Older People 'on the Edge' in the Countrysides of Europe

Relatively few comparative studies have focused specifically upon the socio‐economic conditions affecting the welfare of older rural Europeans. Such publications as exist are usually confined to single studies. In presenting a European overview of their ‘life‐world’ this paper focuses upon the general conditions of older rural Europeans, living in different types of countryside within a centre–periphery framework. These conditions are largely dependent upon the interconnectivity (nexus) between regional urban centres and the older people's types of settlement. The extent of the global socio‐economic flows between urban centres and countrysides is critical, especially for those living in less accessible and remote European areas. Older people's positive and negative outcomes are seen to occur within four possible urban–rural parameters. The first consists of two‐way socio‐economic urban–rural flows that are more likely to be of benefit to significant numbers of older persons, especially in urban fringe and accessible countrysides. The second parameter arises when there is a long‐standing impasse, where the lack of communication between the rural locality and urban centre hampers socio‐economic urban–rural flows, isolating older people, particularly in less accessible and remote countrysides. The third occurs when regional and local urban centres block or cut back socio‐economic flows to the countryside. The fourth takes place when the rural communities resist socio‐economic urban flows that they regard as a threat to their rural idyll. Exemplars within each of the four urban–rural alternatives help to show the applicability and workability of this four‐way exploratory approach.     

"三个代表"思想是办好农村报的立本之源

新形势下,如何办好农村报,以适应激烈的市场竞争,是办报人潜心探索的新课题.江泽民总书记"三个代表"的重要思想,不仅从理论上为办报指明了方向,而且是办好农村报的立本之源.作为党在农村地区的喉舌,农村报只有代表农民的根本利益,不断向农村传播先进科技文化,为发展农业先进生产力服务,才能深受农民的欢迎.     

英雄伦理与抗争行动的持续性——以鲁西农民抗争积极分子为例

在中国乡村抗争研究中,农民抗争的动机经常被理解为一种“受损逻辑”。虽然受损逻辑能够部分解释抗争行动的发起,但却不能解释在利益补偿、伦理关系修复的情况下,抗争为何会继续进行。本文在对鲁西农民抗争积极分子进行研究的基础上指出,推动抗争积极分子持续抗争的动机是一种由抗争行动本身带来的、突出的、不同于受损逻辑的“英雄伦理”。这种英雄伦理发展出了互助连带机制、等级区分机制和友情再造机制等三种机制,从而推动着抗争的持续进行。然而,这三种机制在推动抗争持续进行的同时,也存在着各自内在的限制。最后,笔者讨论了“英雄伦理”对于理解中国乡村抗争政治的贡献。     

Redefining the 'Rural Question': The New 'Politics of the Rural' and Social Policy

Politics in the countryside has undergone a significant shift in emphasis in recent decades, which may be characterized as a transition from ‘rural politics’ to ‘a politics of the rural’. Whereas ‘rural politics’ refers broadly to politics located in rural space, or relating to ‘rural issues’, the ‘politics of the rural’ is defined by the centrality of the meaning and regulation of rurality itself as the primary focus of conflict and debate. However, far from marginalizing social issues – as early work on the new rural conflicts by Mormont implied – the paper argues that the new politics of the rural has liberated rural social policy from the shadow of agricultural policy, providing a new language and context through which rural social issues can be placed on the political agenda. Three examples of this are discussed, drawing on illustrations from Britain, Australia, New Zealand and North America – conflicts over the rationalization of public and commercial services in rural communities; campaigns around the closure of rural schools and their symbolic place at the heart of rural communities; and issues of difference and discrimination in the countryside, including responses to travellers and asylum‐seekers.     

Women and Pensions: Time for a Rethink

This paper presents the results of a research project conducted in Northern Ireland, which focused on women and pensions. The paper suggests that, in the broader rethink of pensions policy in the UK, which is now clearly needed, central consideration should be given to constructing policies which more clearly relate to the needs and circumstances of women.     

