伊拉克战后政治发展的三个纬度

伊拉克在战后启动了国家构建进程,建立了民主制度.然而,超越了伊拉克民族构建阶段的民主化进程,不利于民主化进程顺利发展,不但引发了教派冲突,而且对民族构建带来负面影响.只有推动民族构建进程,才能消除教派冲突的根源,使国家构建顺利开展,从而推动民主制度在伊可持续发展.     

浅析伊拉克战后的教派之争

伊拉克战争后,伊境内教派冲突迭起,特别是2006年2月22日,阿里·哈迪清真寺爆炸事件,造成该寺金顶严重损毁,引发了伊境内最严重的教派冲突,什叶派和逊尼派之间报复性暴力冲突愈演愈烈,引起国际社会广泛关注;战后伊国内政治力量对比发生了重大变化,对教派冲突产生催化作用。伊拉克的乱局同中东地区和国际形势的发展也不无关系。中东海湾地区民族、宗教矛盾尖锐,教派斗争激烈,是世界矛盾和热点问题最多最集中的地区,也是恐怖活动高发区。阿拉伯国家对伊拉克的走向普遍担忧。大国围绕伊拉克问题展开激烈斗争和较量。伊拉克教派之争对伊社会产生了严重后果,并深刻地影响伊社会的发展和内部关系的演变。什叶派主导的伊新政府应在四年任期内妥善处理好什叶派、逊尼派和库尔德人三派权益的合理分配,缓解教派矛盾,稳定国内局势、避免内乱,早日完成国家重建。     

浅析伊拉克战后的教派之争

伊拉克战争后,伊境内教派冲突迭起,特别是2006年2月22日,阿里·哈迪清真寺爆炸事件,造成该寺金顶严重损毁,引发了伊境内最严重的教派冲突,什叶派和逊尼派之间报复性暴力冲突愈演愈烈,引起国际社会广泛关注;战后伊国内政治力量对比发生了重大变化,对教派冲突产生催化作用.伊拉克的乱局同中东地区和国际形势的发展也不无关系.中东海湾地区民族、宗教矛盾尖锐,教派斗争激烈,是世界矛盾和热点问题最多最集中的地区,也是恐怖活动高发区.阿拉伯国家对伊拉克的走向普遍担忧.大国围绕伊拉克问题展开激烈斗争和较量.伊拉克教派之争对伊社会产生了严重后果,并深刻地影响伊社会的发展和内部关系的演变.什叶派主导的伊新政府应在四年任期内妥善处理好什叶派、逊尼派和库尔德人三派权益的合理分配,缓解教派矛盾,稳定国内局势、避免内乱,早日完成国家重建.     

伊拉克重建中国家认同之缺失

战后伊拉克教派暴力冲突不断,国家濒临内战边缘,重建深陷安全困境,折射出伊国家认同的严重缺失。伊各派势力的利益纷争、美国强力改造伊拉克、某些周边阿拉伯-伊斯兰势力的介入等内外因素导致伊重建的严重受挫。伊加强中央政府权威,美调整对伊政策,以及有关各方回到联合国框架下推动伊重建,才有可能解除伊重建中的安全困局,而重构国家认同更是伊拉克的当务之急。     

什叶派集体认同与黎巴嫩民族国家构建

19世纪中叶以来,现代黎巴嫩民族国家逐渐形成。黎马龙派、逊尼派和德鲁兹派接受了以黎巴嫩为“永恒祖国”的原则,并将之作为构建黎巴嫩民族国家的基础。但黎什叶派传统的以封建家族首领为核心的教派认同,在经历了阿拉伯民族主义的挑战后,转变为以什叶派政治组织和民兵武装为基础的新什叶派教派认同。这种集体认同所具有的亲伊朗和叙利亚的属性,对构建黎巴嫩民族国家形成挑战。     

伊拉克重建中国家认同之缺失

战后伊拉克教派暴力冲突不断,国家濒临内战边缘,重建深陷安全困境,折射出伊国家认同的严重缺失.伊各派势力的利益纷争、美国强力改造伊拉克、某些周边阿拉伯-伊斯兰势力的介入等内外因素导致伊重建的严重受挫.伊加强中央政府权威,美调整对伊政策,以及有关各方回到联合国框架下推动伊重建,才有可能解除伊重建中的安全困局,而重构国家认同更是伊拉克的当务之急.     

什叶派集体认同与黎巴嫩民族国家构建

19世纪中叶以来,现代黎巴嫩民族国家逐渐形成.黎马龙派、逊尼派和德鲁兹派接受了以黎巴嫩为"永恒祖国"的原则,并将之作为构建黎巴嫩民族国家的基础.但黎什叶派传统的以封建家族首领为核心的教派认同,在经历了阿拉伯民族主义的挑战后,转变为以什叶派政治组织和民兵武装为基础的新什叶派教派认同.这种集体认同所具有的亲伊朗和叙利亚的属性,对构建黎巴嫩民族国家形成挑战.     

