversification; and migration. While concrete initiatives in all of these areas depend on Libya’s domestic security situation, they need to be part of a long-term, holistic strategy for one of the most fragile and conflict-affected countries in North Africa. Assuming that Libya’s domestic power-brokers decide that a modern, prosperous country is what they want, patient and committed international support can help turn Libya into a success story.     

The Management of Democratic Elections in Africa (MDEA) programme at the university of South Africa: Is this the right path towards African solutions?

There have been a number of initiatives in Africa to rid the Continent of political instability, conflict, poverty and disease. Many have argued that aid from the West has helped Africa in many ways—from stopping wars, to food relief and rescuing the African environment. Yet others have slated Western involvement which they contend, frequently leaves Africans dependant rather than capable of solving their own problems. In line with the pan-Africanist and the African Union (AU) ideals, there is now a realisation by Africans that there is a need to find African solutions to African challenges and problems. This review article explores the University of South Africa’s (Unisa’s) Management of Democratic Elections in Africa (MDEA) programme, by looking at its objectives and the reason why it must be labelled a Programme, its mandate, which is in line with the brief of the AU and pan-Africanist ideals. The article focuses on how Unisa’s programme responds to the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG); and how it has attempted to facilitate knowledge for peace in Africa, through empowering electoral officials from various African states. The article concludes by looking at the successes and limitations of the Programme over a five-year period, from its inception in 2011.     

Electoral participation in African democracies: the impact of individual and contextual factors

This paper addresses the question of how electoral participation at the individual level is affected by various political and sociological factors in new democracies in Sub-Saharan Africa. Relying on Afrobarometer (Round 5) data, the study examines the determinants of voting for over 12,000 voting aged individuals in eight countries. Findings confirm the importance of individual characteristics such as age, associational networks, discussing politics, party identification, religiosity, trust and satisfaction with democracy in predicting turnout at the individual level. But more importantly, the addition of contextual factors significantly improves the individual-level model predicting vote choice in these democracies.     

论当代西方国家的宪法变迁

西方国家从20世纪80年代开始所推行的行政改革导致这些国家的宪法在未经修改的情况下发生了巨大变迁。在民主制度方面,代议民主制转变为代议制民主、行政民主、社会民主并存的多重民主制。在人权制度方面,人权的核心内容由生存权演变为发展权,人权的义务主体从国家扩展到自治的社团。在权力制衡制度方面,国家层面的权力制衡转变为国家层面的权力制衡和国家与社会之间的权力制衡相结合的双重权力制衡机制。     

国际条约与构建国际和谐社会

国际和谐社会是人类普遍追求的理想社会,国际条约对构建国际和谐社会具有基础和保障作用。首先,国际条约协调国家之间的利益关系,避免冲突,为实现和平国际环境奠定基础;其次,国际条约平衡国家的权利和义务,既规范又约束国家行为,达到共赢,形成共同繁荣局面;再次,国际条约在促进人类与自然和谐、可持续发展方面提供依据与保证;最后提出,采取合理措施进一步加强国际条约的约束范围和效力。     

劳动违约责任:归责原则、构成要件及立法完善

由于用人单位履行劳动合同一般要承担劳动法和劳动行政规章所规定的强制性法定义务,而劳动者履行劳动合同则一般承担合同约定的义务。因而劳动立法在设定劳动违约责任时,对劳动者应以过错责任,对用人单位应以严格责任为归责原则确定违约方的法律责任。用人单位违约,不仅应对劳动者承担违约补偿责任,而且应承担劳动行政责任。劳动者违约,则应根据劳动者违约时的主观过错状态以及用人单位由此所受实际经济损失等情形,确定其应承担的经济赔偿责任。     

美国的商业银行管制给我们的启示

商业银行的改革方向该往何处去,对商业银行如何监管,这是摆在金融改革面前最严峻的问题,未来的商业银行可能成为城市的银行、利益集团的银行、富人的银行。如果真的这样会在中国金融业推出许多新东西,这更需要国家进行更严格的适度的监管,美国的银行监管体制一直在不断地改革和调整,他们的经验对我们仍然是很好的启示。     

振兴东北旅游业的一个新视角--黑龙江省方正原始森林公园生态旅游开发规划设想

发展生态旅游是实现旅游业可持续发展、振兴东北老工业基地的重要内容。黑龙江省方正原始森林公园独特的旅游资源与自然环境造就了高质量的生态旅游资源。通过对公园的规划、计划,将为促进黑龙江省乃至东北旅游业的发展提供生态模式,为全面振兴东北老工业基地的旅游业提供一个新的发展模式。     

加强山东与日韩经济合作的路径分析

山东与韩国和日本在经济合作上有着得天独厚的地缘和资源优势,同时也存在着诸多的制约因素。加强山东与日韩经济合作的路径应是在有效弥合双方差异的同时加大克服自身缺陷的力度,积极参与东北亚经济合作,加大研发投入;加大农业科技开发力度,提高农产品的国际竞争力;实施差异化发展战略,构建区域一体化新机制;着力发展制造业,实现产业升级换代。