Public assistance in urban and rural China: A tale of two stories

China's public assistance system has been urban–rural divided ever since its implementation in the 1990s. Despite the intention in recent years to promote an integrated public assistance system, there has been little empirical research that has systematically examined the differences between urban and rural areas. Moreover, research has focused mostly on the Minimum Living Assurance system (“Dibao”), paying little attention to other types of public assistance. This study contributes to filling this gap by analyzing a recent data set collected primarily from two Chinese provinces. The findings show substantial differences in the amount of public assistance received by urban and rural low‐income households, even after controlling for demographic and socioeconomic factors. Compared with urban recipient households, rural recipient households have disproportionally lower public assistance benefits and higher medical costs relative to their household expenditure, which suggests that assistance inadequacy is especially prominent among rural households. Policy implications are discussed.     

Rural Luddism and the makeshift economy of the Nottinghamshire framework knitters

This article explores the geography and culture of machine breaking in Nottinghamshire, home to the Luddite framework knitters. Earlier accounts have shed some light on why Luddism broke out in 1811 to 1812; but they have had much less to say about why it assumed the form and the geography that it did. By situating Luddism in a longer chronological and broader historiographical context, the article suggests that it makes more sense when viewed as one of the last episodes in an older style of traditional and largely rural popular protest. Luddism in the region was a lot less moderate than previous accounts have argued, a reflection of the ‘rough’ culture of the knitters that thrived in the villages, a culture that has remained largely unexplored by historians. By utilizing a range of sources that have been neglected in previous studies, notably parish and court records, and through a careful re-combing of the Home Office and Treasury Solicitors’ files, this article recreates aspects of the day-to-day lives of the knitters, paying attention to poverty, life-cycle and crime. Luddism was about more than wages and working conditions; it was also a response to contractions in the ‘makeshift economy’.     

What Do African Donor‐sponsored Anti‐corruption Programmes Teach Us about International Development in Africa?

Donor‐sponsored anti‐corruption programmes represent an increasingly large segment of international development assistance to Africa. While the ostensible objective of these programmes is to reduce African corruption, the generality of them suggests that other factors appear to motivate their design and implementation. This paper attempts to assess the generality of these programmes by looking at the specificity, relevance and fit of proposed anti‐corruption activities. The malleability of these programmes suggests that programme design draws from a mix of broader discursive fields and the genuine attempt to improve project performance and decrease corruption.     

庙会文化在构建和谐乡村中的意义与作用——基于“张山寨‘七七’庙会”(国家非遗项目)的田野调查

乡村庙会与地方文化融合的再度复兴,体现了民间文化旺盛的生命力。在现代科学技术文化水平不断提高、村落社会急剧变迁的今天,庙会依然对乡村民众生活产生积极的影响,它直接影响着民众的情感取向、审美判断和思维方式。庙会强化了村落社会的自我认同,维持了村落社会秩序。庙会所展示的民间文化则体现了乡村社会历史发展中的情感底色。只有深入现实去感受、理解庙会,才能真正懂得庙会,引导、改造和利用庙会,构建乡村和谐社会。     

Empowering Children Left Behind in China

In the last two decades in rural China, increasing numbers of children of economic migrants have been left behind with kin, which is of growing concern for social work and welfare policy. The genesis of this rural to urban migration has been China's rapid economic development and greater opportunities for work in better paying jobs in cities. However, there is growing evidence of the negative impact upon these children. This paper reports the views of caregivers (n = 23) and school personnel (n = 5) from a small town in Northeast China. Interviews sought adults opinions on these children's needs, with the major outcome being children's need to be empowered – to be respected, to express themselves, to have influence, and to be supported to be able to more fully participate in education and their communities. We argue that caregiver strategies to empower children left behind provide insight into culturally appropriate processes and practices that underpin social inclusion. However, some discrepancies between the views of caregivers and school personnel alert us to the potential for tension between family and broader community and institutional views. Implications for social work practice include responding to the cultural values embedded in child rearing practices and local ideas about children's entitlements.     

