Critical proximity

Abstract

This article explores the relationship between critical distance and the idea of proximity. In times that are often described as ‘global’, ‘24/7’, ‘connected’, ‘networked’ and ‘immersive’, distance seems ever reduced and proximity omnipresent. The contemporary impression of ubiquitous proximity might constitute a threat to the survival of critical distance understood either as a cornerstone of enlightened and humanist critical practice or as a key metaphysical ‘technology’. The resulting ‘crisis of critical distance’ produces the question of how to position oneself with regard to the ‘other’ in a time that lacks distance and privileges proximity? In tracking the ambiguity (or the ‘aporia’) that surrounds proximity – the desire to be near and the need to maintain a distance – this article rereads some key Heideggerian and Derridean texts in order to attempt a deconstruction of the opposition of distance and proximity at work in the ‘metaphysics of presence’.     

Laughing otherwise: comic-critical approaches in alternative comedy

Abstract

The origins of ‘alternative comedy’ are difficult to pinpoint, though it coincided with the rise of Thatcher as Prime Minister in 1979 – that year saw the appearance of something called ‘alternative cabaret’, a term usually associated with Tony Allen, who combined activism and comedy. The acts this article will focus on are those which took a critical approach to comedy and/or politics – ‘alternative’ comedy (or altcom), therefore, as seeming to promise change through critical awareness. This paper will discuss parody as a means of critical (dis)engagement and transformation, in relation to context, and to influences such as punk. Altcom demonstrates an apparent eschewal of approaches which rely on irony and ambiguity, in favour of more ‘direct’ political engagement. It will be argued however that such ‘direct’ approach does not cancel out critical distance, but rather seeks alternative routes to establish it – namely comic and parodic overstatement, and the problematisation of ‘trust’. This entails the key questions of whether parody may take up critical distance without irony, as well as of the political implications of an approach which seeks to eliminate ambiguity. This more ‘direct’ approach however still depends on a balance of engagement and disengagement, requiring distancing from pre-established codes.     

Multi-objective fuzzy flexible job shop scheduling using memetic algorithm

Multi-objective flexible job shop scheduling problem with fuzzy processing time and fuzzy due date is a complicated combinatorial optimization problem. In this paper, a genetic global optimization is combined with a local search method to construct an effective memetic algorithm (MA) for simultaneously optimizing fuzzy makespan, average agreement index and minimal agreement index. First, a hybridization of different machine assignment methods with different operation sequence rules is proposed to generate a high-performance initial population. Second, the algorithm framework similar to the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II) is adopted, in which a well-designed chromosome decoding method and two effective genetic operators are used. Then, a novel fuzzy Pareto dominance relationship based on the possibility degree and a modified crowding distance measure are defined and further employed to modify the fast non-dominated sorting. Next, a novel local search is incorporated into NSGA-II, where some candidate individuals are selected from the offspring population to experience variable neighbourhood local search by using the selection mechanism. In the experiment, the influence of four key parameters is investigated based on the Taguchi method of design of experiment. Finally, some comparisons are carried out with other existing algorithms on benchmark instances, and demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed MA.     

Student isolation: the experience of distance on an international field placement

In an era of global awareness of the impact of social, political and environmental impact, the international field placement has become a feature of many social work programmes throughout Australia. A theoretical framework of international social work principles allows for a guiding platform for teaching and learning; however, the experience of the social work student is often one of cultural isolation and emotional vulnerabilities. Whilst cross-cultural learning is a core practice goal of the placement, the ability to engage with this learning is affected by the impact of distance on the student. In turn, the university responsibility for the student is heightened by the distance involved, creating an increased sense of risk for both the student and the social work educator. This article draws on a mixed-methods study, with data sourced from both questionnaires and in-depth interviews with university field education staff, former social work students, and field educators. Five lenses of distance are explored in the aim of increasing understanding of the student experience: geographical distance, cultural distance, emotional distance, pedagogical distance and technological distance. In doing so, the social work educators’ ability to monitor and support remote students is enhanced, and the capacity for the student to engage in a positive teaching and learning environment is increased.     

