On learning terrorism

Abstract

The complex phenomenon of terrorism has been explained in a variety of ways, ranging from the narrowly psychological to the broadly political. Many of these hypotheses appear to have merit, although, standing alone, each tends to be inadequate or incomplete. Focusing on the psychological explanations of root cause, the instant discussion proposes that the hitherto neglected or taken‐for‐granted principles of human learning, particularly those of cognitive‐behavioral conditioning, can provide a useful and significant component to these explanations. The competence and commitment to the ways and means of terror are in large measure produced, intensified, and sustained through learning. Evidence, chiefly from psychological studies, is adduced to support this hypothesis. A few formal, sometimes state‐sponsored training programs based more or less on conditioning are briefly described. Some of the doctrines, particularly those that underpin Middle East terrorism and provide the justification and substantiation of what is taught, are also mentioned. It is suggested that the same procedures by which terrorism is indoctrinated may, in conjunction with other procedures, be employed to prevent and combat it. Although this strategy, in the present uncongenial socio‐cultural and geopolitical environments, will doubtless be difficult if not impossible to implement, it deserves to be explored as another potentially effective tool in the developing armamentarium of counter‐terrorism.     

“伙伴”意识与日本式民主主义

从日本人“伙伴”意识的角度分析了日本政治中的“派阀”、“世袭”和“学阀”现象，认为这三种现象都是日本的集团主义，特别是封建的宗派主义的表现。“派阀”是日本各个政党中普遍存在的现象，本文着重以自民党内的“派阀”为例，分析了它的现状和特点，也兼顾了民主党的派性并进行了分析；“世袭”也是日本政界普遍存在的“伙伴”意识的一种特殊反映，着重对其在选举中的作用和日本政界“世袭”的现状进行了分析；最后对以出身大学相同而结成的“学阀”现象进行了分析。无论是政党政治中的“派阀”现象，各政党内存在的“世袭”现象，还是日本社会广泛存在的“学阀”现象，都是日本文化中“伙伴”意识的反映。它本身并无优劣之分，在政治活动中以宗派主义的形式出现，却使小集团的利益高于政策的制定，甚至由此忽视了政治理念的实践。特别是它经常无视民意的结果，还反映了日本式民主主义的封建局限性。     

复古·革新·解放——《清代学术概论》中“以复古为解放”思想小议

梁启超先生在《清代学术概论》一书中提出了著名的“以复古为解放”的学术发展思想.在这里,“复古”只是一种形式,方法革新是途径,最终的目的、宗旨则是要达到思想上的解放.这一思想对今天的学术研究具有一定的现实意义.     

冯友兰学术独立思想新探

冯友兰先生一生致力于高校教育,有着深刻的教育思想和丰富的教学经验,学术独立是贯穿其中的主线。冯先生在学术独立的维度、举措、意义等方面都有深刻的认识,对我们当下的高校改革有重要的现实意义。     

让教育绽放人性的光辉——鲁洁先生教育人学思想述略

人是理解鲁洁先生教育学术思想的基点。她以马克思主义的实践观来理解人,指出实践性是人的本质属性,世界历史的人是当代社会实践的要求;她从人性的缺失揭示了现代教育无人的思想根源,指出教育的立场是人的立场,教育必须回归人,立足于现实的人;提出教育的本质是人的自我建构的实践活动,教育就在于过一种有意义有价值的生活,当代教育要培养世界历史的人;她以人为主体,以成人为核心,构建了人本时代的新教育学。鲁洁先生的教育人学研究,不仅使其思想充满着高度的人类情怀,而且也使她的教育生活绽放着人性的光辉。     

我国学术期刊数字化面临的问题与对策

期刊数字化代表着期刊业的未来和方向,本文探索了中国学术期刊数字化的发展现状,指出了中国期刊数字化发展中存在的主要问题及应采取的对策。     

A mixed blessing for the left? Early voting,turnout and election outcomes in Norway

Is there a relationship between turnout and election outcomes? Although this is a classic topic in political science, most studies on multiparty systems have important theoretical and empirical shortcomings. First, we argue that the proper implication of the theoretical argument that underpins research on the turnout-vote nexus is that high levels of turnout should typically benefit both traditional social democratic parties and parties of the radical right relative to other types of parties, including not only those of the traditional right, but also ‘left-libertarian’ parties. Second, few have studied the relationship between turnout and election outcomes with a research design that is appropriate for causal inference. In our empirical study, our identification strategy is to exploit a Norwegian reform of early voting rules as an exogenous source of variation in turnout. Our theoretical expectations are largely borne out in our empirical results.     

A fresh start II: Issues and challenges of education law in South Africa

In this second part of a two-part article some issues and challenges of education law in South Africa are discussed. With reference to recent case law it is shown that an educational jurisprudence is developing, after which the issues of academic freedom and the autonomy of universities are analysed within the framework of the Constitution and other legislation affecting universities. The constitutional distribution of powers between the national and provincial governments, and the effect on education of the fact that both spheres of government have legislative powers over education, are discussed at some length. The view is taken that outstanding issues in this regard may have to be clarified by the intervention of the courts. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

网络学术打假与学术共同体建设

方舟子遇袭与肖传国的被捕将学术界反腐推到了一个新的高度，这是网络学术打假的功劳。网络克服了传统媒体与举报制度的诸多障碍，以“新闻事件”的形式将学术造假行为公之于众，并借助当事人及其支持者的积极互动，进行“虚拟审判”，形成强大的网上舆论，直接或间接地影响了对学术造假者的处理。在此过程中，作为对学术成果负有审查与评价责任的学术共同体，暴露出的腐败与失职行为，严重损害了其在公众心目中的形象。作为“社会的良心”，学术共同体如何加强自身建设，重塑自我，渡过信任危机？网络学术打假给我们的启示是：建立一个基于信息公开与公众广泛参与基础上的监督机制。     

Job Satisfaction of Public Sector Employees in Sub-Saharan Africa: Testing the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire in Ghana

Public sector administration in sub-Saharan Africa experiences a myriad of problems of the logical perception between worker dissatisfaction and demotivation of job standards. This study tested the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) in a typical public sector organization in sub-Saharan Africa. A total of 100 usable surveys were analyzed with SPSS. A very low level of job satisfaction was indicated, and more than 83% of respondents indicated dissatisfaction in their pay and the amount of work they do. Significant differences in job satisfaction scores were also found in the educational level of staff, and between genders. The study outcome highlights the roles of employees and organizational weak spots of human resource management (HRM) practices in a typical sub-Saharan African country, and provides an alternative pathway in employee satisfaction and performance outcome.