The Takarazuka Girls’ Revue in the West: public–private relations in the cultural diplomacy of wartime Japan

This essay examines wartime Japan’s establishment of culture bureaus and its promotion of the Takarazuka Girls’ Revue in allied European nations and the United States in a moment of international crisis. This overseas cultural policy was part of a series of alternative strategies employed by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in an effort to persuade the West to acknowledge Japan’s self‐appointed role as a leader in East Asia, capable of producing advanced cultural products on a par with those of western nations. Key features of this essay include the negotiation between state goals and private interests in the performance of cultural diplomacy, as well as the aesthetic articulation of a hybrid Japanese culture which was traditional yet fully modern, particularly as presented on stage through a display of the female body.     

My neighbour,the criminal: how memories of the 1991–1995 conflict in Croatia affect attitudes towards the Serb minority

This paper investigates how Croats view the minority Serb population in Croatia. It is based on focus groups, dyads and interviews conducted in Croatia in 2014 and 2015. Serbs constitute the ‘other’ to Croatian identity, which is defined primarily through language and religion. The analysis finds that the predominant war narrative related to the 1991–1995 conflict, one of defence against a larger Serbian aggressor, influences both of these notions of identity, as well as perceptions of the Serb minority in the state. Participants displayed contradictory attitudes in a discourse that featured many key facets of the war narrative. Most respondents agreed that Serbs should be equal members of Croatian society, but they also did not believe Cyrillic signs should be put up in Vukovar. The introduction of bilingual signs both reduced trust in government institutions and was interpreted as a continued threat against the Croatian people and state.     

Determining suitable investment areas using multi‐variable statistical methods: evidence from the Black Sea region in Turkey

Investment is an important decision for economic development, balanced growth and public welfare. There are many factors influencing investment. Thus, investment must be evaluated with multidimensional methods. Using taxonomy and principal component analysis this study attempts to determine appropriate investment areas in planned provinces in the Black Sea Region. Analyses were based on a number of demographic, economic, health, education, employment and cultural indicators. Results indicated that provinces were grouped into four clusters. Gümü?hane and Bayburt were determined to have the highest priority for investment in the manufacturing industry.     

清至民国时期归化城土默特水利经费筹措方式研究

清代归化城土默特水利经费主要由民间社会自行筹措.清末斗捐等附加性税收和赈款开始用于水利事务,但均无定章准则.民国时期绥远省当局以1920年代旱灾为契机,在地方水利事务中承担了更多职能,其制定水利章程,并以报荒地款和工赈贷款等方式筹措水利经费.水利设施日常维护和管理经费则出自受益人交纳的水租.同时,水租有逐渐进入地方财政系统之中的动向.清至民国时期归化城土默特地区水利经费筹措方式的历史演变,反映了近代地方行政和财政体系的建立过程.     

新发现鲁迅致曹靖华书简及《河南卢氏曹先生教泽碑文》手稿

《河南卢氏曹先生教泽碑文》是鲁迅为曹靖华之父曹植甫撰写的一篇碑文,碑文原稿连同附带的一封书信一直没有被外界发现和披露。近日碑文和书信手稿首度现身公众视野,从其内容、特征和相关记载分析,可以确定为鲁迅手书原稿无疑。这两件手稿的发现,为我们对比研究《教泽碑文》的原稿、清稿、初刊本、文集本、全集本等诸多版本提供了重要依据,解决了1986年所立碑文石刻文字的底本问题,同时也廓清了包括曹靖华本人在内对这篇碑文手稿回忆的不准确之处。