电视节目主持人的称呼策略研究

称呼语是人们在言语交际中进行人际定位的一种语言活动,是人际交流中必不可少的要素。称呼语的选择体现了交际双方的社会地位、角色关系、语用距离以及情感态度,恰当、得体的称呼语有利于促进言语交际。电视节目主持人语言是重视交际功能的动态语言,而语用学研究人们在语言使用中如何结合语境和意图来表达和理解话语的意义。从语用学的角度,借助语用得体、语用距离、语境顺应等理论,对语言修养较高的主持人的称呼策略进行动态的分析,有助于发挥媒体语言对大众语言的引领示范作用,从而推动社会语言发展。     

南宁市居民消费行为研究及实践意义

南宁市居民消费行为受生活环境、商业环境和社会环境的影响,同时,消费者的个性特征(心理、年龄、性别和性格)和需求刺激也影响到居民的消费偏好。消费者作为“概率人”,其行为空间模型,受到认知和学习经验的影响,这对南宁市商业网点布局和调整商业结构具有现实意义。     

陶诗远境说

陶渊明向大自然的远游远观,使其在自然冥会为一,构成其诗歌的空间之远境;向悠悠上古回溯,使其向古贤士获取精神力量,形成时间之远境;超越当下生活境界,悠然远迈,是为心远境界。远境的创造,使陶渊明的田园生活进一步诗意化,使其超越俗世羁绊和俗情牵累,进一步完善了恬淡、宁静的田园诗境界。     

Foreclosures and crime: A city-level analysis in Southern California of a dynamic process

Although a growing body of research has examined and found a positive relationship between neighborhood crime and home foreclosures, some research suggests this relationship may not hold in all cities. This study uses city-level data to assess the relationship between foreclosures and crime by estimating longitudinal models with lags for monthly foreclosure and crime data in 128 cities from 1996 to 2011 in Southern California. We test whether these effects are stronger in cities with a combination of high economic inequality and high economic segregation; and whether they are stronger in cities with high racial/ethnic heterogeneity and high racial segregation. One month, and cumulative three month, six month, and 12-month lags of foreclosures are found to increase city level crime for all crimes except motor vehicle theft. The effect of foreclosures on these crime types is stronger in cities with simultaneously high levels of inequality but low levels of economic segregation. The effect of foreclosures on aggravated assault, robbery, and burglary is stronger in cities with simultaneously high levels of racial heterogeneity and low levels of racial segregation. On the other hand, foreclosures had a stronger effect on larceny and motor vehicle theft when they occurred in a city with simultaneously high levels of racial heterogeneity and high levels of racial segregation. There is evidence that the foreclosure crisis had large scale impacts on cities, leading to higher crime rates in cities hit harder by foreclosures. Nonetheless, the economic and racial characteristics of the city altered this effect.     

影响汉语批评语用策略选择的社会因素

文章认为影响汉语批评语用策略选择的社会因素主要有:社会权力、社会距离和事情的严重程度。但三者在不同语境中所起的作用不同:社会权力、社会距离两因素决定了交际主体与对象的关系,一般社会权力的作用大于社会距离,社会权力是首要因素;当社会权力和社会距离同时起作用时,与批评场合有关,公开场合社会权力作用更大,而私下场合时社会距离的作用更大。当相对权势大的一方违反这一原则时,会被认为是有意拉大双方的社会距离,是“打官腔”、“耍派头”。事情的严重程度是批评者在考虑了前两个因素后才会考虑的第三位的因素,作用次于前二者。     

多时空交通圈的内涵、划分及其特征分析

空间和时间因素构成的时空关系或时空结构是进行区域研究的重要视角,众多研究者对区域分析中的空间、时间因素及时空分析框架进行了论述,并提出时距、等时圈、时空圈、经济圈等重要概念。基于这些分析,中心城市对外多时空交通圈就是以多种交通方式衡量的、不同时空距离的时空圈总和,其时空圈具有中心—辐射、时空收敛、非连续性、非对称性的基本特征;而按照公共交通方式时距3小时为界可将中心城市时空圈划分为近距离时空圈和远距离时空圈两大类,不同时空圈具有不同的经济活动特征。