The Global Politics of Forced Labour

This article examines the politics of governing forced labour. It develops and applies an approach drawing on Marx’s conception of the historical formation of ‘free’ labour in the process of ‘primitive accumulation’ and Gramsci’s conception of the ‘relations of force’. Viewed through this lens, rather than representing discrete ontological categories, the boundary between ‘free’ and ‘forced’ labour is repositioned as largely a contested and ambivalent artefact of governance. The concept of the ‘political relations of force’ highlights the ways in which such constructions are shaped by complex intersections between a diversity of different social forces. This approach is subsequently applied in an analysis of an International Labour Organization project on dealing with ‘traditional slavery’ in Niger.     

Asymmetric learning in a short-term,macro-oriented international students’ exchange: an exploratory study

International social work organizations’ call for a Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development emphasizes promotion of social justice-oriented policies. A major challenge for international student exchange programs, especially when the visitors are from affluent countries, is to overcome the asymmetric process of the relative lack of power, in student hosts’ in comparison to student visitors’ relationships, as well as to focus on macro-practice orientation. Through analyzing a case study of student exchange, we propose a set of pedagogical strategies that may help to overcome these challenges through using processes of mirroring to address this asymmetric situation. This exploratory research is based on a three-year assessment of a short-term, macro-oriented MSW travel study course between graduate students from two universities (in the US and in Israel) using an exchange framework. It includes a comparison of joint experiences of students using both written and arts-based data. The findings demonstrate that the use of relationship building and mirroring enables both hosts and guests to learn about their own macro-reality through the eyes of the others and helps diffuse asymmetry and create relationships not only on the micro-, but also macro-levels. Implications for teaching methods in international courses are discussed.     

The relationship between the community participation of disabled youth and socioeconomic factors: mixed-methods approach in rural Sri Lanka

Mixed methods were applied to examine the association of community participation by disabled youth with socioeconomic factors in rural Sri Lanka. There was a significant association between community participation and socioeconomic factors in the quantitative survey (n = 116): participants living in socioeconomically disadvantaged conditions had lower levels of community participation than those living without these disadvantages. Consistent with the findings of the survey, previous educational experiences, household economic conditions, and perceived resource information were common themes in the qualitative study (n = 26). The dynamics of these factors, including marginalisation of disabled youth within the household, were also observed.     

儒家的自然观与环境问题

当今环境问题的成因之一是人们片面的自然观割裂了自然的多种价值的统一及人与自然的统一。儒家关于人与自然和谐统一、自然界具有多种价值的自然观,有助于我们深化对人与自然的辩证统一关系以及自然的多种价值的统一性的认识,从而确立辩证统一的自然观,多渠道地解决当今日益严峻的环境问题。     

在华国际非政府组织法律规制缺陷及应对

国际非政府组织在华已经活动三十年有余,中国仍然在对其法律规制层面存在种种缺陷,这与中国根深蒂固的对其不信任态度及防范意识分不开的.鉴于其在中国经济建设中发挥出的出色积极作用,在没有满足颁布诸如《非政府组织法》等专门法规条件之前的过渡期之内,中国政府应该转变对其的指导思想及态度,通过完善现有中央层面及地方层面法规,加强对其法律规制.除此之外,在华的国际非政府组织应该通过完善与缔结自身行为准则等途径,提高自身素质,积极寻求与中国政府合作的机会,获取国家及人民的信任;同时,中国本土的非政府组织也应该勇敢的走出国门,提高国际事务的参与度.     

对中美人权问题的伦理思考

中美人权问题是两国关系中的结构性问题。美国人权观源于自然法理论,强调人权的普遍性和个人人权,着眼于个人的政治权利。中国人权观源于马克思主义伦理和儒家伦理传统,既强调个人人权,又强调集体人权,认为人权既包含政治权利,也包含生存发展权、社会文化权等多种要素。中美双方应在了解和尊重对方伦理传统的前提下,加强人权对话与合作,求同存异,增进共识,努力化解人权冲突,发展中美关系。     

后危机时代中国农村金融体制改革研究

近年来,中国农村金融体制获得的支持并不充分,最重要的表现就是农民和农村经济体融资困难。可以说,中国的农村金融体系是全国金融体系中最薄弱的一环。缺乏一定的金融服务和金融产品致使农民贷款难以及农村金融机构营利能力低下是制约农村金融体制发展的主要因素。我国农村经济改革的重中之重是加速农村金融改革的步伐,以此作为解决"三农"问题的切入点和建设社会主义新农村的关键点。     

关于环境伦理学定位的思考

当代环境伦理学家为人类保护环境确立了不同的伦理定位即生态中心主义和人类中心主义,本文认为环境保护应该坚持人类中心主义,人是最终目的,只有这样才能为环境保护提供伦理基础。