Nationalism versus civilisations: an assessment of alternate theories on the future of ethnic identity and conflict

The end of the Cold War has caused a reassessment of the future basis for conflict and identity. While Samuel Huntington predicts that super-national ‘civilisations’ are becoming the basis for identity and conflict, many dispute this arguing that either past ethnic and national bases for identity and conflict will remain the norm or that world integration and interdependence will cause the world to unite. This article examines an aspect of this debate using data on ethnic conflict from the Minorities at Risk data set, as well as data collected independently. Specifically, it assesses whether post-Cold War ethnic conflict, and by inference ethnic identity, is more influenced by civilisational or ethnic variables. The analysis shows that separatism, a nationalist variable, is considerably more strongly associated with ethnic rebellion than are civilisational differences. Furthermore, in the multi-variate analysis civilisational differences are, if anything, associated with less ethnic rebellion. Also, separatism and various political variables more strongly influence ethnic rebellion than do civilisational differences. Thus, this study strongly supports the contention that, at least as of the late 1990s, identity continues to be based on national end ethnic factors rather than civilisational ones.     

Violent civic nationalism versus civil ethnic nationalism: Contrasting Indonesia and Malay(si)a

In 1963 the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak, and Sabah formed the Federation of Malaysia. In the same year Indonesia gained control over West Papua. In the first case the integration was accomplished participatory and peacefully, in the second violence reigned supreme. I argue that different visions of community, nation and state, developed during the decades of decolonisation and the early years of state- and nation-building, are responsible for the different outcomes. Contrary to the expectations of the predominant theories on nationalism the ethno-cultural variant of nation-building in Malaysia proved to be much more integrative than the civic variant espoused by the Indonesian nation-builders.     

2012年中国民族法学研究述评

2012年中国民族法学研究成果颇丰。其中,论文约有320余篇,比2011年增加了100余篇。这些研究在内容上有以下特点：一是内容较为全面,其中,民族习惯法、民族司法的研究比往年增多,民族政治权利成为年度重要话题;二是内容上的交叉研究增多;三是出现了一些综述性、反思性研究成果;四是关注了一些热点事件和话题;五是应用性研究成果较多。这些研究在方法上有以下特点：一是研究视角的多元化,协商民主成为年度新话题;二是注重实证研究;三是注重比较研究。在全面梳理的基础上,笔者根据研究内容所涉及的民族法学基本理论、民族权利保护、民族区域自治、民族法制建设、民族习惯法、民族法制史、民族司法等方面分别对其主要成果进行了介绍与评价,在辨别良莠、展示精华的同时,为不断繁荣中国民族法学提供可借鉴的年度综合性史料。     

民族自治地方和谐发展的制度困境与变革导向——评《民族自治地方社会和谐的法治保障研究》

《民族自治地方社会和谐的法治保障研究》一书从多重视角分析了民族自治地方构建和谐社会面临的问题和困难,找准了完善我国民族自治制度的突破口——制度根源,对制定和完善国家民族政策及民族法制提出了的积极有效的建议。研究视角独特、观点新颖,不失为近年来民族政策和法制研究的杰作。其立论始于实证分析,结论归于具有操作性的意见,对于民族区域自治制度的完善以及少数民族人权的法律保护,均具有重要的理论和现实意义。     

论辛弃疾词的曲折含蕴美

辛弃疾是宋代成就最高的词人,其词作不仅抒写了雄浑壮阔的内容,而且具有词这一文体幽深精微的美质。文人和英雄的双重身份,使辛弃疾的情感格外深沉复杂,发而为词,就使其词作盘郁顿挫,具有特别动人的力量;与此相应,在意象上"摧刚为柔"和大小意象的对比,在结构上"以文为词"、"引气入词",在用典上丰赡贴切等艺术特点,也使其词作具有一种独特的曲折含蕴美。     

动画片叙事节奏处理——镜头的运用研究

节奏如同我们呼吸的空气一样存在着生活与艺术当中,研究所涉及的节奏主要是动画影片叙事的节奏,阐述了通过构成镜头的画面设计、构图形式、色彩、光影等要素的运用原理、运动镜头、静止镜头的比例分配等因素对叙事节奏所产生的影响,探讨了如何基于镜头来把握叙事节奏提升作品整体魅力,让观众更好地感受视听艺术的美感,达到创作出优秀的、经久不衰的动画作品.     

Integrating resilience and positive youth development for the promotion of positive health behaviours among ethnic minorities: a conceptual framework

Hong Kong, a traditionally ethnically homogeneous society, seems to fail encouraging positive development of ethnic minority young people. Studying resilient ethnic minority, young adults may provide insights into developing programmes and policies to encourage positive health behaviours. A pilot qualitative study of individual interviews with South Asian young minority adults was conducted to develop a conceptual framework by incorporating resilience and positive youth development. Based on the findings of this study, resilience and positive youth development contribute to young ethnic minorities’ positive health behaviours. This study may benefit culturally tailored research implications for young ethnic minorities.     

A Qualitative Study of Non-Affiliated,Non-Scientist Institutional Review Board Members

In addition to outlining criteria for the approval of human subjects research, federal regulations provide guidance regarding local institutional review board (IRB) membership. IRBs are mandated to include “at least one member whose primary concerns are in nonscientific areas” and “at least one member who is not otherwise affiliated with the institution.” Often a single individual serves both of these roles simultaneously. Although there have been calls for increased representation of lay community members on IRBs, little is known regarding their experiences or their perceptions of human subject protections and the IRB process. Using an ethnographic interview approach, this study seeks to gain a perspective from non-affiliated, non-scientist (NA/NS) IRB members about the process in which they participate. Findings suggest a need for clarification regarding whom NA/NS IRB members represent. They also suggest that NA/NS IRB members’ experiences could be improved by an increased show of respect from the IRB chair, other members, and staff; efforts to make participation more convenient for these volunteer members; and training tailored specifically to NA/NS members. Further research on this important and understudied topic is needed to determine best practice and policy recommendations.     

中国少数民族人口出生性别比问题研究

本文以“五普”数据为基础,对比“三普”、“四普”数据,对我国少数民族出生人口性别比问题进行研究。研究表明我国少数民族出生人口性别比偏高问题已经存在。虽然问题没有汉族严重,但其发展的趋势与汉族相当接近;少数民族出生人口性别比偏高表现出较强的区域差异、城乡差异和民族差异。     

Equalizing population denominators for australian metropolitan areas

Most population data are collected and tabulated in an aggregate form by censuses around the world in which political and economic considerations determine the geographic unit of the aggregation. Large spatial variation in population size among, units can limit comparative analysis among different subregions. Census population counts are often used as the denominator in rate calculations. This paper proposes the design of new districts for Australian metropolitan areas that will decrease the absolute range in population among districts. The transport algorithm is used for aggregation of Collection Districts in order to achieve this goal. The transport algorithm proved efficient in assigning CDs to a more equitable alignment of population in the selected Statistical Divisions. This method affords the spatial comparison of city settlement and socio-economic variables as well as deriving a stable denominator for these comparisons. The results demonstrate the advantages of equalized population denominators over those associated with the current statistical districts.