历史唯物论视野下的新农村建设

新农村建设是在农村落实科学发展观的具体体现,是构建社会主义和谐社会的重要内容和关节点。从历史唯物论的视角看,新农村建设中存在着共性难题:一是新农村建设中主客体错位与主体缺失;二是新农村建设发展动力不足;三是新农村建设的制度制约。原因有:第一,作为农村上层建筑的政治体制改革相对落后,致使保护农民合法权益、合法利益的制度缺失。第二,对农村发展规律把握不准,致使决策层所制定的某些政策缺乏操作性。第三,党中央新农村建设任务与各地农村经济社会发展现实没有实现有机结合,致使农民在行动上不主动,使建设主体缺位。这就要求我们在制度设计上,借鉴外国经验,使之与我国及各地生产力发展水平有机结合并付诸实践。对农村领导干部和农民的教育,为新农村建设提供上层建筑的文化条件和主体动力。推进农村上层建筑的政治建设实现制度创新,以制度安排推动新农村建设。     

Social security for China's rural aged: a proposal based on a universal non‐contributory pension

Yang Y, Williamson JB, Shen C. Social security for China's rural aged: a proposal based on a universal non‐contributory pension Int J Soc Welfare 2010: 19: 236–245 © 2009 The Author(s), Journal compilation © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare. China's relative lack of social security coverage for rural elders exacerbates the already severe rural–urban economic disparity, slows the rate of rural poverty reduction, and raises social justice concerns. Our analysis draws on evidence from a number of sources including interviews with experts on China, Chinese government documents, Chinese newspaper accounts, and other sources from other countries. Based on our analysis of what has been tried in other countries and the current situation in rural China, we offer some suggestions for Chinese policy makers. We suggest that, for rural China, a universal non‐contributory old‐age pension deserves serious consideration, and refer to our proposed model as a Rural Old‐Age Social Pension. It will reduce the level of poverty in rural areas and the degree of income inequality between rural and urban areas while simultaneously promoting social and political stability.     

The nature of local news media issue coverage of U.S. House members

In this paper, I examine local newspaper issue coverage of House members after the campaign season has ended. While research on news coverage of campaign issues has been thorough, considerably less attention has been placed on issue coverage outside of campaigns. This is particularly the case for the local news media. Using an extensive content analysis of House member local newspaper coverage over a one-year period, I examine the nature of local and national issue coverage. I find that local issues are covered slightly more than national issues in reporting on House members. Further, members’ strategic use of press releases and the presence of newspapers’ Washington bureaus help explain whether a story will cover a local or national political issue.     

MANDATE OF THE COUNTRY WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION OF NEW SOUTH WALES

The CWA of NSW is a much respected lobby group. This article analyses the nature of its mandate. Although a fifth of its members attend metropolitan branches, the organisation's conservative values reflect those of rural society. The manifesto of the CWA can be identified in its Motto, to which members are fiercely loyal; in its Objects; and in resolutions passed at Annual Conferences. Lobbying is directed solely at governments, whatever the political party, and is low key but insistent. The influence of the CWA probably reflects the efficient and tight management of the organisation, and the united front that its members present. The status and nature of the CWA pose a dilemma for present-day rural women, because its conservative stance and over-representation of older women are at odds with its claims to be a representative lobbyist. Rural and farm women are, therefore, establishing new channels through which to lobby and express their points of view.     

