The Materiality of Social Power: The Artifact-Acquisition Perspective

This paper explores the materiality of social power relationally through study of social interactions with artifacts. Specifically, it is argued that acquisition of an artifact instantiates social power by imposing interactions on groups taking part in that artifact's life-history activities. We introduce the “performance-preference matrix,” an analytic tool for systematically studying the effects of such acquisition events on activity groups. The use of the performance-preference matrix is illustrated through an example: the acquisition of electric-arc lights for lighthouses in the 19th century. Suggestions are offered for analyzing culture-contact situations and for handling singularized artifacts such as heirlooms and monuments.

‘Hanging out in Runescape’: Identity,Work and Leisure in the Virtual Playground

This article explores young people's practices in the virtual spaces of online gaming communities. Based on a three-year field-study of virtual worlds, it considers how young people construct and maintain identities within virtual social systems. The article discusses the relationship between the material and virtual aspects of young people's leisure. It suggests that the boundaries between these domains are porous. Virtual worlds offer spaces for the imagination and can enhance agency and, potentially, resistance. However, virtuality is no ‘liberated space’ and it incorporates norms and practices that often mirror those of the material world.     

On the ‘Meishan Phenomenon’ in Song culture

The Song Dynasty enjoyed a splendid culture. Meishan, a small county in Southwest Sichuan, was one of the most developed cultural areas. This is closely related to a large-scale immigration after the collapse of the Tang Dynasty and the ‘Jingkang defeat’ in the Song Dynasty. Meishan was an area receiving more immigrants than other regions. A great number of distinguished families from North China brought with them the advanced culture of the Yellow River areas to Meishan, which combined with native culture, and produced many “cultural clans” from this “clan culture.” Some of these people became elites in various areas through education and the Civil Service Examinations. The so-called “Meishan Phenomenon” was a result of cultural melting. Translated by Li He and Zhang Hai from the Journal of Sichuan University, 2004: 3     

安徽地区文化变迁与史学——为《安徽史学》复刊20周年而作

安徽地区的文化是我们伟大民族文化的重要组成部分,几千年来,历经一系列重大的变化.到了近代,皖籍学人在近代文化史上产生了重大的影响,安徽学人在历史学上形成有相当影响的群体.应当研究在长期文化发展过程中安徽近代史学的特点.这对于发展安徽地区的文化与史学有重要意义.从几千年地区文化发展大背景下,以政治经济文化发展不平衡的思想,把地区史学与全国史学联系起来进行探讨,是史学研究的一条思路.     

北赵晋侯墓出土叔 方鼎铭文研究

本文分四段：(1)叔 方鼎铭文释文。(2)叔 是第二代晋侯之名,(M114)之墓主即叔 。(3)铭文所提示的历史事件。(4)附记：十四月。唐叔虞是武王之弟。     

非自然景观在旅游规划实作中的运用--以"老重庆"为例

本文总结了我国近几年旅游规划在实际操作中的利弊得失,指出要给游客留下深刻印象首先就要做到突出地方精神和地方特色,在阐释非自然景观含义的基础上本文得出结论：非自然景观正是表现这种地方精神的最佳载体,接着本文分析了如何在旅游规划实作中正确运用非自然景观因素表现地方精神以及这种运用所带来的巨大吸引力,最后以重庆市大渡口区“老重庆”城旅游规划为例,从调查分析中总结出重庆的地方精神在于其非自然景观要素,在此基础上从主题营造、特色分区和景观设计三方面集中探讨了非自然景观在旅游规划实作中的具体操作。     

论晚清"裁厘统捐"与"裁厘认捐"的尝试及夭折

厘金在晚清财政中占有重要地位,但因多次征收而导致的税率过高使多方极为不满,也造成了中央与地方的财政矛盾。《辛丑条约》签订后,为了预备“裁厘加税”,清政府决定对厘金进行改革,实施“裁厘统捐”。随着立宪运动的展开,商民势力较大的江浙等省发起“裁厘认捐”,以抵制清廷的“裁厘统捐”。由于厘金问题事涉中央、地方、商民等多方利益与矛盾,加之清廷措置失当,短时期内难以顺利调适,博弈的结果是官方的“裁厘统捐”和商民的“裁厘认捐”均以失败告终。     

探索与论争:长江中游新石器时代晚期的文化谱系

本文系统回顾了上个世纪七十年代以来在长江中游地区新石器时代晚期考古学文化时空重建过程中的各种探索与争鸣,并对如何处理考古学文化交集现象,以及如何对考古学文化与类型进行界定进行反思。     

湖北省京山县青树岭新石器时代遗址发掘简报

青树岭遗址是一处典型的屈家岭文化早期遗存,主要遗迹有房子、灰坑和灶。主要遗物有鼎、罐、有领罐、盆、豆、瓮等。青树岭遗址的发掘,为进一步弄清屈家岭文化早期的文化面貌提供了重要资料,同时对于解决屈家岭文化来源问题有着重要的学术意义。     

江南地区社会特征与元代民族文化交融

江南地区具有多方融合、长于吸纳的开放的文化特征,在元代北方民族进入江苏后．在江南地区出现了综合性的习俗,形成了新的民族文化交融的局面。