从族群与国家认同矛盾看阿拉伯国家的国内冲突

在阿拉伯世界，族群、国家、民族、宗教多元认同的存在决定了阿拉伯国家的国家认同深受多元认同的困扰。本文主要探讨了种族、语言、宗教、教派等族群认同对阿拉伯国家认同的挑战，分析了阿拉伯国家族群冲突的四种主要形态：权力分割族裔化而引发的国内冲突；权力垄断族裔化而引发的国内冲突；主体民族与少数民族族裔群体的冲突；跨界族群寻求自治与独立引发的冲突。阿拉伯国家的族群冲突反映了阿拉伯民族国家建构存在的问题和遭遇的挫折。     

从族群与国家认同矛盾看阿拉伯国家的国内冲突

在阿拉伯世界，族群、国家、民族、宗教多元认同的存在决定了阿拉伯国家的国家认同深受多元认同的困扰。本文主要探讨了种族、语言、宗教、教派等族群认同对阿拉伯国家认同的挑战，分析了阿拉伯国家族群冲突的四种主要形态：权力分割族裔化而引发的国内冲突；权力垄断族裔化而引发的国内冲突；主体民族与少数民族族裔群体的冲突；跨界族群寻求自治与独立引发的冲突。阿拉伯国家的族群冲突反映了阿拉伯民族国家建构存在的问题和遭遇的挫折。     

构建和谐社会的必由之路

构建社会主义和谐社会，在很大程度上依赖于中国公共政策的科学化和民主化进程。公共政策的科学性、合理性是决策过程科学化、民主化的集中体现。在政策制定、执行和检验过程中，应引入科学决策机制、公开讨论机制、社会监督机制、纠错机制等。这是决策民主化、科学化的应有之义，也是构建和谐社会的必由之路。     

“1·25革命”前后埃及政治转型比较

“1·25革命”后，埃及的政治转型一度为中东政治发展带来一丝曙光，但之后更剧烈的社会动荡又为民主转型带来了巨大的不确定性。事实上，在西方民主转型理论的诱导下，埃及的民主化走向误区具有必然性，西方民主转型理论注重即时性的结果，片面地将民主制度的建立及公民政治权利尤其是选举权的实现视作民主转型的终点，而忽视了民主的深刻内涵。民主某种程度上就是各种公民权利，包括基础权利、政治权利及社会权利，依次实现的漫长过程。三种权利互相支撑，构成三位一体的民主。穆巴拉克时代的民主转型缺乏基础权利和社会权利的支撑，最终导致民主的空心化。革命后的埃及尽管在民主制度建设上取得实质性进展，但公民权利的匮乏对民主的成熟构成严重制约，从选举到善治，埃及的民主转型任重而道远。     

Nationalism, Charisma, and Plebiscitary Leadership: The Problem of Democratization in Max Weber's Political Sociology

Max Weber has typically been regarded as a central thinker in the liberal tradition of social analysis. At the same time, critics have long noted how his democratic commitments were compromised by his nationalism. Drawing on existing criticism, I discuss the importance of charismatic leadership in Weber's thought and its implications for his understanding of the process of democratization. Reconstructing core concepts in Weber's political thought, I analyze how Weber's concept of plebiscitarian leadership unites charismatic domination with nationalism and skepticism concerning effective democratic politics. I show how Weber's concept of plebiscitarian rule grew from deeply held political values and his engagement with German politics. I then generate propositions regarding the problem of democratization in regime transitions and apply them to contemporary charismatic leaders and ethno-nationalist mobilization in post-Communist transitions. I argue that as much as it anticipates the central dilemma of charismatic solutions to political crisis, Weber's thought favors nationalist and plebiscitarian responses to democratization that have been largely discredited by historical experience.     

The student movement in Turkey: a case study of the relationship between (re)politicization and democratization

One particularly striking aspect of the global waves of social movements is the increasing politicization of youth, including students. Taking this as its starting point, this article discusses what the politicization of youth could mean for democracy and democratization in Turkey. This is important because, especially since 2011, Turkish politics has been dominated by debates concerning authoritarianization. Focusing on the largest student organization in Turkey, the Student Collectives (SC), this article shows that the relationship between politicization and democratization is more complicated than at first sight. Some aspects of the student movement in Turkey suggest it is an important moment of democratization in Turkey while other aspects arouse scepticism. Three crucial indicators of a movement’s democratic potential are whether it attends to deciphering the existing constellation of power relations, reflects on the possibility of installing a counter-hegemony and gives importance to collective identities. However, the SC’s potential democratic contribution is weakened by its conceptualization of democratic struggle in terms of antagonism rather than agonism through ‘moralizing’ politics. Moreover, its reluctance to engage with institutions of representative democracy further complicates the matter. The main contribution of this study is its discussion of various forms of politicization and their possible effects on democratization; and to give some clues to the activists of different social movements that can be helpful in their self-reflection.     

