The contested spaces of civil society in a plural world: norm contestation in the debate about restrictions on international civil society support

Civil society organizations are facing increasing political restrictions all over the world. Frequently, these restrictions apply to the foreign funding of NGOs and thus curtail the space for external civil society support, which, since the 1990s, has become a key element in international democracy and human rights promotion. This so-called ‘closing space’ phenomenon has received growing attention by civil society activists, policymakers and academics. Existing studies (and political responses), however, neglect the crucial normative dimension of the problem at hand: As we show, the political controversy over civil society support is characterized by norm contestation, and this contestation reveals competing perceptions of in/justice and touches upon core principles of contemporary world order. Taking this dimension into account is essential if we are to academically understand, and politically respond to, the ‘closing space’ challenge. It is also highly relevant with regard to current debates on how to conceptualize and construct order in a world that is plural in many regards and in which liberal norms are fundamentally contested. Empirically, the paper combines an assessment of the global debate about closing space in the UN Human Rights Council with an analysis of a specific controversy over the issue in US-Egyptian relations.     

The Incidence of Wife Abuse and Battering and Some Sociodemographic Correlates as Revealed by Two National Surveys in Palestinian Society

Over the past 3 decades, wife abuse and battering has become a major concern throughout the world. However, there is a serious dearth of empirical knowledge about different dimensions of the problem in the Arab world. This article documents the incidence of different patterns of abuse and battering as revealed in two national surveys conducted among Palestinian women from the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Systematic random samples of 2,410 women and 1,334 women participated in the first and second surveys, respectively. The annual incidence of psychological, sexual, and economic abuse as well as physical violence are presented, and some of their sociodemographic correlates are discussed in relation to each of the two surveys. The limitations of the two surveys and implications of their results for future research and theory development are also discussed.     

In the name of ‘underdeveloped’ Adibashi: the politics of NGOs and the Munda in Bangladesh

This paper aims to unpack the politics of NGO activism with the Munda – a minority Adibashi group in Bangladesh. In addition to offering microcredit, NGOs launched educational and awareness building programmes for the Adibashi. Most notably, the Munda are not content to blindly follow the instructions of NGOs – namely, to get educated, find a white-collar job, and develop identity politics – to improve their socio-economic and political positions. Rather, there is growing awareness among the Munda to gather knowledge, which helps them to consciously educate themselves to undertake new activities to improve their condition by interacting with wider society.

Au nom des Adibashis « sous-développés » : les dimensions politiques des ONG et des Mundas au Bangladesh

Cet article cherche à analyser les dimensions politiques de l'activisme des ONG auprès des Mundas – un groupe minoritaire d'Adibashis au Bangladesh. En plus de proposer des microcrédits, les ONG ont lancé des programmes éducatifs et de sensibilisation destinés aux Adibashis. L'aspect le plus remarquable est que les Mundas ne veulent pas suivre aveuglément les instructions des ONG – à savoir suivre une éducation, trouver un emploi dans un bureau et développer des convictions politiques auxquelles s'identifier – afin d'améliorer leur situation socio-économique et politique. Au lieu de cela, on observe une prise de conscience croissante parmi les Mundas qui les pousse à rassembler des connaissances, ce qui les aide à s'éduquer consciemment afin de pouvoir entreprendre de nouvelles activités leur permettant d'améliorer leur condition en entrant en interaction avec la société dans son ensemble.

En nombre de los adibashi “subdesarrollados”: las políticas de las ONG y los munda en Bangladesh

El presente artículo pretende desmenuzar las políticas que sustentan las acciones llevadas a cabo por las ong con los munda –un grupo minoritario de adibashi en Bangladesh. Además de ofrecer esquemas de microcrédito, las ong impulsaron programas educacionales y de concientización para los adibshi. Sin embargo, cabe hacer notar que los munda no se conforman con seguir ciegamente las instrucciones de las ong –centradas en la educación, en encontrar un empleo de “cuello blanco” y en desarrollar políticas de identidad– para mejorar su situación socioeconómica y política. Por el contrario, entre los munda existe una creciente conciencia acerca de la necesidad de acumular conocimientos que les ayuden a educarse conscientemente, lo que les permitirá emprender nuevas actividades que mejoren su situación relacionándose con la sociedad más amplia.

