Modes of Cognitive Praxis in Transnational Alternative Policy Groups

Abstract

Transnational alternative policy groups (TAPGs) are networks and centres within and around which counter-hegemonic knowledge is produced and mobilized among subaltern communities and critical social movements. Based on in-depth interviews with practitioners at 16 TAPGs, this article presents eight modes of cognitive praxis and discusses how they appear in the work of alternative policy groups. The eight modes are not sealed off from each other, but overlap and interpenetrate. In combination, these modes of cognitive praxis strive to produce transformative knowledge concomitantly with knowledge-based transformation. The analysis evidences tracings of a double dialectic in the cognitive praxis of alternative policy groups: a dialectic of theory and practice, and one of dialogue. It is in a forward movement—fostering solidaristic dialogue among counterpublics in combination with the iterative integration of theory and practice—that alternative knowledge makes its indispensable contribution to counter-hegemony.     

“奴隶社会”是对马克思原著的误读

在《（政治经济学批判）序言》中,马克思明确扼要地提出了“经济的社会形态演进的几个时代”的思想,经典表述了马克思经济社会形态理论。传统教科书和我国学术界一般认为《序言》中“古代的”生产方式表征的就是奴隶社会。但是,通过大量研读马克思原著,我们发现,用“奴隶社会”来表达亚细亚社会与封建社会之间的社会形态是对马克思原著的误读。     

福建晋江浔美盐场制盐技术考

传统时期,中国各地海盐生产技术改进的历程并不一致,其中,福建晋江浔美盐场是较早改煎盐法为晒盐法的盐场之一,至迟到元代,浔美场已大规模采用埕漏法制盐。制盐技术的改进不仅降低了制盐成本,大幅度提高了食盐产量,而且还促成了元代福建盐政管理体制的多次调整,以及相关盐场的裁撤与合并。明初以降,与其它盐场相比,浔美场的制盐技术却停滞不前,直至民国依然采用埕漏法,此则与当地具体的盐政体制、历史社会背景相关。故而以制盐技术为视角切入,对于理解区域社会盐政的运行和变革,当有一定的裨益。     

大众文化的银幕投影——对第六代电影的商业性重估

“第六代”的电影活动勾勒出一幅过于复杂的银幕图景,统一的称谓之下是难以遮掩的创作裂隙：第六代的电影实践除了高调的艺术探索外,也不乏商业电影的制作。在电影产业发展、商业电影创作成为实践、研究热点的语境下,从商业性的视角重估第六代的电影创作,剖析他们通过对现实矛盾的回避和虚假解决、提供消费符号、模式化的生产方式等创作策略所体现的大众文化机制,也许比阳春白雪的艺术评鉴更合时宜。同时对“第六代”电影创作的商业之翼的描摹,不仅丰富了第六代的银幕身影,更有可资借鉴的现实意义。     

Urban Risk Generalization in China: Space and Governance*

As an issue in Chinese urban development, handling urban risk generalization invites reflection on the structural features and internal development of the immediate or potential risks entailed in rapid urbanization across the globe. As part of research on national governance modernization, China has reached a consensus on managing urban risks. A study of spatial theory indicates that urban risk generalization in China is essentially a structural issue arising from an immature system of generalized benefits in urban space rights and interests along with an unbalanced spatial structure, functional disarray and ecological disruption arising from inequitable and unbalanced urban spatial development, readjustment and renovation. As an innovative form of modern urban public management with its target shifting from the pursuit of material things to people-centered development, spatial management enlists actors including government, business, society and citizens to seek a “community of shared spatial interests” with a rational structure, effective functions and an optimized environment at the level of spatial production and interest distribution. We need innovation in the spatial structures, drivers and mechanisms of urban public management and cultural ecology to realize their institutionalization, synthesis and reordering, strategically forestalling and resolving urbanization risks and realizing a spatial governance vision of the scientific, fair and sustainable allocation, growth and renovation of urban space in the risk era.     

The Epistemic Integrity of NASA Practices in the Space Shuttle Program

This article presents an account of epistemic integrity and uses it to demonstrate that the epistemic integrity of different kinds of practices in NASA's Space Shuttle Program was limited. We focus on the following kinds of practices: (1) research by working engineers, (2) review by middle-level managers, and (3) communication with the public. We argue that the epistemic integrity of these practices was undermined by production pressure at NASA, i.e., the pressure to launch an unreasonable amount of flights per year. Finally, our findings are used to develop some potential strategies to protect epistemic integrity in aerospace science.     

农地整理对农户使用农业机械行为的影响——基于湖北省部分地区的农户调查

在分析农地整理对农户农业生产投入行为影响的基础上,构建出农地整理对农户农业机械投入影响的理论模型,并采用农户调查数据进行实证分析。结果表明:农地整理项目的实施会对农户使用农业机械行为产生一定的影响,其中农户对农地整理的认同程度和农户对农地整理项目实施的满意程度对农户使用农业机械行为有显著的正向影响;农户参与农地整理项目实施的意愿对农户使用农业机械行为有正向影响,但影响不显著。进而得出如下结论:在农户追求利润最大化的情况下,农户的农业机械投入存在一个最优规模,农地整理项目的实施会影响这个最优规模的大小;农户使用农业机械行为受到农产品市场价格、劳动力要素市场价格、资本要素市场价格、农户家庭特征、农户资源禀赋和农地整理的影响;农地整理项目的实施对农业机械化发展有促进作用。     

人与自然的和谐——从西方生态学马克思主义视域立论

当代中国试图构建和谐社会,应该吸收西方生态学马克思主义发展马克思主义经典作家关于人与自然关系理论而取得的一些积极成果,但同时也应该注意到它的缺陷。它的最大缺陷就是对资本主义社会的批判不彻底,所提出的生态社会主义并不是真正的社会主义,这也就注定了它的理论无助于最终实现人与自然的和谐。      

外出务工对农户家庭种植业生产的作用研究——基于2101个农户的实证分析

以增收为主要目标的农民外出务工,是农业劳动力转移的重要途径,也是农户家庭农业生产要素配置发生变化的驱动因子。通过CHNS数据的匹配构建了微观面板数据,在固定效应回归模型、面板数据分位数回归模型、随机前沿生产函数模型的基础上,分析了外出务工对农户家庭种植业流动资产投入、总资产投入以及种植业全要素生产率的作用。结果表明,种植业生产规模较小的农户家庭可能会因为家庭成员外出打工而增加流动资产的投入;而生产规模较大的农户家庭,可能会由于外出打工而减少种植业方面的流动资产投入;外出务工对小规模农户家庭种植业生产总资产投入作用不显著,但对大规模农户的总资产投入有明显的抑制作用;在劳动节约型和资本节约型技术进步对种植业全要素生产率做出重要贡献的背景下,农民外出务工在一定程度上有助于种植业生产率的提升。建议未来应准确把握农户特别是种植业生产专业大户的外出务工动向,以及农业生产结构、耕地面积及投入的变动情况。     

Time substitution and network effects with an application to nanobiotechnology policy for US universities

We present a dynamic network model of the knowledge production process for nanobiotechnology research at 25 US universities during 1990–2005. Universities produce knowledge outputs in nanobiotechnology consisting of Ph.D. graduates, research publications, and patents. Inputs include the university’s spending on R&D in engineering and the life sciences, and the university’s own stock of knowledge measured by past publications in nanobiotechnology. In addition, universities take advantage of the stock of knowledge produced by other universities in previous periods. We simulate the effect of the National Science Foundation being able to optimally allocate research funds for nanobiotechnology research between universities and across time so as to maximize the aggregate amounts of the three knowledge outputs produced by the universities.