Temporary Work and Insecurity in Britain: A Problem Solved?

Temporary workers in Britain experience lower job quality. However, the proportion of employees on temporary contracts has fallen since a decade ago to just 5.5% in 2005. There have also been qualitative improvements. Many temporary workers now fall under the protection of the Fixed Term Employees’ (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002, and the relative pay of fixed-term contract workers has since improved. In contrast, the subsequent fortunes of seasonal and casual workers with short contracts have been mixed. Furthermore, the Act excludes agency workers, and the paper calls for additional legislative action to ensure fair treatment for this group.

现代女权主义视角下的小说《时时刻刻》

美国当代作家迈克尔.坎宁安在其小说《时时刻刻》中,描述了意识流经典小说《达洛维夫人》(最早命名为《时时刻刻》)的作者伍尔夫太太、读者布朗太太和与该小说女主人公同名的达洛维夫人,她们分别为是现代女权主义的先驱、迷惘的家庭主妇和叛逆的自由女性。虽然她们所处的时代不同,面对的环境和问题不同,但她们都时时刻刻渴望着自由和幸福,追求妇女的解放。坎宁安通过展示她们的自我探索,再现了现代女权主义的发展历史,表达了他对女权主义先驱弗吉尼亚.伍尔夫的敬意,从而激起了人们对妇女问题的思考。     

死之“思”——《蛙》与《时时刻刻》的比较阐释

文学中,死亡母题是人类在现实中意识到人必有一死之后建构的死亡诗学。20世纪以来,随着死亡的艺术化处理和哲学思考进一步发展,中西文化中的死亡表达方式呈现“和而不同”的态势。莫言的《蛙》和迈克尔·坎宁安的《时时刻刻》便是一例。莫言把生死之际“此在”的可能性以“延生”的生育方式提供“向死而在”的“在”的可能性,坎宁安则通过三个历时共“在”的“向死”个体,表达个体濒死的能动性、选择性和责任感。虽然两个文本中主人公的畏死和濒死的体验不同,却在“延生”和“向死”的文学话语上表达了异质同构的“死”之思。对于活着的人来说,死亡永远处于“尚未抵达”的恒久状态,面对生命的绝对紧迫性,敞现向死而生的可能性和不可能性是人类生存状况的根本现实,是人类无法逃遁的难题中最为反思性的主题。     

Individual differences in working hours, work perceptions and accident rates in veterinary surgeries

This study addresses an under-researched outcome of occupational stress, namely the frequency of accidents at work and car accidents. A large, random sample of 778 vets and their auxiliary personnel was assessed in relation to socio-demographic variables, work perception and accident involvement. The study, involving veterinary practices in Germany, revealed that work-related injuries/accidents experienced during the previous 12-month period were significantly related to individual differences in job-related stress and job satisfaction. The average yearly number of car accidents was predicted by age, working climate and job satisfaction. Furthermore, driving accidents going to or from work during the previous year were calculated against distance travelled. Vets working in excess of 48 h/week displayed significantly more driving accidents when visiting clients. Results indicate heterogeneous correlations both between and within the two categories of car and work accidents, suggesting that these are different phenomena, each with its own associated personal and work factors. Results also suggest that work perceptions may act as intermediary influences on accident rates.