The Quango Conundrum Revisited—Why the Government Still Needs a More Coherent Approach to Arm's‐Length Bodies

There has been substantial reform of public bodies since the Coalition government was formed in 2010. But although numbers have been reduced, there has been no attempt to address the confused landscape—indeed, departments have interpreted criteria for what should be put at arm's length in different ways, introducing further complexity. A clearer link between function and form is needed. This would help address some of the blurred lines over accountability that we have seen in the recent rows over Ofsted and the Environment Agency.     

UNDERSTANDING DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION: AN ACTOR‐NETWORK PERSPECTIVE

Development projects are central to international development, yet the actual practice of their implementation is under‐researched. In particular, we know little about how practice affects project performance and about how politics is enacted within such projects. This paper investigates these knowledge gaps through analysis, using actor‐network theory (ANT), of a donor‐funded reform project in the Sri Lankan public sector. By analysing, using mobilisation, interaction and disintegration of the local and global actor‐networks that typically surround such development projects, the paper explains the project's trajectory. These actions represent the practice of politics that must, in turn, be understood in relation to network actor power: not through a static conception of ‘capacitive power’ but through the dynamic enacted concept of ‘associative power’. The paper concludes by reflecting on the contribution and limitations of ANT's local/global networks component in analysing development projects, and in providing insights for development project practice. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The OECD and “The Rest”: Analyzing the Limits of Policy Transfer

Abstract

Prompted by the rise of the emerging economies and the growing importance of the G20, the OECD has formally announced its intention of establishing itself as a key actor in global policy coordination. As part of this ambition, it has embarked on cultivating closer relations with five G20 countries it designated as key partners through the so-called “Enhanced Engagement” programme: Brazil, China, India, Indonesia and South Africa. This article mobilizes concepts from the policy transfer literature to explain why the OECD’s attempts to increasingly involve all five countries in its policy have fallen short of its original ambitions, and also why the transfer of its policy work has been uneven across policy and country issue.     

优秀传统文化介入罪犯教育改造分析

人们的思想意识、行为举止都在无意识中深受自己习得的文化的影响,都深深打上了相应的文化烙印。中国优秀传统文化蕴含着丰富人生哲理,对罪犯的人生观、价值观、思想道德观的重塑及提升大有裨益,对罪犯教育改造有很重要的运用价值。优秀传统文化介入罪犯教育改造不仅具备可行性,而且具有实务操作性。     

邓小平政治体制改革构想的辩证观及其当代价值

邓小平关于政治体制改革构想蕴含着丰富的辩证法思维,它构成着邓小平政治体制改革思想和理论的内核。具体体现在:在对经济与政治关系的辩证把握中统筹推进政治体制改革;在人与制度的互动中推进政治体制改革;辩证把握政治体制改革中的根本原则与制度变革;改革党的领导体制与加强党的领导的辩证以及制度自信与学习借鉴的辩证。学习邓小平政治体制改革的辩证思维对于指导当今处于攻坚阶段的政治体制改革具有重要意义。     

司法改革的使命——中共十八届三中全会司法改革内容解读

中共十八届三中全会对我国司法改革作出了全面的战略部署。其核心是“两个去除”：去除司法地方保护和去除司法行政化。实现前者的路径包括人财物的省级统管和司法区划的建立,实现后者的路径主要包括改革司法人事管理制度、改革审判委员会制度、规范上下级法院关系和司法公开。落实这“两个去除”,是保障独立审判,维护司法权威,实现我国社会的司法之治的必由之路。     

高职院校“基础”课教学考核与评价方式改革研究

《思想道德修养与法律基础》作为高职院校思想政治理论课的入门课程,承担着对大学生进行思想政治教育的重任。目前,该课程在教学实践中存在着教学形式僵化、考核评价方式死板等问题。为改变这一现状,可以在推行课堂教学改革、落实课程实践环节的基础上,通过完善考核内容、调整分数比例、设置教学评价等级等方式,进行考核与评价方式的改革。     

政府与市场关系的调适:破解反腐困局的根本路径

中国的腐败问题具有深刻的制度根源,即计划机制与市场机制双轨并行下的"增量改革"及其与之相配套的各项体制机制设计。一方面,公有企业固有的垄断冲动与政府规制触角无孔不入的延伸,大大拓展了政府的寻租空间,为官员腐败培育了肥沃的土壤;另一方面,监督机制的软弱与虚化,更是在一定程度上刺激了腐败现象的发生。通过对政府与市场关系以及这组关系的变动对腐败问题所产生的影响进行深入的考察,结合我国独具特色的渐进主义转型模式在当前阶段所面临的困境与挑战,厘清政府与市场的合理边界,继续科学地调适政府与市场的关系,进一步深化市场化改革,才是破解反腐困局的根本出路。     

Corruption and Economic Development in West African Economic and Monetary Union （UEMOA）

The theoretical and empirical debate on the effects of corruption on economic development is unclear. Available cross-country evidence suggests that the impact of corruption on economic development may be either positive or negative. It is widely assumed that the struggle against corruption is essential for economic growth. However, corruption is clearly a multidimensional concept, encompassing a variety of discrete components. The author reviews the theory underlying these different causal mechanisms linking corruption to economic growth, and provides an introduction to some outstanding measurement issues. This paper takes a critical look at the effect of corruption on economic development in West African Economic and Monetary Union （UEMOA）. The major results of the investigation indicate that all UEMOA countries are corrupt according to the variables of the Worldwide Governance Indicators （WGI）. UEMOA countries have a deficiency to control corruption, so they need to improve their system of control. As a result, the fight against corruption is still a necessary job for all of UEMOA people.     

The Practical Way of Communist Party of China to Bring up and Assemble Young Talents in the Early Years of Reform and Opening up （1978-1989）

In 1978, China entered the era of reform and opening up. Faced the great depression, cultivating and assembling young talent became an important power to support rapid development of the country. The leadership of Communist Party led by Deng Xiaoping had a global sight, and began to reform higher education system, gradually cultivated and assembled the generation of young talents. This paper reviews the theoretical ideas and practical measures of Communist Party of China （CPC） to train and assemble young talents at the beginning of reform and opening up, analyzes and displays the particular and scientific method of young talents and the great achievements of young talents in this period. The paper consists of three parts, the practice of bringing up young talents, young cadres, young professional and technical personnel, and the modernization construction from young talents. These methods cultivate so many young talents as the pillars of state development, and the quality of youth increased rapidly. So many practical ways also have been used and influenced in China today, and these are not only the wealth for China, but also the important experience for the whole world.