‘In a perfect world it would be great if they didn't exist’: How Australians experience payday loans

In the last few decades, payday lending has mushroomed in many developed countries. The arguments for and against an industry which provides small, short‐term loans at very high interest rates have also blossomed. This article presents findings from an Australian study to contribute to the international policy and practice debate about a sector which orients to those on a low income. At the heart of this debate lies a conundrum: Borrowing from payday lenders exacerbates poverty, yet many low‐income households rely on these loans. We argue that the key problem is the restricted framework within which the debate currently oscillates. Key Practitioner Message: ● Framing payday borrowing as a problem of market failure leads to one‐sided and ineffective regulatory responses; ● Until governments instigate real alternatives for cheap and readily available credit, and broader anti‐poverty measures, curbing access to payday lenders can have the perverse effect of increasing privation; ● For practitioners seeking to abolish payday lending, campaigns for higher wages and a liveable social welfare income are central.     

Community Mobilization and Credit: The Impact of Nonprofits and Social Capital on Community Reinvestment Act Lending*

Objective. Recent trends in urban research emphasize the importance of local nonprofits and social capital in the revitalization of poor and minority neighborhoods. This article tests the idea that urban communities able to mobilize themselves by establishing development nonprofits and overcoming collective action problems will be better able to make use of urban‐development policies. Methods. Measures operationalizing nonprofit presence and social capital are used in an empirical test to see if they can, through the medium of the Community Reinvestment Act, increase the number of mortgage and business loans in Washington, D.C. Results. These variables show only weak effects on mortgage lending, but very strong results for small‐business lending in all types of communities. Conclusions. The results suggest that nonprofits and social capital may have only limited benefit in the revitalization of urban neighborhoods and researchers and practitioners should be careful when relying on them.     

我国推行住宅抵押贷款证券化问题分析

目前,在我国推行住宅抵押贷款证券化存在着抵押贷款规模过小、房地产开发融资渠道不宽、商业银行积极性不高、信用制度不健全、法律环境不完善等问题。我国还不具备大规模推广住宅抵押贷款证券化的条件。     

Community socioeconomic status and disparities in mortgage lending: An analysis of Metropolitan Detroit

This note examines the effects of community socioeconomic status on mortgage lending patterns in Metropolitan Detroit. Data from 2000 HMDA reports and the 2000 U.S. Census are analyzed using multiple regression. The results from this analysis have two important implications for research on mortgage lending. First, they indicate that the effects of variables linked to a community's socioeconomic status on mortgage lending patterns are highly intercorrelated. As a result, variations in mortgage lending appear to be the result of the combined effects of a number of socioeconomic variables acting together. Second, the results from this analysis indicate that the socioeconomic status of a community is positively correlated with mortgage lending activity. In other words, a decline in neighborhood socioeconomic status is significantly correlated with a decline in mortgage lending.     

Asset building and livelihood rebuilding in post-disaster Sichuan,China

In May 2008, a severe earthquake struck Sichuan Province, devastating many rural communities. Mudslides followed in 2010, undermining some attempts to rebuild. Despite rapid reconstruction efforts by the Chinese central government, many survivors faced uncertainty and substantial challenges. To support rural survivors' efforts to regain livelihoods and hope, social workers launched several asset-building initiatives in the area. The use of asset building as a strategy to address poverty emerged in the United States in the 1990s and spread to Chinese communities in Taiwan and Hong Kong, but there have been only a few efforts to apply the strategy in rural China. This article discusses the conceptual framework of asset building and details asset-building efforts in disaster-stricken rural communities. The article also documents an evolution in the concept of assets and proposes that the concept should be broadened further to include two additional types of assets: social and cultural.     

