Promoting sustainable development through civil society: A case study of the EU’s NSA/LA thematic programme in Kyrgyzstan

The article focuses on the contribution of the European Union (EU) in promoting sustainable development through the involvement of civil society in partner countries. More specifically, it analyses the main features and outcomes of the projects implemented by civil society organizations (CSOs) in Kyrgyzstan under the EU thematic programme Non‐State Actors and Local Authorities in Development (NSA/LA). Despite its importance—this is the only EU programme providing direct support to non‐state actors and local authorities engaged in poverty reduction—to date, there has been very little research on the functioning of this instrument on the ground. This article seeks to fill this gap in the literature by examining the EU’s contribution to sustainable development through a case study on Kyrgyzstan. The study is based on primary data: 10 semi‐structured interviews conducted with the EU‐funded organizations implementing the NSA/LA programme. The NSA/LA projects were analysed by considering two major fields of engagement of non‐state actors in the development process: as service providers and as advocates (Banks & Hulme, 2012). Overall, the organizations awarded EU support were not only focused on fulfilling short‐term needs but also sought to introduce new ways of dealing with poverty and inequality, positioning themselves between the “Big‐D” and the “little‐d” approaches to development (Bebbington, Hickey, & Mitlin, 2008). Nonetheless, the EU‐funded projects were too limited and fragmented to be able to sustain long‐term structural change. Therefore, the EU should place new emphasis on creating synergies between new and old structures at the grassroots level and establishing mechanisms and bodies that could merge and co‐ordinate their efforts. In addition, the calls for proposals could highlight the need to share the lessons learnt by “obliging” the beneficiaries to act as multipliers and to pass on their positive experience to neighbouring communities. Finally, the EU could stimulate the funded organizations to experiment with innovative mechanisms of involvement in the policy‐making process, by making this aspect a mandatory requirement of the projects implemented with its support.     

A qualitative study on participants’ perceptions of child development accounts in Korea

ABSTRACT

In 2007, Korea implemented Child Development Accounts (CDAs) for institutionalised children in child welfare systems. Since then, the target group and a matching cap of CDAs in Korea have evolved. The target group expanded to include poor children receiving welfare, whereas the matching cap increased from KRW 30,000 (US$26.53) to KRW 40,000 (US$35.38), which is matched at a 1:1 rate. Despite the expansion, there is little empirical evidence examining the extent to which CDAs have influenced the life of participants. Using a content analysis method with a sample (N = 22), this study examines how CDAs have changed children’s mindsets, saving habits, education, future planning and sponsorship. The findings suggest that CDAs have multiple positive influences on children. This study concludes with policy implications for the inclusive and progressive development of CDAs in Korea.     

基于神经网络的测井评价油层污染研究

利用测井资料,在剖析传统的测井评价油(气)层污染方法的基础上,介绍了利用BP神经网络这一现代数理统计新技术来实现测井多参数评定油气层污染程度的方法和技巧;以华北二连油田实际资料为例,建立了测井判释油气层污染的数学物理模型,并进行了模拟预测。结果表明:该法简便可行,对污染评价参数预测精度较高,对污染程度评价合理准确,可作为油(气)层污     

Attitudes of social work students towards older people

Demographic ageing is a challenge for many countries. Even though Turkey has a relatively younger demographic composition, the proportion of the older people (65+) within the population is rapidly increasing. Within this framework, older people are becoming more important clients for both social work students and social workers in Turkey. This study aims to reveal the attitudes of social work students towards older people and determine the various factors that affect their views on older persons. In the scope of the project, Kogan's Attitude Towards Old People Scale was applied to 419 social work undergraduate students at a university located in Central Anatolia. The findings showed that social work students scored a mean of 130.96 and they generally had positive attitudes towards older people. The correlation between year of study, gender and age was not statistically significant. However, having lived mostly in urban areas was positively correlated with the mean Kogan scores and this finding was found to be statistically significant. Exposure to personal contact with older people at both the personal and professional levels was influential in shaping attitudes about the older people.     

试论教师在群文阅读指导中的多元化角色

提高学生语文素养的方法之一是扩大学生的阅读量。指导学生群文阅读是扩大学生阅读量的重要途径。在指导学生群文阅读过程中，教师事实上要扮演多元化角色：他既是人文知识的储备者，也是教学活动的组织者；既是阅读指导的开拓者，也是学生阅读的欣赏者。     

城市里想飞却飞不高的小鸟——“90后”农民工的心理困惑及解决对策

现如今，“90后”农民工已经成为了农民工群体中的主力军，是新生代农民工的代表。对比老一代农民工，他们身上有着鲜明的特点和对待城市生活全新的态度。当然他们面临着融入城市难的困惑、内心自卑、孤独的困惑和工作能力不足的困惑等。力求挖掘“90后”农民工身上的特点，分析其内心存在的困惑，进而提出相应的解决对策，让他们在城市里的生活更加充满希望。     

借助新媒体提升“90后”大学生思想政治教育的实效性

在经济全球化、思想文化多元化、信息化和科学技术飞速发展、我国综合国力和国际竞争力不断增强的背景下,新媒体已渗透到人们日常生活的方方面面。＂90后＂大学生呈现出独特的思想、行为模式,给大学生思想政治教育工作带来挑战。因此,认清和把握＂90后＂大学生的思想、行为特点,充分借助新媒体的优势,有针对性地开展大学生思想政治教育工作,提升思想政治教育工作的实效性显得尤为重要。     

浅议世界女子高校发展之路——从WEW教师论坛谈起

在崭新的世纪,世界女子高校将有何发展?世界妇女教育组织(WEW)的成立与2011年教师论坛的召开让我们认识到世界女子高校在发展中存在的问题,在坚定了发展女子高校信念的同时,对中国的女子高校亦有所启示。     

戴维森意义理论的主要思想导源

戴维森意义理论具有明显的思想继承性,主要表现在:弗雷格的真值条件论是其基本立足点,塔尔斯基真之语义论的约定-T模式充当其形式表征基础,蒯因的彻底翻译理论成为其经验解释的理论基础。正是由于戴维森善于借鉴这些影响深远的思想成果,使其意义理论呈现出一种解释性的真理论而潜在地具有非凡的理论优势和影响力。