Shaking off the neoliberal shackles: “democratic emergence” and the negotiation of democratic knowledge in the Middle East North Africa context

ABSTRACT

There is a general assumption in democracy promotion that liberal democracy is the panacea that will solve all political and economic problems faced by developing countries. Using the concept of “good society” as analytical prism, the analysis shows that while there is a rhetorical agreement as to what the “good society” entails, democracy promotion practices fail to allow for recipients’ inclusion in the negotiation and delivery of the “good society”. Contrasting US and Tunisian discourses on the “good society”, the article argues that democracy promotion practices are underpinned by neoliberal parameters borne out from a reliance on the transition paradigm, which in turn leave little room to democracy promotion recipients to formulate knowledge claims supporting the emergence of alternative conceptions of the “good society”. In contrast, the article opens up a reflective pathway to a negotiated democratic knowledge, which would reside in a paradigmatic change that consists in the abandonment of the transition paradigm in favour of a “democratic emergence” paradigm.     

俄远东地区2001年工业运行浅析

工业是俄罗斯远东地区的主导经济部门。2001年远东工业仍未走出低谷,但有的工业部门生产已出现恢复性增长。按部门概述远东工业生产运行状况,指出存在的问题及成因,以探讨解决问题的途径。     

文明论:东北亚研究的新视角

作为东北亚区域研究重要的理论架构,文明理论可以帮助我们打破传统的东亚文明“浑然一体论”的束缚,进一步理解东北亚区域文明的基础构造,把握东北亚区域文明结构体系内部“中心—边缘”间复杂的互动关系,处理好国别研究和区域文明整体研究之间的关系,在比较中加深我们对东北亚区域的理解。     

Community-managed rice banks: lessons from Laos

Rice banks are increasingly used in South-East Asia as a means of addressing seasonal food crises facing poor communities. Despite general agreement about the effectiveness of community-managed rice banks in improving food security, there has been almost no research into their effectiveness in reaching the poorest, or the prospects of sustainability linked to regular repayments of rice. Concern Laos sought to answer these questions through community mobilisation, forming rules and regulations to encourage the participation of the poorest, developing simple tools and procedures in line with existing community capacity, and building greater community capacity. Other challenges remain, such as changing the prevailing ‘relief’ mentality, ensuring women's participation, and establishing regular savings schemes, in order to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of the rice banks.     

俄罗斯开发远东地区自然资源的动因

当前,俄罗斯正处在一个复杂的国际政治、经济环境中,大力开发远东地区的自然资源对于其经济振兴和国家安全来说既是必由之路,又是明智之举。     

后阿拉法特时代的以巴关系--对中东和平进程三大关键因素的分析

阿拉法特辞世后,阿巴斯当选巴民族权力机构主席,完成了巴勒斯坦民族解放事业领导人的代际更替,沙龙组成新的联合政府,布什完成连选连任,巴、以、美三方的变化为推动中东和平进程的实现带来了历史性机遇,以巴恢复和谈势在必行。但由于三方特别是以巴双方各自面临重重困难,因此,在形式上恢复和谈容易,就实质性问题达成协议难。     

Highlights from a low-level area: infant mortality and social structure in eight East Frisian parishes, 1740–1839

Considerable variations in infant mortality rates have occurred within the low-lying region of northern Germany's East Frisia. Individual parishes can be assigned to three specific groups by registered mortality levels for the period 1740–1839. Differences also existed between parishes containing Geest (heathland), bogs, and marshland reflecting specific geographical and environment factors, as well as the structure of the local economy. In both Geest and bog parishes, the level of infant mortality and its trend over time were not homogeneous. In the two marshy river parishes, only environmental factors were significant; both registered the lowest rates of infant mortality. They had fertile soil, extensive grazing land, an exceptionally high number of large agricultural holdings, and households that were above average in size. By contrast, the highest rates of infant mortality were found in one bog and two Geest parishes, but these communities remained heterogeneous in terms of geographical size and population growth and density.     

远东港口在发展东西方国际运输走廊中的作用

随着亚太经济一体化进程的发展 ,在中国东北和美国西海岸之间建立一条经过俄罗斯滨海边疆区港口的货物直达运输线路已提到日程。这条被称为东西方国际运输走廊的货运线路不仅能节省运费和运输时间 ,还能牵动亚太地区贸易规模的扩大 ,带来投资机遇。同时会促进俄罗斯经济稳定 ,加速其与亚太经济一体化的进程     

公务员精神培育的伦理路径：角色把握、职责担当、合作定位

公务员精神具有明显的时代性,在建设和谐社会的今天,公务员精神作为公务员的价值信念,指引、评价和规范公务员的行为,体现着公共行政的精神和行政文化的价值观。通过角色期待、角色领悟和角色实践,公务员可以准确把握其角色的特殊性内涵,理解公共管理的多元性、政治性以及公共性这些特质。社会角色赋予了角色承担者特殊的社会关系,这种社会关系往往通过职责体现,包括责任和义务,担当职责是角色的必然要求。公务员要出色地完成其职责,合作是最好的选择甚至可以说是唯一的选择。沿着角色把握、职责担当、合作定位这一伦理路径,公务员精神的公共性、正义性、廉洁性才能得以实现。     

中东伊斯兰力量掌权前景分析

1979年伊朗伊斯兰革命成功后,中东出现了伊斯兰力量夺权的浪潮。总体来看,伊斯兰组织采取了四种策略,即政变、恐怖袭击、内战或者革命以及参加民主选举。由于各国执政者对军队的严密控制,除苏丹这个特例外,政变从未成功。恐怖袭击虽能破坏社会秩序,但无法动摇政权的根基。伊朗革命具有极强的特殊性,别国无法成功复制。而大多数中东国家中央政府相对强大,不具备发生内战的条件。因此,在中东国家实行政治改革后,参加民主选举成为获取权力最为现实可行的方式。在此情况下,越来越多的伊斯兰组织将会放弃暴力夺权的方式,淡化意识形态的色彩,与其他世俗政治派别一起公平竞争国家权力。