THE ECONOMICS OF SOCIAL SECURITY POLICY

Books reviewed in this articles:
Henry J. Aaron, Economic Effects of Social Security
Peter J. Ferrara, Social Security; Adverting the Crisis
Carolyn L. Weaver, The Crisis in Social Security; Economic and Political Origins     

THE RETURN OF THE SOCIAL

This article is concerned with the social exclusion agenda in contemporary French cultural policy, exploring the relevance of aspects of postcolonial theory to an understanding of that agenda. The tensions involved in recent attempts to evolve policies addressing interculturalism, integration and “emergent” cultures (such as hip‐hop) while also staying true to the French republican tradition of universalism are illuminated by France’s problematic relationship with its colonial past. They are also shown to be related to a wider movement of post‐industrial, postmodern experimentation with aesthetic forms, from video and computer art to street arts, free parties and electronic dance music.     

RETHINKING THE SOCIAL IMPACTS OF THE ARTS

The paper presents a critical discussion of the current debate over the social impacts of the arts in the UK. It argues that the accepted understanding of the terms of the debate is rooted in a number of assumptions and beliefs that are rarely questioned. The paper goes on to present the interim findings of a three‐year research project, which aims to rethink the social impact of the arts, with a view to determining how these impacts might be better understood. The desirability of a historical approach is articulated, and a classification of the claims made within the Western intellectual tradition for what the arts “do” to people is presented and discussed.     

SOCIAL SCIENCE AND SOCIAL POLICY: ROLES OF THE APPLIED RESEARCHER*

Research on policy impact has increasingly focused on the practical application of social science research. This paper outlines four roles—substantive expert, information processor, change agent, and scholar—which have helped to increase the potential usefulness of our research while maintaining linkages to the academic community. This paper suggests the general nature of these roles and suggests specific implementation strategies, which need to be pursued as an early and continuing aspect of the research enterprise. Balancing these multiple roles presents several analytical and ethical difficulties, but helps to establish credibility in both the scientific and policymaking communities.     

THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF CARD PLAYING AMONG THE DAULO

While most Daulo people in Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea gamble at cards, there is disagreement about the acceptability of this activity. Organized opposition to card-playing comes from two sources that, in other contexts, are at odds with each other: the wok meri (‘women's work‘) movement and the Village Court. Both criticize card-playing as individualistic, economically unproductive, and unpredictable. Gambling at cards contributes to differences in individual wealth and the Daulo are ambivalent about inequality. While they strongly approve of competition, they believe that it should be harnessed for the good of the group, not just the individual. The tension between these sometimes conflicting values is expressed by the polarity of Daulo people's strong attraction to card games and the organized opposition that gambling elicits from wok meri and the Village Court.     

论我国西部开发中的国家安全战略问题

对于一个国家而言,国家安全是生存和发展的核心。在不同的国际秩序中,安全环境的内容和结构具有不同含义。在当代国际政治经济格局下,国家安全的内涵与外延都发生了巨大变化,为国家安全的研究提出了新的课题。本文主要从国家安全的角度,通过分析西部开发在当代我国安全环境中的作用,指出西部大开发不仅要有经济开发战略,而且要树立综合性开发战略意识,加强政治、军事、科技、生态等现代安全因素的开发建设,这对我国国家安全战略更具有现实意义。     

美国国家安全战略中的地缘政治思想

地缘政治在美国影响深远,根植于人们的意识中,成为政治家、战略家们观察国际事务、思考战略问题的一种习惯性观念。在美国的国家安全战略中,始终隐含和贯穿着深厚的地缘政治思想,它的战略是以稳定的地理考虑为基础的。本文以《美国国家安全战略报告》为据,阐明这种特征。     

中国社会地理学发展综述

在中国人文地理学众多分支学科中,社会地理学属于发展较慢的一个分支,但近年来出现了较快的发展势头,研究内容日益广泛,研究人员对社会地理学的诸多领域开展了研究,包括:
1.社会地理学的性质与内容。在吸收西方社会地理学成果的基础上,结合中国实际,认为要重点研究社会集团的空间活动,也有人认为要研究社会集团、社会文化、社会生态、社会问题。
2.社区地理研究。主要内容包括社区地理的理论、城市社会区域的划分、农村社区、社会集团等方面的研究。
3.社会问题的研究。主要有犯罪现象、贫困问题等。
随着人文地理学在中国的全面复兴,地理学出现了明显的人文化、社会化趋向,人文地理工作者从原先注重经济活动转而关注社会问题,特别是进入九十年代以来,社会转型加快,社会问题愈加突出地显现出来,迫切需要建立中国的社会地理学理论体系,加强对现实社会问题的研究,开拓新的研究领域,如生活水平与生活方式、生活空间、社会变迁等,为我国制定有关方针政策提供依据。     

网络文化的社会方言研究

方言是社会交际的工具,社会的发展是方言发展的根本原因和基本条件。网络方言也同样是随着网络信息社会的出现而产生的,本文就网络方言产生的原因、本身特点以及发展趋势进行了探讨。针对网络方言研究背景,从网络文化社会方言的发展现状及特点入手,提出网络语言正在成为一种新的社会方言并从其简略化、图形化、符号化和时尚化等方面分析了当前社会文化发展的新趋势,从而证明也只有在对社会全面关注和考察基础上才能发现社会语言的变化。     

旅游安全网络关注度区域差异研究——基于中国31个省市区旅游安全的百度指数

基于2009-2012年全国31个省、自治区、直辖市的旅游安全网络关注度的百度指数,采用泰尔指数测算方法,分析全国旅游安全网络关注度的区域差异特征,研究发现:1旅游安全网络关注度总体呈现出平稳增长态势,但相比我国互联网上网人数还较小;2区域间、区域内和以省际为单元的旅游安全网络关注度差异显著;3区域间旅游安全网络关注度差异是造成以省际为单元的旅游安全网络关注度差异的主要原因,区域内旅游安全网络关注度对以省际为单元的旅游安全网络关注度的贡献率很小;4西部地区的旅游安全网络关注度省际规模位序低于中部、东部地区,东部地区旅游安全网络关注度指数一直靠前;5整体上,2011-2012年全国和三大区域的旅游安全治理信息的网络关注度较高,所占比重最大;中部地区对旅游安全治理信息的网络关注度明显高于东部和西部地区;2011年和2012年东、中、西部三大区域假日旅游安全信息网络关注度所占比例较接近。     

社会阶层化与城市社会空间的发展及其与城市娱乐业的(空间)关系

基于学术界共识的后工业化大城市社会空间中产阶层化的理念,本文首次提出社会阶层化的概念并指出社会阶层化主要研究在社会阶层的生活行为扩散和变化规律下,所构建的城市日常居住社区体系和日常生活行为场所体系的时空模式,以此探讨城市社会空间结构的变化。研究认为不同城市发展阶段其对应有不同主导阶层的社会阶层化空间结构。进一步从解构城市社会空间结构的演化动态角度,研究不同社会发展阶段下,社会阶层化与城市娱乐产业的对偶空间结构关系。