Limits to Democratic Development in Civil Society and the State: The Case of Santo Domingo

Some scholars see civil society as key to democratization of the political system. In this view, pressure from civil society forces democratization of the state. However, this disregards the fact that changes in civil society's behaviour require changes in political society — changes are reciprocal. The demand–making strategies of grassroots organizations in the Dominican Republic in 1999 provide a good example of this dynamic: the incomplete nature of the democratic transition (specifically, the persistence of paternalism and clientelism) constrained the democratic strategy choices of the civil society organizations. Just as democratization within political society is inconsistent and incomplete, so will be the demand–making strategies of the grassroots towards the state. The Dominican case is of particular interest as it illustrates the blend of personalized and institutionalized elements characteristic of democratic transition.     

The Peace Process and the Palestinians: A Road Map to Mars

This article provides an analytical framework in which to understand the new approach to the Israel–Palestine conflict that has been developing over the last two years. It discusses this new agenda: how it operates, and what arenas it operates in. It looks at the ways this new approach is being implemented through various processes and common understandings by the officials, experts, diplomats, and academics who make up the international community involved in the Middle East Peace Process.     

1928至1929年的反日会

反日会表面为各地国民党党部奉中央命令而成立,实际乃是一个因“济南惨案”而发生的自发性的民众团体。早期受南京国民党及国民政府控制,主要从事和平的对日绝交运动;后期除上海等少数地方组织外,领导权大多落入国民党改组派之手,基本不受南京国民党及国民政府支配。反日会自始要求南京国民党及国民政府“恢复民众运动”,实行“革命外交”政策,力主公正解决“济案”和废除中日不平等条约,并在一定程度上延缓了屈辱的《济案协定》的签订时间。尽管反日会在对日经济绝交运动和南京国民政府对日交涉过程中偶有过急之举,但其维护国家主权、民族利益的立场和表现仍应给以积极评价和肯定。     

卢梭回归自然的美学之境

卢梭的“自然美”思想丰赡深邃,精远宏阔.从美育目标、理念、重点三个层面梳理了卢梭自然主义美育思想的核心内容,将其教育特点归纳为整体性、平民性、情感性和自然性,并着重阐述了这一思想对新时期我国美育工作的四个重要启示:即注重美育工作的辩证性;尊重美育实践的主体性;激励美育过程的情感性;倡导美育内容的生态性.