当前西方修辞学研究的趋势

本文评述了当前西方修辞学中亚里士多德主义传统的四种修辞研究趋势,其中每一种趋势的研究对象都可以看作是被以前的学者所忽视的。这包括模糊表达法——一种语法特征,修辞方法——反复的语法形式,悄感证据及礼貌。作者认为,每种情况所涉及的学者都能阐明一个看似有理的事实即这些被忽视的现象说明了一些有趣的东西,它们与具体的科学问题相关,总体上同时也与论辩相关。     

Demographic,Residential, and Socioeconomic Effects on the Distribution of Nineteenth-Century White Body Mass Index Values

Little research exists on the body mass index (BMI) values of nineteenth-century Americans of European descent. Examination of a new body mass index data set and robust statistical analysis yields the following conclusion: between 1860 and 1880, BMIs decreased across the distribution; however, after 1880, BMIs in the highest quantiles increased, while those in lower BMI quantiles continued to decrease. Late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century white BMIs increased at older ages in higher quantiles and decreased in lower quantiles, indicating significant net biological disparity by age. During industrialization, white BMIs were lower in Kentucky, Missouri, and urban Philadelphia.     

A Comment on Schoen's (1981) Harmonic Mean Marriage Model

Schoen (1981) proposes a two-sex marriage function based on the harmonic mean of the numbers of men and women at given ages. This is a comment on the argument provided by Schoen, which shows that it does not in fact lead to a marriage function based on the harmonic mean but on the product of the numbers of men and women at given ages. This does not mean that the harmonic mean is not a valid basis for a marriage function, but only that the argument used by Schoen is not a demonstration of its validity.     

THE RATIONALE OF GENERAL EQUILIBRIUM THEORY

This paper is concerned with the methodological issues raised by the attempt to use or apply the results of general equilibrium theory. This concern arises out of a critical discussion of Professor F. H. Hahn's view that general equilibrium theory is far from being a self-contained exercise, and is all the more decisive in its application for being carried out at such a high level of abstraction. It is argued that Hahn's rationale for general equilibrium theorising is unsatisfactory, and alternative lines are suggested along which such a rationale could be constructed.     

Three paradigms of childhood

Le conflit social contemporain au sujet des relations parents-enfants, et spécialement en ce qui concerne la sexualité de l'enfant, est analysé ici à l'aide de trois paradigmes théoriques sur la construction sociale de l'enfance: a/ les enfants en tant que propriété, une définition sociale trouvant son origine dans la société pré-industrielle; b/ la protection des enfants, légitimée par l'industrialisation; et c/ l'enfant en tant que personne, une conception défendue par de récents mouvements de libération. Des exemples pour chaque paradigme sont tirés de sources canadiennes contemporaines. L'intensité actuelle de la révolution paradigmatiqué est expliquée sous l'image d'un noeud de tabous étreignant la construction sociale de la sexualité aussi bien que du pouvoir.
Contemporary social conflict over parent-child relationships, especially concerning child sexuality, is analysed using three theoretical paradigms of social construction of childhood: a/ children as property, a social definition originating in pre-industrial society; b/ protection of children, legitimated by industrialism; and c/ the child as person, advocated by recent liberation movements. Examples of each paradigm are drawn from contemporary Canadian sources. The current intensity of 'paradigmatic revolution' is explained in terms of a nexus of taboos surrounding social construction of both sexuality and power.     

Two Post-Qualifying Courses in Social Work: the views of the course members and their employers

Correspondence to Alan Rushton, Course Tutor, Southwark Social Services, Fieldwork and Community Services, The Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AZ. Summary Social workers who had completed two practice oriented post-qualifyingprogrammes were sent questionnaires asking them to evaluatetheir courses and to report on their subsequent careers. A selectedsub-sample was then interviewed and their current line managerscompleted questionnaires on their views of the training. Findingsare presented on their evaluation of both academic and practiceaspects of the programme. Levels of satisfaction were foundto be linked with the characteristics of course members. Somedifficulties were experienced in applying the new learning onre-entry to full-time work.