住房产权与政治参与:中国城市的基层社区民主

以中国城市社会的住房私有化和基层社区民主实践为背景,本文重新探讨了住房产权所导致的个体政治积极性差异这一传统理论议题。基于一项具有全国代表性的抽样调查数据,通过定量考察业主与非业主之间在参与基层社区选举政治上的差异,本文的主要发现是:在中国城市基层社会,住房产权对政治积极性的促进作用目前仅局限于特定的社区情境,即新型商品房住宅小区。本文同时还发现,虽然住房所有者在社区政治事务中所具有的积极性很难外溢出特定的社区边界,但个体内在的政治积极性在社区层次和地方层次上却具有紧密的一致性。     

城市社区建设中的居民自治研究述评

当前推进国家治理体系及治理能力现代化的进程中,在基层社区内形成民主管理,社区事务的治理以居民自治为主、多方参与,具有重要意义。通过整理我国城市社区居民自治的研究文献,从主体视角和机制视角分析了城市社区居民自治现状。概括了党政机关、自治组织和社区居民在居民自治中的不同作用,分析了社区居民自治中政治机制、法律机制和文化机制的作用。目前的居民自治研究主要从宏观着眼,为我国城市社区居民自治指明了道路,但具体的可操作的方法并不多。     

中国基层社区组织的变迁

本文从社会发展理论的新视角，理出了中国乡村和城镇基层社区组织沿革的梗概。着重阐述了改革开放以来，尤其是８０年代末以来，乡村的村民自治组织———村民委员会的选举、组织状况和功能；城镇基层社区居民自治组织———居民委员会的变迁；城乡基层居民自治组织与政权机构的衔接关系；目前正在中国城乡展开的文明社区建设和民众的社区发展参与，特别是直接民主选举和政治参与对中国民主政治建设的基础性作用和意义。本文参考并汲取了中国社会学和政治学界有关调查研究的最新成果。     

论我国城市社区治理中的公民参与

“治理”范畴是近几年政治学、社会学、城市学广泛重视和应用的范畴。社区治理的目标就是通过多元权力对社区治理的参与,最终实现发扬民主、整合资源、促进社区建设的目的。这既是政治体制改革的过程,也是发扬民主的过程,同时也是社区建设和提高居民生活质量的过程。公民参与是社区治理的本质要求,它既是新公共服务理论在社区建设中的实际运用,又是我国城市基层民主政治建设的核心内容,同时也对社会伦理的完善具有重要意义,有利于社区健康、和谐、快速发展。本文通过对我国城市社区治理中的公民参与现状分析,针对问题产生原因及表现提出一系列解决措施。     

我国城市社区民主治理的困境与出路

积极推进城市社区民主治理对我国民主政治建设和法治进程具有重要而深远的影响,但宥于我国历史传统和民主法治国情,城市社区民主治理仍存在民主权利与民主需求、民主需求与民主实践、民主实践与民主权利之间不相协调一致的问题,使得社区民主治理陷入“权利-需求-实践”的困境,这严重阻碍着中国城市社区建设及基层民主政治的健康发展。当务之急是结合我国实际,完善民主权利,满足民主需求,深化民主实践,积极探索具有我国特色的城市社区民主治理之路。     

业主维权运动与城市基层治理的转型——基于B市的实证研究

作为一种新型的社会运动,业主维权的兴起是中国城市化进程中住房商品化改革的结构性产物.基于B市社区民族志调查,本文重点探讨和解析业主维权的抗争谱系及其对城市基层治理转型带来的制度影响和效果,认为业主维权的基本类型包括依法抗争、以法抗争、弈法抗争,这三种抗争类型不仅代表了业主面对法律时的三种不同位置和运用法律的三种不同方式和策略,而且也意味着三种不同的法与社会(行动者)之间的结构关系.这种坚持法律中心性的维权抗争实践的大量集聚和累积,不仅促进了公民知识的生产,而且有效推动了基层政府的治理转型.业主抗争模型的提出,有助于推进和深化对当代中国城市抗争政治的理解.     

