Part II: Death in Literature. Poetry as Epitaph

Anyone tolerably versed in American literature will realize that we could have devoted our entire collection to attitudes toward death in American literature. Such a collection could be tightly organized and valuable, but it might also be redundant for an audience which consists primarily of loosened-up literary folk to begin with. So we offer, instead of standard selections, a group of essays which, though they are about death in literature, use literature as a vehicle for discussing either theoretical or practical interpretations of death in American society and letters. Karen Campbell's essay, “Poetry as Epitaph,” uses Emily Dickinson's poetry to illustrate and embody current international theories about death and language. We place this contribution first in this section because it serves as a transition between Gravestones and Epitaphs and Death in Literature: Dickinson was writing at the same historical moment discussed by Kenneth Ames in “Ideologies in Stone,” a fact the reader may wish to remember while reading “Poetry as Epitaph;” and Karen Campbell treats Dickinson's poetry as epitaphic in style and genre. Sonia Gernes' “Life After Life: Katherine Anne Porter's Version” uses Porter's “Pale Horse, Pale Rider” to illustrate and make provocative suggestions about Raymond Moody's theses in Life After Life. Leslier Fiedler's contribution is an extract from a speech given under the auspices of an organization studying the humanist's response to child abuse, and is part of a series of lectures on that subject. He discusses infanticide through literature and then through popular culture. Marvin Kohl takes issue with some of Professor Fiedler's conclusions.     

The BMI as a somatotypic measure of physique: A rejoinder to Jeremy E.C. Genovese

In 2008, Maddan, Walker and Miller promoted the use of the Body Mass Index (BMI) as a viable alternative to Sheldon's technique of somatotyping. Utilizing the BMI, Maddan Walker and Miller re-analyzed the original data from the Sheldon studies. This analysis indicated a statistically significant relationship between the two measures of somatotyping. Genovese wrote a response to this work suggesting the BMI is not a useful proxy for somatotyping individuals. We respond to Genovese's critique by providing a full explication of the Sheldon somatoype measure and an analysis of Sheldon's original data accounting for all of the different somatotypes identified. Analyses here indicate that the original somatotype measure was very subjective. Although not without flaws, the BMI provides an objective somatotype measure that is comparable, if not superior, to the measure promulgated by Sheldon.     

Characteristics of social science information: A selective review of the literature. Part I

This paper presents a review of mainly English language literature on the scope of the social sciences as understood in various countries, on the linkings between social science disciplines, on the general characteristics of social science and of social science information, on the characteristics of the primary sources and of secondary information services, on the characteristics of the flow of information, and on the characteristics of the use of social science information by social science researchers as well as by social scientists in non-research environments and non-social scientists in need of social science information, especially in decision-making processes. As far as possible comparisons are made with information in science and the humanities.     

Characteristics of social science information: A selective review of the literature. Part II

Part II of this review examines studies of the users of social science information: both researchers and practitioners, from the INFROSS studies of the late 1960s and early 1970s to more recent studies of practitioners in various fields. General conclusions and implications are drawn from this review.     

思想史视野中的质性研究:以方法意涵的构建为例

本文尝试从思想史视角反思质性研究方法,以揭示被结构视角遮蔽的研究过程,从而探讨一种直面内心的反思性社会科学研究方式。思想史视角强调回到文本去阐释书写者赋予研究方法以意涵的思想过程。本文以“推论”“充分必要性”与“意义”等三种方法论立场中的方法意涵构建过程为例展现这样的思想过程：方法论如何引导了对特定研究方法的选择;当方法论与现实情况存在差距时,书写者如何在原有方法论立场中发展对质性方法新的理解以捍卫方法论的合理性;书写者如何在强调与其他立场的区分中发展对方法的理解。本文由此揭示了看似相同的方法背后所蕴含的巨大意涵和实践差异。一种围绕“意涵”展开的方法知识系统将有可能被建立起来。思想史视角为反思性的质性方法知识构建提供了可以付诸实践的路径。     

日美经济:20世纪90年代截然不同的表现

198 7年 10月 ,在一个被称为“黑色星期一”的日子 ,纽约股市暴跌 ,美国经济开始步入萧条期。 1988和 1989两年 ,美国有成百家银行因不良债权问题而破产 ,就连 1990年还是美国最大银行的花旗银行的股价也因经营不善跌到了一位数。与之对照 ,为阻止日元升值 ,日本银行于 1987年 2月将再贴现率调到空前的低水平 (2 5 % ) ,导致大量游资流向土地、股票市场 ,引起了地价、股价的飚升 ,日本经济出现了 6 0年代高速增长期以来从未有过的繁荣景象。在萧条的美国与繁荣的日本形成鲜明对照的情况下 ,美国政治家敲响了警钟 :“冷战结束了 ,输的是苏联…