Em nome da comunidade “subdesenvolvida” de Adibashi: as políticas de ONGs e do Munda de Bangladesh

Este artigo visa examinar as políticas do ativismo de ONGs com o Munda – grupo minoritário Adibashi em Bangladesh. Além de oferecer microcrédito, as ONGs lançaram programas educacionais e de conscientização dos Adibashi. Sobretudo, o Munda não está disposto a seguir cegamente as instruções das ONGs – isto é, estudar, encontrar um emprego administrativo e desenvolver políticas de identidade – para melhorar suas posições sócio-econômicas e políticas. Em vez disto, há uma conscientização crescente entre os participantes do Munda para obter conhecimento, que os ajude a ensiná-los conscientemente para que realizem novas atividades para melhorar suas condições através de uma interação com a sociedade mais geral.     

小康社会:一种新的发展范式

全面小康发展范式理论对中国在21世纪相当长一段时间的发展之路的整体设计,主要体现在科学认识国情基础上发展阶段的新定位、检视中国发展实践基础上发展目标的新规制、总体把握世界和中国现代化实际基础上发展模式的新探索。这一设计不仅对中国,对后发国家,具有广泛的普适性,即使对世界现代化运动也将产生极为深远的影响。     

Government Mapping of the Third Sector: A Government Innovation for Regulation and Coordination? Perspectives From the Third Sector

This article examines the policy tool of a registry of civil society organizations in a regulatory transparency framework. A registry serves as a government ‘mapping’ tool by collecting data on civil society and nonprofit organizations. Do government efforts to map the third sector hinder or foster nonprofit organizations’ capacity and their coordination? The balance between regulation and the strengthening of nonprofit organizations’ capacity and the coordination of goods and services through government innovations like the registries—i.e., third sector mappings—might indeed have the potential to foster a more effective and efficient third sector.     

论法治的精神要素

法律意识与社会的法治化程 度是密切联系的。一个社会,其立法的 价值取舍、立法的内容和水平、执法的 力度、守法的状态、监督机制的完备与 否,是这个社会法治化程度的重要标 志。同时,从另一个角度看,也是这个 社会的法律意识的体现。法律意识是 法治的精神要素。是建设社会主义民 主法治的重要环节。     

社会主要矛盾的转化规律与实践要求研究

党和国家在特定历史阶段的工作重心和中心任务是由社会主要矛盾决定的,因此必须研究、适应社会主要矛盾的新变化。新时代社会主要矛盾的转化是生产力和生产关系、供给侧和需求侧矛盾运动的结果,反映了新时代我国生产力的发展变化及生产关系的历史演变,反映了供给与需求结构的内在矛盾。为适应社会主要矛盾的转化、把握其转化规律,必须将发展作为适应社会主要矛盾变化的根本原则,坚持以人民为中心的根本政治立场,坚持贯彻新发展理念的根本途径,坚持供给侧结构性改革的必然要求。     

探索反腐倡廉教育面向全社会的有效途径

反腐倡廉教育面向全社会是反腐倡廉教育思路的重要创新,是反腐倡廉教育方法的重大改进。探索反腐倡廉教育面向全社会的有效途径具有重要的现实意义。文章分析了反腐倡廉教育面向全社会的重要意义,指出反腐倡廉教育面向全社会所要解决的问题,提出应沿用党内反腐倡廉教育的思路;采取灵活多样的教育风格;注重责任教育,培育廉洁品质;剖析不良的反腐心态,树立健康的社会心理等思路将反腐倡廉教育推向全社会。     

论抗战文化及其对中国社会之影响

抗战文化在中国文化史上有着非常重要的意义:一是坚持以团结抗日,救亡图存的爱国精神作为它的发展主流;二是在它的发展过程中诞生了一部具有划时代意义的纲领性文献——《在延安文艺座谈会上的讲话;》三是它对中国社会产生了极大的影响。     

和谐社会视野中的轻罪刑事政策

我国现行轻罪案件的处理模式存在四大矛盾:逮捕法定条件的严格控制与逮捕适用普遍化的矛盾;起诉裁量权的扩大与相对不起诉功能萎缩的矛盾;轻罪案件迅速审理原则的确立与简易程序在实践中受到限制的矛盾;社区矫正处遇的兴起与轻罪案件监禁率偏高的矛盾.构建和谐社会要求对我国的轻罪刑事政策作适度调整,基本方向为:"轻罪轻处,轻罪轻罚".