The University: An Agent of Social Change?

Can universities be agents of progressive social change? How would we know if a university was acting as an agent of social change? Drawing on four case studies, I raise a number of questions to problematize our understanding of the university as an agent of social change. I outline a number of contributing factors that appear to explain successful cases. I conclude by arguing the relevancy of these cases for larger, and more traditional, sociological projects.     

Media Publicity and the Voluntary Sector: The Case of Nonprofit Organizations in New York City

Media publicity is an important resource for contemporary voluntary associations, but very little is actually known about the resources and organizational characteristics that are most important for getting media attention. To address this question, we collected and analyzed data on the organizational attributes and news publicity of 739 nonprofit organizations in New York City. We find that an organization's income, paid staff, membership size, and library resources are significantly related to getting media publicity, whereas the number of chapter affiliations is inversely related to publicity. Association type is also a significant factor that influences an organization's ability to get publicity. We discuss the implications that these findings have for current debates about advocacy and civic engagement in the nonprofit sector.     

Ethnicity, migration and health: A population-based study of 338 refugees from Latin America, 396 nonrefugee immigrants from Finland and 161 from southern Europe and 996 age-, sex- and education-matched controls from Sweden

This article shows the influence of being a refugee from Latin America or a nonrefugee immigrant from southern Europe or Finland on self-reported illness, controlling for social factors and lifestyle. The study population consisted of 338 Latin American refugees, a random sample of 396 Finnish and 161 southern European immigrants and 996 age-, sex- and education-matched Swedish controls. The data were analysed unmatched with logistic regression (multivariate analysis) in main effect models. The strongest independent risk indicator for long-term illness was being a Latin American refugee (estimated odds ratio (OR)=2.96, 95% confidence interval (CI)=2.19–3.82). There was a significant association between being a Latin American refugee and period prevalence, ill health and unsatisfied need for care. Being a southern European or Finnish immigrant was a risk indicator of ill health but was not associated with the other dependent factors. Not feeling secure in daily life was a strong risk indicator for long-term illness and ill health (estimated OR=1.89, 95% CI=1.26–2.76 and OR=3.04, 95% CI= 1.97–4.48) respectively). Being a Latin American refugee was equal in importance to traditional risk factors such as overweight and not taking regular exercise for long-term illness and ill health.     

"新理学"中"理""气"范畴的问题与症结

在“新理学”的形上学系统中 ,冯友兰借助于逻辑方法和柏拉图主义的新实在论思想对程朱的“理”“气”范畴进行改造性的诠释 ,力图给中国哲学重设一个纯形式的本体论基础 ,但这一努力却造成了冯氏“理”本体中人性道德内涵的缺失 ,以及形上与形下两个世界的二元对立。     

论非文科专业人文社会科学教学改革的必然趋势

非文科专业人文社会科学教学改革是时代的呼唤和社会可持续发展的现实要求 ,是 2 1世纪高等教育发展的历史趋势 ,是我国社会主义现代化建设事业的客观需要。     

从社会文化价值因素和社会结构看中国近代科学落后的原因——李约瑟难题再探

半个世纪以来 ,李约瑟博士提出的难题 ,引起了我国学者的热烈讨论。本文仅从中国社会文化价值因素和社会结构的角度对中国近代科学落后的原因进行再探讨。中国近代社会是封建专制、封闭禁锢的社会结构 ,其特征是高度集权、封闭禁锢、以人治代替法制 ,这种社会结构形成了一种内向的、稳定的、隔绝的文化机制。因此 ,阻碍了中国近代科学的发展。     

南宋理学家对王安石新学的批判

南宋理学家对 王安石新学的批判，主要表现在二方面：一是斥新学为异端邪说，藉以标榜理学为继孔孟绝 学的正统，二是把新学作为变乱祖宗法度而致北宋亡国的理论根源，予以无情打击。陆九渊 对王安石个人的政治操守和治国理想给以赞誉，但对王安石新学亦持批评态度。理学家批 判新学对南宋社会发展造成了不良影响，这就是在“法祖”的旗帜下，使南宋社会上上下下 因循守旧、政治上保守主义日益弥漫，并且直接影响了元明清对王安石新学及新法的评价。     

大学英语教学改革视野中的"情景教学"特色分析

情景教学体现了英语教学改革整体化、情景化的内在灵魂与要求 ,适应了我国大学英语教学改革的需要。《新编大学英语》采用以学生为中心的主题教学模式 ,通过以生活、图画展现情景 ,以音乐渲染情景 ,以角色扮演创设情景的方式为情景教学的实施与运用提供了基础 ,呈现出鲜明的情景教学特色。     

论我国农村基层民主建设的现实基础

基层民主建设是有中国特色的民主政治内容之一。近年来,我国农村的基层民主建设引起世人关注。本文从我国农村的经济因素、社会因素和文化因素三个方面探讨了在经济、文化相对落后的农村推进民主进程的可能性与可行性。     

对林业税费的经济学分析

该文运用经济学的基本工具———供给和需求曲线 ,以商品林为研究对象 ,探讨了林业税费的作用机理和内涵。该文认为商品林生产具有正的外部性 ,市场失灵使生产者将不能提供社会真正所需要的商品林数量。在封闭的市场条件下 ,林业税费会直接成为价格的一部分 ,商品林生产者应当能够获得正常利润 ,与税费高低无关 ,但会使一部分林地退出生产。林业补贴是一种负的林业税收。在开放市场经济条件下 ,国内商品林供应量低于没有林业税收时的商品林供应量 ,更低于考虑社会生态需求时的商品林供应量 ,造成巨大的社会福利损失 ,应减免林业税费、增加林业扶持、取消价格管制。该文进一步研究了与林业税费密切相关的森林采伐限额政策 ,认为对商品林应该完全取消采伐限额政策