“城市病”的治理与市民主体

城市化进程既带来城市人口的增长和文明的进步,同时也衍生了"城市病"。城市在发展中产生的"城市病",其防与治必须依靠市民主体,通过提升市民素质来完成,这应该成为我国实行有效城市治理的基本理念。市民教育和提升市民主体意识参与城市治理,必须依据中国国情和各市的市情,从提升市民对城市治理的参与度和话语权、把城市看作是一所大学并加强社区教育功能、把市民教育更好地纳入国民教育、强化中等收入阶层市民主体培育和以城市文化凝聚市民主体精神中来实现。     

社会组织参与社区治理模式探索

新时期,提高社会治理能力与水平是我国社会发展的重要任务。社区是我国社会的基本单元,也是基层社会治理的基础平台。社区社会组织是基层社区治理的参与主体,对社区协同治理工作具有重要的作用。因此,在社区治理工作中,要重视社会组织的参与,发挥社会组织的作用和优势,促进社区治理能力的不断提升。     

业主委员会“难成立”却“易解散”的实证探析——以山东省Z小区为例

本文针对社区治理中“业主委员会为何‘成立难’却‘易解散’？”的问题，通过实证研究的方式，以Z小区为例，深入分析原因，并试图跳出业主委员会这个单一的行为主体，来探究居民怎样才能有效地参与社区治理、实现善治。从而为创新社区治理，加强基层建设，满足人民日益增长的对美好生活的需求，提供参考和借鉴。     

从"碎片化"到"网络化":促进社会组织参与社区治理的路径

作为"三社联动"主体之一的社会组织近年来虽然快速发展并逐步参与社区治理,但其发挥作用的领域及程度尚显不足,原因在于政府的相关政策措施、社会组织的规模结构与专业领域、社会组织能力建设等方面均存在"碎片化"的问题.为了使社会组织在社区治理中充分发挥作用,需要从政府、社会组织网络和社会组织三个层面持续改进,建立社会组织发展的政策支持网络、分层分类的社会组织构成网络以及社会组织自身的能力网络,实现社会组织良性健康发展,从而提升其参与社区治理的能力并扩大其在社区治理中的作用空间.     

Local Labour Markets,Organizations and the Distribution of Family‐responsive Benefits in the USA

Family‐responsive benefits have important consequences for workers balancing work–family demands. Previous research on the distribution of family‐responsive benefits has focused on intra‐organizational determinants or general labour market characteristics, at the expense of local labour market factors. We address this deficiency by analysing a unique random sample of US work establishments nested in their local labour markets. Specifically, we ask whether, net of establishment and local labour market characteristics, women's local labour market standing influences the prevalence of family‐responsive benefits. The results indicate that women's labour market status, measured with a composite of occupational gender integration, aggregate educational attainment and percentage of women in managerial roles, has a strong positive net effect on the prevalence of family‐responsive workplace benefits. However, no significant interaction between women's status and establishment‐level characteristics was found. Our findings highlight the importance of local labour markets in the distribution of family‐responsive benefits across organizations.     

Development of Local Welfare Services

The purpose of this article is to try to highlight some of the recent trends in thinking within local communities in Victoria, about how best to provide for the needs within their areas. We will also raise certain points regarding the role of the Social Worker employed to operate a localised community welfare service. The development of local services will probably, in the early stages, be distinct from that of Regional Services; regional development of functions carried out by the Social Welfare Department, the Mental Health Department, and voluntary organisations offering specialist help is essential throughout the state, and should occur concurrently with the establishment of local welfare offices.     

MAKING AND MANAGING ELECTRONIC CHILDREN: E-assessment in child welfare

'Every Child Matters' (ECM) is a government response to longstanding concerns about child welfare and protection. A key feature is the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to improve information sharing and inter-professional communication. One of the proposals requires the establishment of an index, ContactPoint, which is a database containing information on all children in their area, to be used by child welfare professionals to indicate their involvement with a child and, where there is 'cause for concern', to facilitate joint action. Whilst these proposals for harnessing ICTs within child welfare are a central part of the government's modernization strategy, plans for the Index have been heavily criticized for its panoptic potential to invade privacy and override professional discretion and judgement. This paper reports findings from an ethnographic study funded by the ESRC e-Society Programme. Drawing on data collected in one 'Trailblazer' local authority area during the pilot phase, it describes the introduction of a local child index and the ways in which professionals and the technologies are drawn together within the local child welfare network. For the Index to achieve its original purpose of improving information sharing and inter-professional communication it must be 'used' by child welfare practitioners. But establishing the Index as a friend to the child welfare professional is not a straightforward process. The research suggests this is dependent on a set of relations that are being constantly negotiated and accomplished in everyday practice. It is clear the deployment of ICTs in professional practice is highly contingent upon local policy implementation, the local arrangement of services and the everyday practices of busy and sceptical practitioners.     

