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。     

中国古代立法崇古倾向探微

中国古代立法具有鲜明而强烈的崇古意识,从以古制入法、以古礼释法和以古礼品评今法等方式表现出来。崇古倾向具有使立法显示正统性、合理性和权威性等现实功能。崇古倾向的影响体现为礼法融合、以秩序为最高立法价值,从而导致法典体例的保守,民商法等部门法典难以生成以及对外来法律文化的排斥,认为祖宗之法不可变。这种立法中崇古倾向来源于中国传统文化中强烈的崇古意识,其深层根源则在于中国古代的农耕生产方式和相对封闭的地理环境。     

古希腊罗马哲学讲演录(三)

古希腊罗马的形而上学史有一个非常明显的特点,这就是其线索特别的清晰。古希腊罗马哲学可以分为三个阶段:最开始的一段时间是为形而上学作准备的;然后,在柏拉图和亚里士多德那里,尤其是在亚里士多德那里,古希腊的形而上学得以正式建立;亚里士多德之后直到罗马哲学,形而上学则处于一个衰亡和解体的过程。     

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     

以文化生命体的观点审视文化遗产地的可持续发展--以云南丽江古城为例

在一个具有生命力的文化遗产地,文化不是以独立的形态存在的,每种文化都有其依附的载体。自然生境、历史意境和创造该文化的人构成了三位一体的文化生命体,其中文化是其灵魂,人是其创造者,自然生境、历史意境及人是文化的载体。通过不断发挥人的主观能动性和创造性,文化生命体便得以持续发展。