Perception of Ecological Risk to Water Environments

This paper examines lay and expert perceptions of the ecological risks associated with a range of human activities that could adversely affect water resource environments. It employs the psychometric paradigm pioneered in characterizing perceptions of human health risks, which involves surveys to obtain judgments from subjects about risk items in terms of several important characteristics of the risks. The paper builds on a previous study that introduced ecological risk perception. This second study employs a larger, more diverse sample, a more focused topic area, and comparisons between lay and expert judgments. The results confirm that a small set of underlying factors explain a great deal of variability in lay judgments about ecological risks. These have been termed Ecological Impact, Human Benefits, Controllability , and Knowledge. The results are useful in explaining subjects' judgments of the general riskiness of, and need for regulation of, various risk items. The results also indicate several differences and areas of agreement among the lay and expert samples that point to potential key issues in future ecological risk management efforts for water resources.     

Gender‐Sensitive Research in a Chinese Community

The aim of this article is to foster an awareness of the need for gender‐sensitive research in the context of the methodological and ethical challenges posed by such research. We trace the development of gender sensitivity and masculinity in social work practice and research and connect this to an overview of the issues posed by research on sensitive topics. Reflecting on a research project involving Chinese male sexual abuse survivors, we draw conclusions illustrating and proposing a range of methodological practices and ethical safeguards. We underscore the importance of gender‐sensitivity in performing research on sensitive topics with men in a Chinese community.     

从生态思维方式三个视角分析社会主义核心价值体系

社会主义核心价值体系已成为学术界研究的热点。如何从新的角度深入理解社会主义核心价值体系,是研究走向纵深的必然要求。通过生态思维方式,基于生态学研究理论与方法,运用开放性、预见性、和谐性的思维视角解读社会主义核心价值体系,领悟普遍联系性、永恒发展性、对立统一性等特征。运用生态思维方式解读社会主义核心价值体系,具有一定的理论价值和实践意义。     

中国社会传统家庭伦理父子关系的现代扬弃

中国封建社会伦理之中,积淀了丰富的以＂尊亲＂、＂顺亲＂、＂养亲＂等为主要内容的父子伦理精义;在中国社会结构由金字塔型演变为橄榄型、步入了后喻社会时代的今天,封建社会时代形成的许多父子伦理内容和沟通模式已不适合当今社会时代的发展要求。在今日中国社会伦理系统之中,应该建立新型的父子伦利（互利）关系。这既需要借鉴现代社会的＂互喻＂模式,又要采补传统伦理的精髓内容。     

伦理视角下农业的二重特性及农作“时”观念的省思

农业是人类生存和发展的基础和支撑,也是人类最早开始的有计划、有组织从事的社会活动。一方面,与其他人类活动不同,农业需要与大自然打交道,农业生产是在自然场所中显示和展开,自然亲自参与了农业生产的始终。另一方面,从对人类发展的推动来看,农业是人们最早为着满足自身生存需要而从事的一种社会活动。既然农业是作为人类的一种社会活动而存在,它必然体现了人的各方面社会特征和价值。与人参与其他社会活动涉及伦理一样,农业不但具有一般伦理的特性,而且因为它同时涉及人与自然的关系,于是决定了其伦理关注与其他人类活动不同,不只是关注人与人之间的伦理关系,更主要的是关注人与自然之间的伦理关系。农业关注的对象不是人,乃是有生命特性的农作物,这些农作物或者动物具备生命的类特征,而且这些生命特征出于自然,具有自然属性,这一点也决定了人在生产农作物的时候需要遵循自然的规范原则,由此亦决定了农业伦理需要在规范伦理学的框架中加以考察和认知。同时,农业是为着人类生存的需要而产生的,人对农业的判断又显示出功利性,使农业呈现功利性伦理的特征。因而,农业伦理具备了伦理学理论的各个层面,甚至将一些看似矛盾的伦理学理论恰如其分地整合在一起。农业伦理不只是单方面属于哪一个伦理理论,而是融合了伦理学中典型的两个流派即功利主义和义务论。在这种融合中,农业显明出一方面以支撑人的生存为目的,另一方面需要适应自然的客观性特征,于是农业伦理也随之在这两个层面反映出其独具特色的差异性。农业伦理的二重性不只是学理上的一种考量和认定,而且是具体地显明在农业实践之中,农业耕作中的"时"观念就是农业二重特性的实践显现,使农业伦理成为与具体实践相结合的实践理性。     

Discovering hidden statistical issues through individual-level models in ecological studies

ABSTRACT

In ecological studies, individual inference is made based on results from ecological models. Interpretation of the results requires caution since ecological analysis on group level may not hold in the individual level within the groups, leading to ecological fallacy. Using an ecological regression example for analyzing voting behaviors, we highlight that the explicit use of individual-level models is crucial in understanding the results of ecological studies. In particular, we clarify three relevant statistical issues for each individual-level models: assessment of the uncertainty of parameter estimates obtained from a wrong model, the use of shrinkage estimation method for simultaneous estimation of many parameters, and the necessity of sensitivity analysis rather than adhering to one seemingly most compelling assumption.     

Otherness and empathy—implications of Lévinas ethics for social work education

This paper examines the concept of otherness in Lévinas’ ethics and raises related issues regarding the limits of empathy on philosophical grounds. This study also identifies and discusses a number of linguistic, social and cultural barriers that can establish such limits on practical grounds. This paper raises various considerations for social work educators teaching empathy. Such considerations suggest that social work educators could adopt a stance of ‘understanding and not understanding’ and a dialectical approach in using knowledge and skills. Furthermore, this study challenges the common assumption that empathy leads to compassionate action. Apart from empathy, moral commitment is necessary to engage in such action. This article discusses such moral commitment in relation to Lévinas’ notions of face and responsibility that place ethics before knowledge. Hence, the present study brings the attention of social work educators back to the importance of nourishing virtue and the moral character of students.     

From Codes to Contextual Collaborations: Shifting the Thinking About Ethics in Social Work

In this article, the authors argue that the current emphases in social work on codes, standards, and decision-making models are insufficient to the task of ensuring ethical relationships between workers and clients. Three fundamental assumptions that underpin codes and standards are analyzed. The authors then explore the nature of ethical relationships and demonstrate how codes and standards, in their current form, do not address the complexity and contextuality of the social work relationship. After considering why the profession relies so heavily on codes and standards, they call for a re-thinking of ethical relationships, offering ideas and recommendations for those relationships.     

边远县域公民道德建设研究——以西充县为例

边远县域具有比较独特的文化态貌，其道德状况也呈现一些与发达区域道德状况相异的特征。以四川西充县为样本，解析边远县域公民道德和公民道德建设现状，分析在县域公民道德建设中存在的一些问题，提出县域公民道德建设思路。认为边远县域公民道德建设可以采用伦理、教育、政治和文化四种方式，按照《公民道德建设实施纲要》的要求，结合区域文化特点与优势道德资源，全方位把握公民道德建设的目标、内容及实施过程。