弱关系型民间借贷的运行逻辑与实现机制--以山西田村调查为例

民间借贷行为在农村一直普遍存在,山西田村作为经济欠发达与社会低度分化地区的代表,其民间借贷行为除了发生在强关系的亲戚朋友之间,以第三方主体为中间人的弱关系的村民间借贷也占据一定地位。不同于市场经济下陌生人间的理性行为,弱关系的民间借贷行为遵循着互惠与道义的运行逻辑,而互惠与道义的实现依托于村庄公共信用体系。村民间互助即仪式性互助与日常生产生活互助奠定了村庄公共信用体系的社会基础。     

The Personal Costs of Subprime Lending and the Foreclosure Crisis: A Matter of Trust,Insecurity, and Institutional Deception*

Objective. Research on widespread loan failures suggests that many of the mortgage loans that were made since 2000 were of a deceptive or predatory nature. This study explores the experiences and sentiments of those who are at risk of foreclosure within a broader framework of trust, individualization, and ontological security. Methods. Interviews examine families' lending experience and how they have coped with their personal troubles that resulted from their housing crisis. Results. As many of these loans were of a deceptive or predatory nature, individuals are likely to reflect on the psychological consequences of their predicament. Although these findings suggest that these individuals have lost trust in the housing market, many have internalized their situation as a personal failure. In addition, feelings of anxiety, stress, insecurity, and uncertainty have come to characterize their experiences. Conclusions. This research calls for policy recommendations that seek to restore confidence and to ensure greater consumer protection in financial markets.     

Cultural Barriers to the Disclosure of Child Sexual Abuse in Asian Communities: Listening to What Women Say

There is apparent under-reporting of child sexual abuse in Britain’sAsian communities and a varied capacity amongst professionalsto respond with cultural competence. Professional approachesoriginate in cultural contexts, which are often different fromthose of most British Asians. If the proportion of childrenand non-abusing carers from Asian communities who access relevantservices is to increase, professionals need to develop betterunderstandings of cultural imperatives which determine behaviourin those communities. Consultations with Asian women in Bradfordreinforce the view that culturally competent practice and respectfuldialogue are essential to the protection of children. They alsohighlight a number of recurring themes. Members of Asian communitiesare aware of child sexual abuse, they recognize that the issueneeds to be addressed by all communities and they report thatmany of those affected within their own communities have foundit difficult to access relevant services. These consultations,like reports of similar work elsewhere, indicate that difficulties,which appear to arise from Asian women’s fears about howagencies will respond, are frequently compounded by the impactof cultural imperatives arising from izzat (honour/respect),haya (modesty) and sharam (shame/embarrassment), which havea considerable influence on how many will behave.     

Exploring the role of fringe lenders in the lives of Queenslanders

The fringe lending sector in Australia has experienced considerable growth over the last decade. However, very little is known about the profile of the typical borrower or the typical lender – though much is assumed about the morality and motivation of both. Drawing upon findings from a pilot study conducted in Queensland during 2008–2009, we discuss the changing landscape of fringe lending in Australia before exploring how borrowers and lenders construct their respective motivations and actions. We conclude that the use of fringe lenders by low‐income Australians provides useful insights into the growth of fringe lending in Australia and the limitations of policy responses that are trapped in the regulation versus non‐regulation debate. We suggest that a more appropriate response must also consider the wider context of insufficient incomes to meet increased living costs. The policy debate needs to ensure that it acknowledges the complex demand and supply reasons for increasing demand for short term credit. The debate also needs to recognise that, in the absence of alternatives, fringe lending products will remain a prominent aspect of the financial management strategies of Australians living on low incomes.     

Does Relationship Lending Still Matter in the Consumer Banking Sector? Evidence from the Automobile Loan Market*

Objective. This article examines the role of relationship lending in the automobile loan market at a community development credit union (CDCU) and at a traditional community bank. Method. Data collected from actual car loan applications are used in a probit analysis to estimate the importance of selected demographic, financial, and loan‐specific variables on the probability of loan approval at the two types of financial institutions. Results. We first show that the community bank relies on credit scoring, not relationship lending. Relationship lending is, however, a critical factor in the loan decision at the CDCU. Low‐income households with strong ties to the CDCU are likely to receive loans, despite poor credit histories. Conclusions. If consolidation, deregulation, and technology move mainstream financial institutions away from relationship lending and toward credit scoring, CDCUs will occupy an increasingly critical niche for low‐income households.     

