试论现代政府管制能力--概念缘起、内涵与中国的对策

提升现代政府管制能力是现代政府的永恒主题.近年来,政府管制能力问题业已成为重要的话题.从公共行政学的角度来看,现代政府管制能力与政府管制职能、政府管制权力、政府管制制度相关,是一种特殊的政府能力.这一判断构成提升中国政府管制能力对策的理论基础.     

刑事责任能力规定辨析

我国刑法中关于绝对无刑事责任年龄的规定不宜降低;已满14周岁不满16周岁应负刑事责任的8种犯罪是指具体犯罪行为而不是具体罪名;间歇性精神病人的规定无存在必要;尚未完全丧失辨认或控制自己行为能力精神病人的刑事责任应坚持“必减”原则;醉酒人刑事责任的规定要具体化;聋哑人和盲人犯罪的规定应当删除。     

发展型国家论的研究传统与中国悖论

发展型国家论中存在两个研究传统:第一个研究传统重视政商关系和资本形成,流行于政治学和行政学界;第二个研究传统关注政企关系和资源使用,具有经济学和管理学色彩。在发展型国家论的初创期,分别以主流和潜流形式存在的两个研究传统相互补充,为发展型国家论的发展提供了空间,连续的理论突破就是在这样的空间中实现的。在后续发展中,二者渐行渐远,发展型国家论的理论空间日益狭窄,理论突破的可能性受到限制。这种研究格局从未被识别,但是对于发展型国家论的发展具有重要影响。在20世纪90年代中期之前,每当被引入关于重要新兴经济体的分析,发展型国家论都会经历一次重要的理论突破。但是,发展型国家论与中国实践的相遇并未带来类似突破,此即发展型国家论的中国悖论。两个研究传统的疏离是发展型国家论的中国悖论的成因之一,两个研究传统的统合是推动基于发展型国家论的中国研究的重要方向。     

Challenges of research in rural poverty: lessons from large field surveys

This practical note highlights lessons learnt during the data collection of two large field surveys as part of the ongoing “Sindh Union Council and Economic Strengthening Support” (SUCCESS) programme in southern Pakistan. The experience is discussed in terms of language barriers, the educational status of households, dealing with people’s expectations and non-cooperation, and the weather conditions. The note also highlights the practice of public sharing of data in real-time to improve the design and implementation of future surveys, especially those measuring poverty and quality of life.     

Post-earthquake housing reconstruction in the Sikkim Himalaya: approaches,challenges, and lessons learnt

The Himalayan state of Sikkim, India was hit by an earthquake in 2011 that caused widespread devastation. This article reports on the housing reconstruction project in the state, focusing on three questions: what are the key planning decisions, what are the main implementation challenges, and what are the lessons learnt? The findings indicate that key planning decisions need to be taken on implementation mechanisms, financing strategies, beneficiary identification, housing design, and procurement. The main implementation challenges are enabling homeowner involvement, slow progress, timely procurement, and stalled house construction. The article also identifies useful lessons for other agencies involved in reconstruction.     

The political strategy of external aid

When creating a process of international aid, the definition of a political strategy is critically important. In theory, a government able to deliver services and goods to its population and to guarantee participation in decision-making might not need the presence of international aid. International aid should bridge an existing gap between a government and its own population by adopting a relevant political strategy. This viewpoint proposes a reference framework for international cooperation actors to define their basic political strategy and provides a comprehensive framework for situating different political strategies into a wider approach.     

Enabling collaborative synthesis in multi-partner programmes

Multi-partner consortia have emerged as an important modality for knowledge generation to address complex sustainability challenges. Establishing effective multi-partner consortia involves significant investment. This article shares lessons from the Collaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia (CARIAA), which aims to support policy and practice for climate change adaptation through a consortium model. Key lessons include the need to facilitate collaborative spaces to build trust and identify common interests, while accepting that this is not a guarantee of success; the importance of programmatic leadership to achieve synthesis; and the value of strategic planning in supporting motivation and alignment between partners.     

Reflections on mentoring experiences for evidence-informed decision-making in South Africa and Malawi

This article is based on the consensus that the availability and utilisation of research enhances policy discussions. The article reflects on the experiences within one approach: capacity building through mentoring. The UJ-BCURE programme aimed to increase the capacity of decision-makers to use evidence in decision-making via mentoring models. Mentoring is described as an interactive, facilitated process that promotes learning. The features of the models that have contributed to the programme’s success are orientation workshops with mentees combined with participatory, needs-led, and flexible approaches. UJ-BCURE experiences are relevant to the field of evidence-informed decision-making in an African government context.     

The role of foreign donors in rebuilding the Ukrainian nation-state

The viewpoint discusses the role of foreign donors in rebuilding the Ukrainian nation-state. It argues that a gardener’s care is needed – not guidance, traditional teaching, or direction, but assistance. Foreign donors’ activities should be oriented principally to the support of internal points of growth, social and economic. The task of empowering actors that show promise to propel socio-economic development from within can and should be prioritised. The policies of empowering local actors (as opposed to financing the government and established businesses) involve first and foremost supporting bottom-up initiatives and start-ups that have demonstrated their relevance and promise.     

Uncovering land tenure insecurities: tips for tenure responsive land-use planning in Ethiopia

Land-use planning, although a mechanism for development, can also generate insecurity during its implementation. This article argues that tenure security and land-use planning should not be implemented in isolation from each other. It posits that land-use planning – rather than restricting the security of people's tenure – has the potential to serve as a means of securing tenure. The article explores tenure (in)security elements in land-use planning as a crucial challenge in the urban town of Gelan Sidama Awash, Ethiopia. Using data collected through stakeholders’ interviews, it uncovers their tenure security challenges, and outlines a set of measures for enhancing tenure security through land-use planning.