Conceptualising corporate community development

Globally there is an increasing focus on the private sector as a significant development actor. One element of the private sector’s role emphasised within this new focus has been corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, whereby the private sector claims to contribute directly to local development. There is now a substantial body of work on CSR but it is a literature that is mostly polarised, dominated by concerns from the corporate perspective, and not adequately theorised. Corporations typically do development differently from NGOs and donors, yet the nature and effects of these initiatives are both under-researched and under-conceptualised. In this paper we argue that viewing CSR initiatives through a community development lens provides new insights into their rationale and effects. Specifically we develop a conceptual framework that draws together agency and practice-centred approaches in order to illuminate the processes and relationships that underpin corporate community development initiatives.     

Unfulfilled promises of the consultation approach: the limits to effective indigenous participation in Bolivia’s and Peru’s extractive industries

Indigenous peoples’ right to prior consultation and to informed consent represents the basis of the new global model shaping state–indigenous relations. Consultation processes promise to enable indigenous people to determine their own development and are especially promoted when extraction projects with significant socio-environmental impacts are planned on indigenous lands. In this article we draw on debates on participatory development in order to analyse the first state-led consultations in Bolivia’s and Peru’s hydrocarbon sectors (2007–14). The analysis shows that effective participation has been limited by (1) an absence of indigenous ownership of the processes; (2) indigenous groups’ difficulties defending or even articulating their own visions and demands; and (3) limited or very general outcomes. The study identifies real-life challenges, such as power asymmetries, a ‘communication hurdle’ and appropriate timing – as well as simplistic assumptions underlying the consultation approach – that account for the unfulfilled promises of this new model.     

Interfaith dialogue at peace museums in Kenya

This paper makes a case for further studies on the contribution of peace museums to interfaith dialogue debate. Based on our experiences as museum curators, teachers and peace researchers and a review of published materials, we argue that there is a lacuna in the study on the contribution of peace museums to the interfaith dialogue debate. The development of community peace museums in Kenya,, in predominantly Christian communities, and the use of traditional religio-cultural artefacts in peace education and peace building is a case of interfaith dialogue worth documenting. With religious conflict threatening to tear the fabric of society apart, the question of interfaith dialogue is now paramount in the search for sustainable peace and development.     

Turkey – from tutelary to delegative democracy

Guillermo O’Donnell’s influential work ‘Delegative Democracy’ set the discourse on a peculiar type of democracy. Lying between representative democracy and authoritarianism, the uniqueness of delegative democracy lies in its features, including an absence of horizontal accountability, strong centralised rule, individual leadership with unchecked powers, a cult figure embodying the nation and clientelist practices. While delegative democracies seem to arise out of presidential systems, Turkey, though a parliamentary system, has also displayed the distinctive features of delegative democracies. This paper identifies three characteristics of delegative democracy, which are responsible for the lack of democratic consolidation, if not the erosion of democracy itself: anti-institutionalism, an anti-political agenda and clientelism. Arguing that delegative democracy is the best concept with which to examine contemporary Turkey, the paper lays out how, post-2011, Turkey has demonstrated the three elements of delegative democracy. The final section discusses the implications of the Turkish case for scrutinising the very possibility of delegative democracy in parliamentary regimes.     

实施社区和农村警务战略的难点与对策

实施社区和农村警务战略,是公安机关主动适应新形势新任务的要求,立足自身实际,不断增强自身战斗力的重要举措,但是在实践中,存在认识不足、公安决策和公安管理体制滞后、群众参与不够、民警素质有待于进一步提高等诸多问题。对此,应采取建立服务群众的工作机制,改革现行的公安管理体制和公安决策运行机制,加大对民警的培训力度,充分整合社会资源等对策。     

社区警察人际交往的PAC理论及其训练模式

据警务专家统计分析,一名社区警察在工作中大部分的时间和精力是在同社区公众接触,为公众提供各类服务,而只有较少的时间才是面对真正的犯罪嫌疑人。如果社区警察不注重交往技能和心理调控训练,势必会影响警民关系,给社区警务工作带来不便。PAC理论为我们提供交往技能训练提供了理论依据,可以为我们对警察人际交往训练提供理论指导。     

近代西南地区少数民族基督徒群体社会心态探析

目前,学术界对基督教在西南少数民族地区的传播史的研究大多集中在教会活动方面,而对少数民族基督徒群体社会心态研究还很不够。其实他们的社会心态五彩缤纷,互相交织,内容极其丰富。所以,有必要对对其社会心态进行探析,以利于我们更好地把握西南少数民族社会的整体变迁。     

"新农村"背景下农村法治的法哲学解读--方法论的检讨与重整

"新农村"背景下,我国当代农村的法治建设正在全方位展开,并取得了显著的成效.然而,由于方法论上存在着"义务本位"、"立法缺位"、"经济落后"等误区或缺陷,直接导致农村法治的当下窘态与困惑,滞碍了法制现代化的纵深运行,因而,必须进行方法论上的重整,其目标就是夯实农村法治的物质基础;建构农村法治的法理机制;强化法律至上的法治理念.     

社会主义新农村建设中的社会治安问题研究之一和谐社会建设中的新农村道德建设

和谐社会建设中的新农村建设首先是道德建设。要进行新农村的道德建设,就必须对我国的传统道德进行有效的梳理。国家在对农村进行物质文明建设的同时,更要加大精神文明建设的力度,真正实现自然、人和人类社会的共同、健康的发展。加强新农村的道德建设对传承我国延续几千年的道德文明,摒弃落后的、不健康的东西,重构社会主义的新型道德价值观,稳定社会治安意义重大。     

社区矫正中的公益劳动问题

公益劳动是我国当前社区矫正试点工作中的一项重要内容,其实践的操作运行中存在一些问题,急需改革。要想取得实质上的进展,需要对公益劳动进行科学的定位,解决公益劳动与刑罚轻重的问题,公益劳动的决定机构的问题以及公益劳动的强制性、规范性问题,并最终将公益劳动纳入到我国刑罚体系中。