The Revival of Muslim Communities in Russia's Regions

In the Federation of Russia's regions, revival of Islam has been accompanied by formation of the primary cells of Muslim communities—mahallah. However, many Islamic researchers and Muslims recognize that these communities do not play a substantial role in the life of believers. The article is based on results of a sociological study involving the mosque personnel, sponsored by the Islamic Studies Center of the Academy of Sciences of Tatarstan. Expert interviews and other documents are also reviewed. Research revealed basic problems impeding the proper functioning of reviving Muslim communities in the region. These include financial problems hindering economic independence, personnel problems despite numerous religious educational institutions, lack of library resources including high quality religious literature, lack of unity among Russia's Muslims, and the need to overcome ideological discrepancies within the larger community of Muslim believers, the ummah.     

北京少数民族语言社区的历史沿革及类型特征

北京有许多少数民族社区,各少数民族社区都具有蕴涵深厚民族文化特色的语言风格,这些独具民族风格的语言便形成了特殊的北京少数民族语言社区。本文论述了北京少数民族语言社区的形成、发展及现状,并将其划分为世居的少数民族语言社区、工作单位少数民族语言社区、具有流动性的少数民族语言社区三种类型。     

论社会转型期政府在城市社区建设中的角色

改革开放以来,我国社会结构、社会运行机制和价值观念体系加速变化,整个社会处于加速转型之中。经过二十多年的改革发展,城市社区建设在社会体制的加速转型之中兴起,并且取得了巨大的成就。然而,在社会转型期却存在许多问题,政府在城市社区建设中存在着角色定位不准确,在城市社区管理中存在“越位”、“缺位”和“错位”等问题。本文结合城市社区建设的发展过程分析,认为政府在城市社区建设中的角色应该由主导性向公共服务性转变。     

单位党建和社区党建的互动是构建和谐城市社会的重要途径

当前我国城市社会出现了单位和社区并存的组织结构。单位和社区的分立及其矛盾,作为城市诸多社会矛盾的表现和复合体,将成为构建和谐城市社会的主要障碍。与此同时,我国城市基层党建领域也出现了单位和社区两种党建模式并存的局面,并且与单位和社区分立的社会结构具有很强的同构性。所以,要构建和谐的城市社会,必须有执政党基层党组织体系内的和谐;要克服城市社会基本结构中的“二元化”状态,就必须实现单位党建和社区党建的互动。在当前单位和社区互动乏力的情况下,两种党建模式的互动将成为克服单位和社区组织“二元化”状态的重要动力,成为构建和谐城市社会的重要途径。     

Imagined past,present and futures in Murray–Darling Basin communities

Over the past three decades, irrigation-dependent rural communities in Australia's Murray–Darling Basin have experienced profound economic, social and environmental changes, which they are attempting to accommodate through local government policy. As a contribution to participatory policy design research, in consultation with local governments we carried out focus groups to explore diversity of individuals’ imagined past and present in two rural communities. This was followed by group development of a diverse range of future scenarios and agreement to three likely scenarios. The research identified presence or absence of three underlying themes – irrigation, innovation and inflow of people – that plausibly drive change in these rural communities. These themes are likely to be common to many rural communities that have depended on irrigated agriculture. They provide an example of participatory policy-making, as distinct from the historically employed top-down policy development that has occurred in the Murray–Darling Basin. Because of the diversity of perceptions of past, present and futures, and the ultimate adoption of business-as-usual within the final local government plans, the research emphasises the need to put effort into community deliberations to build cohesion and share ownership of the process for delivering locally nuanced community policy.     

