明代兵备道驻地选择机制探析——以郴桂兵备道为例

明代兵备道最初因弹压动乱而设,具备鲜明的军事特征。明中期后,为集中权力、增强对地方控制,明廷将兵备道与分巡道大量合并,致其于治乱之外渐具行政、监察等其他职能。目前学界将兵备道多驻于动乱或冲要之地归因于其治乱之职能,这其实是一种误读,忽略了兵备道本质上并非单纯的军事单位,而是重要的地方治理机构。以郴桂兵备道为例,梳理其由设立至嘉靖年间与分巡上湖南道的合并,再至万历时驻扎方案确定的过程,可知兵备道驻地选择与明廷地方治理策略密切相关。该策略转变下的兵备道职能拓展、巡抚间博弈等因素,对兵备道的驻地选择产生了重要影响。     

Chinese environmental activism and the environmental politics of rumors

Rumors are an important yet poorly understood dynamic in environmental politics, particularly regarding their role in environmental activism. Drawing on theories of rumors, environmental information governance, and environmental activism, we analyzed the eco-politics of rumors in a Chinese village that experienced rumor-fueled protests against the construction and operation of a limestone quarry. We make three arguments regarding the condition, control, and content of rumors. First, poor environmental information governance, driven by a development-first and prejudice-rich official narrative and the strategic behaviors of blame and accountability avoidance, provides an important condition for rumor formulation and circulation. Second, the generation and circulation of rumors can be understood as a collective sense-making process driven by the informal communication between external and internal sources of information. The ephemeral nature of communication and group sanctions on government supporters make it difficult for authorities to control rumors. Third, by conceptualizing rumors as information warfare against official narratives, we show that rumors can foster a sense of collective urgency, reframe a land-right protest into an environmental protest that is politically more likely to succeed, and undermine public trust in local authorities. The findings suggest that rumors are an important part of environmental politics in China because of their role in environmental activism.