Confucius Institute in the Sino-Thai relations: A display of China's soft power

The establishment of Confucius Institutes (CIs) is a great endeavor by the Chinese government to spread Chinese language and culture in neighboring countries. It is commonly regarded by foreign countries as part of China's soft power initiative. With the implementation of BRI, it becomes a platform to promote systematic connections with countries along the route. Based on the examination of CIs’ programmes run in Thailand, this article finds that CIs made extensive efforts in these respects and garnered the support of the Thai government, Thai royal family and local business. In this sense, CIs also serve as a soft power for the Thai government and royalty to cement their Sino-Thai relationship. Within the local community, there are varying voices. While some supported the Chinese language and cultural programme, others have expressed some dissatisfaction over the role of the CIs in the community.     

Health Care for Older Women:

The issue of health care for older women as it relates to their financial resources and health care reimbursement is the focus of this paper. Federal regulations that affect older women and also the role of the medical establishment are examined. Suggestions are given for policy changes on the federal and local levels and for a redirection of the women's health movement. It is suggested that women tend to be seen as burdens to the health care system and face both age and sex discrimination from many health care providers. This is the disease that needs to be cured.     

Constructing ruralities: The case of the Hobbitstee,Netherlands

Rural intentional communities withdraw from mainstream urban space, rejecting its materialism and consumption. In creating their own places in the countryside, they produce new spaces of rurality. Constructions of rurality by intentional communities can be perceived as ‘out of place’ by local populations. This article draws on a wider study on the life-course of intentional communities, i.e. processes of growth, persistence, transformation, decline, and disintegration. We focus on ruralities as social constructions, by discussing the example of the community of the Hobbitstee in its relation with its rural surroundings in the Netherlands. This is done through an analysis of the life course of the Hobbitstee since its establishment in 1969 onwards. The results show that relations between locals and community members are characterised by diversity and multiplicity. In general, their constructions of rurality gradually and partly developed from conflicting to converging.     

Gearing Up for Personalisation: Training Activities Commissioned in the English Pilot Individual Budgets Sites 2006–2008

The transformation of social care in England is taking place though changes affording greater choice and control for people using services. Individual budgets were one key element of these changes and were piloted in 13 local authorities in 2006–2008. This article reports on interviews with training leads in these local authorities that took place in 2008 as part of an independent evaluation of the individual budget pilots. The aims of the interviews were to explore the role of training as part of the processes of transformation, the use of resources and establishment of training strategies within the local authority. Participants revealed that the subject of training was acquiring higher profile within their authorities, although uncertainties remain about the extent of local authority responsibilities for training. Within local authorities, training resources were yet to be determined and models of training were not fully developed. The article concludes that training will remain a central issue when implementing personalised social care services and that models of training for such changes should be shared and evaluated over the long term.     

Unruly women and invisible workers: the shrimp traders of Mazatlán, Mexico

During the 1980s, a group of women from rural communities in the Mexican state of Sinaloa organized a grassroots social movement in order to gain legal access to the sale of shrimp. The movement reached its peak in 1984, with the formation of a shrimp traders union and the establishment of a shrimp marketplace in the tourist city of Mazatlán. Despite the long trajectory of the movement and the success of the shrimp market, these women and their work have been completely ignored by government agencies in charge of the development and management of the fishing industry. For the most part, one gets to read about the shrimp traders only in tourist-oriented brochures depicting them as a “local attraction,” something to be seen while one is touring the city on a private charter bus en route to the Archaeological Museum or to the upscale jewelry shops in the Golden Zone. In this article, I examine how women used their gender and their identity as rural workers to defy the state and its policies, overcome poverty, and take control of the local marketing of shrimp. Another objective of this article is to show why and how women engaged in collective action so they could be legitimized as workers and how gender shaped their individual experiences.     

Does disestablishment lead to religious vitality? The case of Switzerland

Economists and sociologists of religion have claimed that religious establishment dampens religious vitality, leading to lower recruitment efforts, low attendance, declining membership within established congregations, and the ‘crowding out’ of non‐established congregations. Conversely, these authors have told us, disestablishment will lead to more religious vitality. Remarkably, even though these claims rest on the connection between establishment and the organizational and membership behaviour of local religious congregations, no research has directly examined that connection. We use the 2008 Swiss National Congregations Study as well as historical data to assess the effect of different levels of religious establishment on both established and non‐established congregations. We find that established congregations do indeed show less religious vitality than non‐established congregations. Contrary to the claims of the economic literature, however, these covariations are not caused by differences in religious establishment on the cantonal level. Both our quantitative and historical analyses show that disestablishment has not led to religious vitality for either established or non‐established congregations. The only clear effect of disestablishment is a dramatic decrease of income for established congregations. Based on quantitative and historical evidence, we suggest that differences between established and non‐established congregations are produced by differences in religious tradition and immigration flows, not by differences in levels of establishment.