The normalisation of income management in Australia: analysis of the parliamentary debates of 2007 and 2009–10

Initially introduced as part of Australia's Northern Territory Intervention in 2007, Income Management (IM) explicitly targeted inhabitants of remote NT Indigenous communities. IM is a form of welfare conditionality that involves compulsorily ‘quarantining’ at least half of individuals' social security income. It has been heavily criticised for being racist, discriminatory, and a violation of individual rights. The introduction of New Income Management (NIM) in 2010 extended IM beyond Indigenous communities and introduced a new set of eligibility criteria that shifted the focus of IM from Indigenous people to working age recipients of social security income. This in depth study of the early parliamentary debates on the compulsory IM programs traces the patterns of political discourse that led to IM coming to be seen by many policy makers as a normal and legitimate technique within Australian social policy. Situating the IM programs within neoliberal concerns about welfare dependency and active citizenship, this article argues that the introduction of NIM heralded a shift from a conception of IM as part of a focused social experiment targeted at remote Indigenous communities to a potentially mainstream social policy option.     

The Local Politics of Inclusion: The State and Community Safety

While the tendency for low-income groups to become economically marginalized may be a structural feature of the globalizing, post-Fordist economy, the degree to which they are allowed to become socially excluded is arguably a political issue. In many of the polities of the Western world, debate has focused not only on whether the State could or should intervene economically to ameliorate the causes of the "new poverty" but also on how the State should address the increasing rates of "social dislocation"—including youth crime, interpersonal violence, and drug misuse—which have been associated with its emergence. The postware welfare settlement produced a particular institutional nexus of welfare, justice, punishment and citizenship (Hay 1996; Garland 1985); yet the pressure of increasing social dislocation has also placed great strain on the institutions of the welfare state, particularly at the local level, notwithstanding the ideological commitment of differing governments to continue with the social welfare project.
In this paper, we explore some circumstances in which the politics of the "local state" might mediate—in one way or another—the consequences of economic marginalization. In particular, we draw attention to the role which might be played by local state agencies—as intermediaries between the individual and the national State—in deploying policies which could offset the social exclusion of minorities and youth. By comparing the responses of local agencies to youth crime in two communities in Britain and France we highlight the "vertical" dimension of political relations which links marginalized communities with the wider resources of the State. And while many economies are experiencing similar social dislocations within disadvantaged communities, the vertical dimension may prove crucial in preserving the linkage between their residents and those of the wider, more privileged, society.     

高职教育与社区教育联动发展研究

通过对高职院校、社区进行调研,我们发现高职教育与社区教育联动发展存在诸多问题,政府应做好统筹安排,制定相关制度和政策,为高职教育与社区教育联动发展提供动力支持。高职院校和社区应以项目为纽带,实现资源互补,推动高职教育与社区教育联动发展。     

启蒙定界:康德启蒙观的革命性意义

康德的<答复这个问题:"什么是启蒙运动?">一直被奉为启蒙思想家对启蒙的经典定义.因此,后现代主义对启蒙的批判往往把矛头指向康德的这篇文章.事实上,康德的启蒙观必须在启蒙运动的问题情境中,并结合他的其他著述才能获得完整的理解.康德将启蒙置于人自身的理性自决的前提之下,强调理性实践运用的自由原则,从而使其启蒙定界获得了革命性的内涵,显示了植根现实的强烈的政治批判和宗教批判精神.     

Identifying Systemically Important Banks: A temporal approach for macroprudential policies

Contrary to the general belief, systemic risk does not only regard the risk posed by balance sheet relationships and interdependencies among institutions. It also features a temporal dimension related to the inappropriate responses of financial market participants to changes in risk over time. This paper proposes a method to simultaneously address the cross-sectional and the time dimension in which systemic risk materializes. The method is based on the TOPHITS algorithm. It provides three scores, namely borrowing, lending and time scores: the first two represent the systemic importance of the borrowing and the lending activity associated with each financial institution,while the third represents an empirical Early Warning Signal of the financial crisis. Our findings reveal that the identification of the time score as an indicator for an incoming market distress could be relevant to design macro prudential policies.