Social change in Mexico: re-politicizing the agenda of reform

A key claim of this article is the need for re-politicizing the processes of social change in Mexico, while critically examining economic imperatives as self-induced enforcement mechanisms. Focusing on the socio-political dimensions of the process, I undertake an analysis of the features of the democratization processes currently under way. It is emphasized that if the latter are to succeed, we need to be aware of the broad transformative effects which they entail. Therefore, the challenge for a more egalitarian and democratic society must be undertaken without delay. It is suggested that network governance could be of great help in drawing up a more democratic agenda, which may open up further possibilities of transformation.     

Placing democratization within the global frame: sociological approaches to universalism, and democratic contestation in contemporary Turkey

The process of democratization in Turkey is enhanced by both proximity to the European Union's enlargement process and universalistic discourses of personhood rights, and, at the same time, compromised by a nationalistic rejection of global human rights and democratic norms and state‐led resistance to political pluralism. One key feature of the democratization process is the way in which contending parties—the Kemalist elite, religious and ethnic minorities, the European Union—attempt to legitimise their claims by appeals to universal principles. The paper examines three sociological/social theory approaches to universalism (Beck, Laclau, Robertson) and demonstrates their usefulness for an understanding of political contestation in contemporary Turkey. It is argued that the work of these theorists allows us to move beyond a simplistic polarisation of the universal and the particular, where the state represents the universal and minorities the particular. The conceptualisation of universalism advanced by Beck, Laclau and Robertson points to the need to understand the processes of democratization within a sociologically informed globalization framework.     

Civil society,social movements and Democracy in Southern Africa

The article reviews the theory of civil society and social movements in a general perspective and relates the theoretical argument to recent economic and political changes in Southern African states. Salient aspects of civil society and its role in the democratic process is considered and the role of different key institutions and organizations in the democratic process are analyzed. The role of economic elites is equivocal, both because of the racial dimension in their composition and in the way they avoid addressing problems of living standards of the working class. The most important institutions of civil society seem to be the universities and the church, whereas the role of media is less important than one might have expected, because of widespread state control and state ownership. The article analyzes the particular role of different social movements and offers an interesting comparison of their strengths and weaknesses in democratization processes in various Southern African countries.     

Inequality, Democratization, and De–Democratization

Reversions from democratic to undemocratic regimes have often occurred historically and continue to occur frequently. Both increases in categorical inequality across a regime's subject population and declines in the insulation of public politics from categorical inequality tend to de–democratize regimes. A general account of democratization and de–democratization yields a series of conjectures concerning the processes by which changes in categorical inequality threaten democracy.     

Taking Tilly south: durable inequalities, democratic contestation, and citizenship in the Southern Metropolis

Drawing on Charles Tilly’s work on inequality, democracy and cities, we explore the local level dynamics of democratization across urban settings in India, South Africa, and Brazil. In all three cases, democratic institutions are consolidated, but there is tremendous variation in the quality of the democratic relationship between cities and their citizens. We follow Tilly’s focus on citizenship as the key element in democratization and argue that explaining variance across our three cases calls for analyzing patterns of inequality through the kind of relational lens used by Tilly and recognizing that patterns of contestation are shaped by shifting political relationships between the nation and the city. We conclude that Tilly’s theoretical frame is nicely sustained by the comparative analysis of cases very different from those that stimulated his original formulations.     

Effects of Global Democracy on Women's Reproductive Health: 1970–2005, Cross-World Analysis

ABSTRACT

Despite many trends that have been commonly assumed to enrich societal well-being, this article posits that in addition to benefits there are also costs associated with democratization. This article comparatively analyzes the effects of democratic transition on women's health in democratizing well-developed as compared with developing countries across the world. Considering the junction of positive and negative outcomes of democratization, the author argues that to women the costs of democratization are much more substantial than to men because their societal roles are less valued and life for most women is centered at home and, hence, is not considered to be of public concern. Thus far, democratization's costs to women have been largely overlooked, not only in terms of economic opportunities but also in terms of their impact on women's health. These costs cannot be ignored as they limit women's empowerment and endanger national health.     

Modernisierung und Demokratisierung

Most social scientists agree that democracy is essentially a product of modernity: As soon as a society follows the path of modernization, especially by implementing economic reforms, a democratic transition seems inevitable. As the complexity of society increases, the demands on the governmental performance of the state rise. Accordingly, authoritarian developmental regimes will be replaced in the long term by liberal democracies. But the causes and mechanisms between modernization and democratization are still unclear. While most studies are based on functionalist concepts, this article explores the subject from a constitution theoretical perspective. The argument is developed in four steps: In the first step, I will discuss the contributions of Parsons and Luhmann to the explanation of democratization processes. In the second step, I will give an overview of recent non-functionalist concepts for the analysis of differentiation processes. In the third step, these concepts are used in order to investigate the relation between modernization and democratization on the case of South Korea (1979–1987). This empirical study focuses on structures of inequality in the social subsystems, the carriers and motives of pro-democratic protests, and finally the temporal patterns of interaction between the South Korean democratization movement and the authoritarian regime. In the fourth step, the explanatory potential of non-functional differentiation theories for the analysis of democratization processes will be discussed.