Social Harmony in Hong Kong: Level,Determinants and Policy Implications

This study aims at ascertaining how Hong Kong people perceive Hong Kong as a harmonious society. It also identifies the elements that are most conducive to social harmony in Hong Kong, so that the government could take reference when formulating new policies. 1,062 adults residents were asked to rate their perceived level of social harmony and their satisfaction with 36 items (divided into three dimensions: public governance, society, and economy, family and work) for which the research team believes would be influencing the perceived level of social harmony. Results show that the average rating of social harmony was 5.57 (out of 10), delineating a moderate level of social harmony. Subsequent multivariate factor analysis and regression analysis show that the four extracted factors (from the three dimensions) had significant impacts on the level of social harmony. These were, in order of significance: (a) public governance, (b) social solidarity and respect, (c) economy/family/work and, (d) social tolerance and progressiveness. According to the factor loadings of each significant factor, we identified four core values which we hope the government would consider when formulating new policies, as follows: (1) A Justice Government with Sincerity on Communication, (2) Mutual Support and Respect with Integrity and Dedication, (3) Dedication to One’s Job and Community by Helping the Needed and, (4) Creativity and Progressiveness with Tolerance. Implications for policy making are discussed. The study was conducted under the direction and guidance of the Fostering Social Harmony Task Force of the Hong Kong Professionals and Senior Executives Association (HKPASEA). The authors acknowledge the kind support and assistance provided by the Council Members of HKPASEA and staff members of the Centre for Corporate Governance and Financial Policy at Hong Kong Baptist University. We are also grateful to Prof. Alex Michalos and Prof. P. K. Ip for their comments and suggestions given at the International Conference on National Well-Being held in November 2006 at the National Central University, Taiwan.     

The French Regions and Their Social Health

In this article, a new indicator designed to capture the multidimensionality of the social health of the French regions is put to the test. Drawing on regional data for 2004, this indicator of social health (ISH) sheds new light on the social performance of the French regions. The worst performers are the highly urbanised regions, whereas others, such as Limousin, turn out to perform well in social terms. Two or three regions remain stuck at the bottom of the table regardless of the indicator used. Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Languedoc-Roussillon, which bring up the rear in terms of gross disposable income (GDI) and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, also record very mediocre scores for social health as measured by our ISH.

Personal Values as Mitigating Factors in the Link Between Income and Life Satisfaction: Evidence from the European Social Survey

Using data from the first two rounds of the European Social Survey, we examine the link between income, reference income and life satisfaction across Western Europe. We find that whilst there is a strong positive relationship between income and life satisfaction, reference or comparison income exerts a strong negative influence. Interestingly, our results confirm the importance of personal values and beliefs not only as predictors of subjective well-being, but also as mitigating factors in the relationship between income, reference income and life satisfaction. While our findings provide additional empirical support for the relative utility hypothesis, they are also consistent with Rojas’ (J Econ Psychol 28:1–14, 2007) Conceptual-Referent-Theory (CRT), which is based on the premise that the salience of income and comparison income depends on one’s intrinsic values and personal beliefs.

Working mothers and sons’ preferences regarding female labor supply: direct evidence from stated preferences

We investigate the argument that men who are raised by working mothers develop a preference that is favorable toward working women and, consequently, are more likely to have working wives. We test this hypothesis using the Japanese General Social Surveys 2000–2003. We directly examine the responses to the opinion survey’s questions regarding appropriate gender roles. The estimation results indicate that men raised by full-time working mothers are less likely to support traditional gender roles. Those men are also less likely to believe in the negative impact of a mother’s working on her children’s development.      

Happiness is not Enough: Cognitive Judgements as Indicators of National Wellbeing

The European Social Survey, on which this issue of the journal focuses, is a 30-nation multi-funded survey series measuring attitude change. Started in 2001, it is characterised by unusually high standards of sampling and data equivalence. Its data are made available on-line with equal access to all, and have already attracted over 20,000 users. Many papers, articles and books based on the ESS have already appeared. But none has yet employed the data—whether alone or with other sources—to derive indicators of citizens’ cognitive judgements of their society. A recent EC grant is enabling the authors to fill this gap, covering topics such as trust in national institutions, tolerance, social cohesion, social trust and fear of crime. The aim is to be able to monitor changes over time in the distance between what citizens believe their society ought to be in these respects and how they actually perceive it to be.

民族区域自治与多民族国家的政治整合

多民族国家是现代民主国家的普遍形式,在国家主权范围内选择自治模式是其重要的制度建构.民族区域自治基于一体与多元的制度设计,是中国多民族国家政治整合的基本制度架构.但在新的形势下,民族区域自治基于一体的制度创新不足与基于多元的制度创新不够,使得这一制度的政治整合功能尚未充分发挥.因此,创新民族区域自治制度,提升民族区域自治的制度化整合效能是当代中国实现多民族国家政治整合的现实路径.     

旅游中的民族文化整合与传承——以阳朔“印象·刘三姐”为例

文章考察了旅游中的民族文化整合与传承问题,结合具体个案民族文化主题项目"印象·刘三姐"对旅游环境导向中的民族文化和符号进行了以文化整合过程和结构的解析,以其中的民族文化元素山歌的原生、再生、衍生方式加以阐述了传承问题.     

民间信仰的情感维度与村落公共生活的整合——以桂北村落为考察对象

桂北村落以"天地国亲师"为崇拜对象的传统民间信仰把集体仪式嵌入到村庄的日常生活中,不断在人们情绪高昂的时刻唤醒内心深处的亲情,人们在子孙绵延的情感之链中寻找安身立命的基础,祖先与子嗣在阴阳两界之间互相支持,而兄弟与村友成为在同一块土地上延续永恒的同道者。通过以丧礼为代表的情感宣泄机制,人们直觉到村庄共同体的存在,并产生出宗教般的神圣感。这种信仰型塑了全体村民对于村庄的深切认同与情感依恋,使得他们在村庄公共生活中甘心付出,并主动承担责任。     

多元文化主义对多民族国家政治整合的启示——以美国和加拿大为例

国家统一与民族多元是现代多民族国家政治整合的基本问题.对美国和加拿大的多元文化主义处理国家统一与民族多元二者关系的实践考察及其局限性和不足的分析,对中国民族区域自治制度的坚持和完善,实现多民族国家中国的政治整合,无疑具有重要的启示.     

信任：当代经济社会学研究的新视野

20世纪70年代以来,作为对"经济学帝国主义"入侵的一种回应,信任问题逐渐成为西方经济社会学研究的一个热点。西方经济社会学家,或者在批判新古典经济学的理论和方法的基础上,或者直接借鉴新古典经济学的理论和方法,从社会资本的角度切入,把信任作为一种社会资本的特定形式,通过研究信任与经济秩序、经济交易及其成本、经济效率和效益、经济繁荣和发展之间的关系,来阐明信任这种社会资本在经济生活中的作用。西方经济社会学家对于信任问题的研究及其所取得的成果,不仅为经济社会学在当代的研究和发展开阔了新视野,展示了新空间,而且对于中国社会主义市场经济建设具有重大的现实指导意义。