Megachurch involvement at the local level: Examining conditions for church action in economic development

The roles of small congregations and their social impacts are well known, but few theoretical studies investigate megachurch congregations. These mammoth organizations have the potential for advancing social good, but minimal research specifically focuses on the activities of these congregations in economic development (ED). This study addresses this dearth of information by answering the following research questions: (a) In what ways are megachurches involved in ED activities? (b) Who benefits from these programs and how are the programs offered? and (c) What factors influence megachurches to offer ED activities? We frame our investigation using both demand‐ and supply‐side arguments from Frumkin's (2002) model of nonprofit and voluntary action. Online survey data and follow‐up interviews with 42 megachurch leaders in the Dallas/Fort Worth and greater Houston areas show that megachurches are implementing ED activities in alignment with demand‐side explanations, especially when advancing opportunities for the unemployed and underemployed. However, supply‐side arguments provide more explanatory power, indicating that volunteer engagement with ED activities plays a significant role in the provision of ED services through megachurches. Our study offers a better understanding of why megachurches carry out ED activities with considerable attention devoted to how megachurches partner with other congregations, nonprofits, and government entities to encourage economic growth and improve the economic well‐being of community members.     

The changing landscape of public service delivery systems for disabled people in China: a Shanghai case study

This article will consider the current development of an emerging contract culture for the delivery of social services and its impact on disabled people in China. The discussion is based on an original qualitative study in Shanghai. The past 30 years have seen dramatic changes in China, which in parts have led to improvements in the lives of disabled people. The China Disabled Persons’ Federation (CDPF) became a key player in delivering these changes with the government. However, the CDPF is being criticized by disabled people for being too bureaucratic and not being effective enough in its delivery of services. One of its responses is to work with newly emerging not-for-profit organizations (NPOs) of and for disabled people. The CDPF has now begun to contract the delivery of some services to such NPOs. It is hoped that this may improve their effectiveness but the development of a contract culture in the delivery of services for disabled people may also be seen to pose a threat.     

Through community eyes: the transition of international organizations from community aid to development in postconflict Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone experienced an 11-year civil war, brutalizing its people and destroying its communities. With the cessation of violence, international organizations helped to secure peace, deliver aid and supplies, and, after, assist with development projects. This grounded theory study, which aims to understand the role these organizations played from the viewpoint of community members in 2 communities, posits that community members’ regard of international organizations lessened as their efforts transitioned from securing the peace and relief efforts to aid for development. Highlighted are the successes and challenges of this work and a broad discussion of implications and recommendations.     

Celebrating Joan Acker: Sociologist,fearless feminist,friend

Joan Acker's life reflects a time when middle‐class women were expected to be satisfied with maintaining the home front, serving husbands and children, not having paid‐work careers. After living “the ideal” for 37 years, Acker took a new path by earning a Ph. D. and producing path‐breaking scholarship that challenged taken‐for‐granted beliefs about gender, family, work, and organizations. Acker spoke “truth to power” and was an academic heroine in posing feminist challenges to injustices involving gender, social class, and race/ethnicity, particularly (but not solely) related to the workplace. This overview lets Joan tell her story and offers reflections on her milestone publications as seen by Pat Martin.     

论魏晋南北朝的同题共作赋

同题共作属于集体性的创作活动,赋的同题共作以魏晋南北朝为盛,这与当时文学集团的兴盛有直接关系。同一命题、相同环境下的创作,及其所固有的切磋品评的创作目的,使同题共作赋呈现出相反相成的两种倾向:一是题材范围和艺术风格上的趋同,二是同中求异的竞胜争高。这种方式的创作对于赋体文学表现领域的拓展和艺术技巧的提高都产生了重要作用。魏晋南北朝同题共作赋的文学史意义,则主要表现在促进了短赋的发展,并加快了多诗少赋的文学进程。     

社会转型时期西部农村的庙会组织——以陕北地区为例

20世纪八九十年代以来,西部农村民间组织如庙会的活跃显示出地方自治力量。实行自主管理,积极参与地方公共事业;借助红色区域的集体记忆表达公共意愿;与地方政府形成良性互动。庙会活动提供了公众参与地方自治以及与政府对话、交流的一种途径。中国民间组织在现实活动中的空间领域,可以理解成为：一定程度的自治,积极的社会参与,主动纳入国家主流意识形态话语之中。     

专业化交易组织成长与区域经济发展--再论农村市场经济发展的"义乌模式"

义乌区域经济发展的动因不是工业化,而是市场化;商人的集体行动与政府的开明决策,使义乌成为全国最大的小商品流通中心;"义乌模式"的优势,在于交易方式的专业化,小商品市场的专业化交易形成了信息规模经济、外部规模经济和范围经济,从而确立了义乌小商品的低成本优势;尔后,市场秩序扩展、专业化交换组织成长与产业集聚发展的良性互动,形成了义乌独特的工业化、城市化路径.     

灾后重建中的非营利组织与非正式参与途径

在灾后重建中,人们往往重视的是政府自上而下的正式援助计划,而忽略了自下而上的民间社会非正式参与的力量。事实上,小规模之"自主性策略"取代自上而下中央集权式政策执行也是行之有效的灾后重建措施。文章认为虽然非营利组织非正式参与灾后重建的四种新途径或模式,能有效参与到灾后重建过程中来,但非营利组织能否在灾后重建工作中取得成效,除了选择适当的模式外,还需要考虑自身的"二元性"问题,尤其要注意外来的以社会服务为取向的非营利组织与本土社会系统产生冲突与抵抗的问题。     

论高校社团的心理辅导功能

大学生群体存在普遍的心理健康问题,高校社团因其自身的一些特点,可以对大学生的心理障碍进行主动的疏导。文章从群体心理倾向的角度分析了高校社团的心理辅导功能,提出了几点加强社团建设,形成心理教育阵地的建议。     

乡村振兴与健康乡村研究述评

以CNKI数据库中的311篇CSSCI来源期刊论文以及Web Of Science平台中的716篇核心合集库文献作为研究样本,运用CiteSpace5.6.R2软件进行可视化计量分析,发现既有健康乡村研究文献的主要议题有乡村居民个体健康影响因素、乡村中的特殊群体健康、乡村健康风险与健康保障三个方面,国内研究与国外研究在议题设置阶段上有些许差别。进一步分析可知,国内研究将集中于乡村振兴战略和乡村治理现代化,相关重点议题有:“大健康”理念下的健康乡村研究、健康乡村政策研究、健康乡村韧性度提升研究、数字化健康乡村研究。