Tek Down Nelson! The Struggle for Repair in Barbados

In this article I explore how the decommissioning of the statue of Lord Horatio Nelson captures some of the ways justice is envisioned within Barbados. I ask: How does the decommissioning generate more attention to the reparations question? How is repair and sovereignty conceptualised through the performances that animated and structured the event? What do these performances suggest about the Barbadian geographic-historical foundation? I engage theorists of Black geographies and Black studies to work through the above questions. I do close readings of the performances featured in the ceremony, to illuminate how the decommissioning gestured to a range of histories and struggles that are punctuated by political transformation. My reading draws attention to how the statue's removal builds on regional demands for reparations and Barbadian struggles for sovereignty, which I argue are complementary aims.     

内乡县衙建置沿革与现存遗迹考

内乡县衙所存遗迹是清末章炳焘时代留下的。清末县衙的东西两路与明代及清光绪重建前大不相同。今天按照明清两代地方志复原的建筑群,不仅与章炳焘所留的清末旧衙署基本没有什么关系,与历史记载中的明内乡县衙也相去甚远。鉴于该衙正成为史学界研究明清官僚政体的新史料,弄清楚它的沿革、遗迹和现状间的关系是必要的。中国衙署建筑所存遗迹极稀贵,如内乡县衙可反映行政制度变迁者更少,故应特别慎重对待。     

明清时期北京的街巷及其修治

明清时期的北京由街巷构成了二级交通网络,街有"大街"、"街"和"小街"之分,而作为次级的巷也有不同的称呼。街巷大多为土路,铺石者仅限于城市的干道。土质道路给京城居民带来了诸多的不便,也对京城环境造成了相当大的污染。面对街道的损坏及污秽,明代有过大力度的整治,最终"以艰谢事"。进入清代,统治者将街巷的维护和对原有石路的修治摆在了首位,并于雍乾时期完成了北京主要干道的石砌工程。但由于各方面条件的限制,街道的完全改观已是近代的事情。     

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF STRENGTHENING AND RETROFITTING MEASURES FOR UNREINFORCED BRICK MASONRY MODEL UNDER CYCLIC TESTING

An experimental study on half-scale brick-masonry models with different strengthening and retrofitting measures has been studied under cyclic loading in a quasi-static test facility. The strengthening measures undertaken for the studies axe the horizontal bond beam at the lintel and sill level with a combination of vertical reinforcement at corners and openings. The retrofitting measures studied are grouting with epoxy-sand-mortar and cement-grout-injection with welded wire mesh in the cracked region. The tests reveal that the horizontal bond beam at lintel level with vertical reinforcement is effective in reducing the cracking above the lintel level. The insertion of an additional sill-band signi-ficantly reduces the cracking in walls. The epoxy-sand-mortar techniques for retrofitting of cracked regions prove to be effective enough to restore the initial strength, stiffness and deformation capacity. Although specimen retrofitted with cement-grout-injection with welded wire mesh is effective to regain the ultimate strength yet the brittle failure is observed as the specimen is stressed beyond the elastic limit.     

西周父盉的铸造技术特征及其保护处理

作者通过X光照相无损检测分析方法,搞清了西周癧父的现状;以及器物与体连接部位和盖内部的结构形貌,并主要介绍了该器物的铸造技术特征和保护处理方法。     

古籍修复用纸谈

为了解决古籍修复纸张短缺问题,国家古籍保护中心启动了古籍修复用纸定制工作。此次定制纸张以古纸为样本,在古代造纸原产地选择生产厂家,采用石灰沤浆,日光漂白等传统手工纸生产工艺生产。经过两年的努力,目前已经生产出了多种规格的竹纸、皮纸和宣纸。经检测,各项指标符合质量要求。对古纸的种类、修复用纸分类和质量要求进行了阐述、对传统和现代手工造纸工艺利弊进行了比较,检测数据证明了定制古籍修复用纸技术路线的正确性。     

China's Economic and Political Penetration in Africa

A senior American specialist on China and noted geographer presents a study of that country's economic and political penetration into the African continent. The author identifies three key elements of China's objectives and plan, namely (1) support for Chinese policies in international affairs, particularly with regard to Taiwan, (2) search for oil and other mineral resources, and (3) creation of a new market for Chinese goods and services in tandem with additional jobs in China. The paper includes four case studies highlighting economic activities stimulated by Chinese loans and investments in the Republic of South Africa, Egypt, Sudan, and Angola. Considerable attention is devoted to oil imports, exports of cheap consumer goods, and construction and repair of infrastructure by Chinese technicians and laborers, as well as the competition between Chinese imports and host-country manufacturing and the PRC's diplomatic support of rogue African nations. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: F020, F210, F350, F540. 11 figures, 1 table, 47 references.     

But malice aforethought: cities and the natural history of hatred

I take as my starting point the fact that Western cities are often depicted as on the brink of catastrophe. Indeed some contemporary authors would argue that they have never been closer to that brink. The first part of this paper argues against this tendency by focusing on the preponderance of activities of repair and maintenance. Having looked at the state of this forgotten infrastructure, in the second part of the paper I turn to an examination of why this Cassandra interpretation is so prevalent. I argue that, in particular, it draws on wellsprings of misanthropy which are rarely voiced in writings on cities because sociality is too often confused with liking. Yet it seems vital to me to tackle misanthropy head on. Then, in the third part of the paper, I argue that currently there is a coming together in cities of all kinds of affective politics of concern which can act, through all manner of small achievements, as a counter to misanthropy but which do not mistake the practice of this politics for a search after perfection.     

修城“不积极”——明代筑城史的重要一面

从湖广等地的情况来看,有明一代,偏安之地城池迟迟未建、安定时期任其圮坏等"不修城"的情形颇为常见。官民财力匮乏、不利的地形环境、官员因循苟且、舆论习于将修城视为劳民伤财等不利条件限制之下,各地官民修城消极懈怠的状况相当普遍,近乎世风。这种始终无法消除的消极因素对明代的筑城政策及其实施产生了多方面的影响:明前期修筑、维护城池主要限于驻军各地,对于其他众多普通州县并未从严要求,以示体恤民情,以免招致民怨;明廷对各地修城频频申令、施压,但收效欠佳;各地往往迫于"寇盗"威胁及上司督责的压力才兴工修城,而前者的作用尤为突出。学者所谓明代"一贯积极、严厉的"筑城政策促成了各地广修城池的看法似乎并不完全切合史实,一些流行已久的相关认识亦有修正、澄清的必要。