土地流转给农村基层民主带来的契机和挑战——以阶层结构为分析视角

土地问题是三农问题的核心,土地的流转在某种程度上促使着农村利益分配和重组,进而导致农村既有的阶层结构发生分化和重构。所以,土地流转已经或者说正在成为农村社会成员实现社会流动的一个阶梯,这一社会现象对农村基层民主有着不容忽视的影响。本文从历时态的角度分析土地流转对农村阶层结构重组的影响过程,并且借助阶层结构变化这一中间机制探讨土地流转对农村基层政治带来的契机和挑战。     

近代北京报界公会述评

北京报界公会是近代北京地区第一个报业同业组织,在抵制报律、争取言论自由、维护报界公益等方面颇有建树,其成立与组织活动是北京报界群体意识日益自觉的一个显例,可借此把握北京报界结社的特征与趋向。     

Raising awareness of transformative ecosocial work: Participatory action research with Australian practitioners

This article reports on Participatory Action Research with social work practitioners who collaboratively explored the effects on professional practice when practitioners raise their awareness of an ecosocial work approach. Although contemporary research in the profession has contributed to the ongoing development of ecosocial work, there is a notable lack of collaboration with social work practitioners. Using a transformative ecosocial work model of practice, researchers together with social workers from a range of practice contexts met as co‐inquirers to plan, implement and evaluate ecosocial work interventions. As part of a larger international study, this article reports on research outcomes within the Australian context. Overall, results indicate that practitioners incorporated interventions across personal, individual, group and organisational levels of practice, but were constrained by structural elements at broader levels. Continuing the development of ecosocial work requires further collaborative exploration with practitioners, which takes into consideration communities and broader social and political systems. Key Practitioner Messages: ? This research endeavours to contribute to the evidence‐base for progressing transformative ecosocial work in professional practice; ? Using Participatory Action Research (PAR), this research was done in collaboration with social work practitioners as co‐inquirers to develop ecosocial work interventions; ? A range of ecosocial work interventions were implemented at the personal, individual, group and organisational levels.     

Safe as Houses? Ageing in Place and Vulnerable Older People in the UK

The UK is very similar to many other European, North American and Australasian countries in its emphasis on ‘ageing in place’. This article does not seek to challenge the importance of this for most older people but rather draws out the challenges and issues raised by older people who are vulnerable or in vulnerable housing situations. This is illustrated through drawing upon three separate studies which are on older homelessness, older people in the private rented sector and owner‐occupiers with dementia.     

Chinese Workfarism: Logics and Realities of the Work–Welfare Governance Model

Given the fundamental disparities between China and the west in political structures, social values, policy regimes, and problem loads, it is meaningful to use “workfare” as a challenging analytical standpoint and detect that China had created unique workfare regimes to build up the past state‐socialism and the present market‐socialism. In the era of state‐socialism, the dual‐track welfare system, apparently adopting an institutional approach to the city and a residual approach to the countryside, was purposely integrated with the segregated urban‐rural work system, constituting a China‐specific workfare regime in which the whole workforce was included and effectively organized into the socio‐economic order. Under market‐socialism that appears as an awkward hybrid, the work‐welfare governance model is being gradually transformed into a pragmatic, much marketized one, though without idealogical legitimacy as well as a clear‐cut vision. On the one hand, employment differentiation and income disparity resulted from a strategic shift from the “reform‐without‐losers” stage to the “reform‐with‐losers” stage in the labor market, together with a large scale rural‐to‐urban labor migration, are structuring a market‐oriented, stratified employment system. On the other hand, while being a welfare laggard, China's productivist, status‐segregated welfare system is taking shape owing to a set of welfare reforms along the line of marketization and societalization. All these changes would imply that China is converging towards a neo‐liberal regime in which the role of the state is residual to the market.     

美印核协议中的印裔美国人游说

随着冷战结束和文化多元主义的发展，族裔游说在美国政治中的影响力日益上升。印裔美国人的积极游说在美印核协议的达成过程中发挥了相当重要的作用，保证了美国国会在《海德法案》和美印核协议的审议过程中的高票支持，从而大大提升了印度在美国的战略地位。今后。印裔美国人的游说影响可能继续上升。