Suchergebnisse

In the second half of the twentieth century begun a new phase of human relationship with nature – o global ecological crisis. Waste collection and management is recognized as the most important and difficult in environment. Master's research object – domestic waste sorting in Lithuania. The aim – to analyze Lithuania's Ministry's of Environment communication to promote domestic waste sorting in a context of sustainable development. The tasks: to reveal the importance of waste sorting in the context of sustainable development; to clarify the basic principles of waste management policies, domestic waste management and sorting features in Lithuania and foreign countries; to examine the Lithuania's Ministry's of Environment communications of the public relations, waste sorting promotion iniciatives; to investigate public awareness and education in the environment opportunities and prospects, public participation - the right to environmental information and ensuring its interest in environmental protection and in domestic waste sorting issues; analyze the Lithuania's Ministry's of Environment communications in promotion activities of the domestic waste sorting. Using a descriptive, analytical, historical and literary sources and methods of analysis leads to the conclusion that waste collection and processing is recognized as most recent and most sophisticated sector of environmental protection and is very important in European Union's environmental policy, priority is given to this sector also in Lithuania. Assuming, that in most European Union countries waste is sorted, recycled and re-used for energy, heat and other materials, waste sorting in the context of sustainable development is important as economically as socially. Sorting and recycling reduces waste causing risks, protects natural resources, supports clean and healthy environment, reduces fees for waste management. Taking in mind the reticence of waste sorting in both the private and the business sectors in Lithuania, public awareness and environmental education is one of the key measures, that can be seen as a change in environmental pressures. The largest role in impementing the promotion of waste sorting has Lithuania's Ministry of Environment. Unfortunately, after the waste sorting iniciative analysis and pilot evaluation of communication activities, it became clear that the ongoing communication activities are not implemented systematically and sufficiently unorganized, society does not encourage the sort of waste, there is a lack of specific information and only very few public campaigns. Thus, public education, including environmental education, eco-friendly environment and lifestyle, is one of the priority objectives of sustainable development. To promote waste sorting in Lithuania, the current low waste management level needs to be raised by environmental education and economic impact, approaching attitude development in kindergartens and schools and providing more information through mass media. In order to become this a social problem publicity is necessary. Master's work may be useful for environmental institutions, public relations professionals, for communication and information direction students and teachers and those, interested in environmental problems and communication effectiveness of public institutions.

Aware: Art Fashion Identity co-curated by Lucy Orta with the independent curator Gabi Scardi examines how artists and designers use clothing as a mechanism to communicate and reveal elements of our identity. The exhibition contains work by 30 emerging as well as established international contemporary practitioners including Marina Abramović, Acconci Studio, Azra Akšamija, Maja Bajevic, Handan Börüteçene, Hussein Chalayan, Alicia Framis, Meschac Gaba, Marie-Ange Guilleminot, Andreas Gursky, Mella Jaarsma, Kimsooja, Claudia Losi, Susie MacMurray, Marcello Maloberti, La Maison Martin Margiela, Alexander McQueen, Yoko Ono, Maria Papadimitriou, Grayson Perry, Dai Rees, Katerina šedá, Cindy Sherman, Yinka Shonibare, Helen Storey, Rosemarie Trockel, Sharif Waked, Gillian Wearing RA, Yohji Yamamoto and Andrea Zittel. New work by Yinka Shonibare and Hussein Chalayan, commissioned especially for Aware by London College of Fashion and the Royal Academy of Arts, is on display. Hussein Chalayan presents a new dress inspired by the 300 year old Japanese tradition of Bunraku puppet theatre while Yinka Shonibare has worked with bespoke tailor Chris Stevens to create 19th-century children's dress assembled to form a impressive wall mural. Aware is divided into four sections. Storytelling acknowledges the role of clothing in the representation of personal and cultural history. Grayson Perry's Artist's Robe, 2004, an elaborate, appliquéd coat made of a patchwork of luxurious fabrics, comments on the figure and status of the artist in the world today. Building covers the concept of clothing being used as a form of protection and the notion of carrying one's own shelter, referencing the nomadic, portable nature of modern life. On display is Shelter Me 1, 2005 by Mella Jaarsma who in her work parallels garment and architectural constructions. Jaarsma defines shelter as the minimal construction needed for protection, not yet the shape of a house, but directly related to the proportions of the human body. Belonging and Confronting examines ideas of nationality as well as displacement and political and social confrontation, recognizing the tensions associated with the assimilation of new cultures and traditions. In Palestinian artist Sharif Waked's video installation, Chic Point, 2003, the contradictory interpretations of revealing flesh as a fashion prerogative or as a humiliation juxtapose two worlds, one of high fashion and the other of semi-imprisonment. The importance of Performance in the presentation of fashion and clothing, and in highlighting the roles that we play in our daily life, is explored in the final section. It features film footage of Yoko Ono's performance of Cut Piece at Carnegie Recital Hall, New York in 1965, for which the artist invited the public to cut strips from her clothing. While the scraps of fabric fall to the floor, the unveiling of the female body suggests the total destruction of the barriers imposed by convention.

Dans le contexte très évolutif de la recherche en santé animale, une réflexion sur ses enjeux, ses spécificités et ses synergies avec la recherche biomédicale, a été conduite à l'initiative de l'INRA. Affirmés au premier chef par l'OMS, la FAO et l'OIE, les enjeux en santé animale, hors des maladies transmissibles à l'Homme, sont énormes et touchent à la sécurité alimentaire, l'économie de l'agriculture et l'ensemble des activités économiques qui en découlent. S'y ajoutent les enjeux de santé publique (zoonoses, xénobiotiques, antibiorésistance), environnementaux et de bien-être animal. La recherche en santé animale présente des spécificités d'ordre méthodologique et scientifique, liées notamment aux particularités biologiques des espèces domestiques et aux pratiques d'élevage. Elle n'a pas les mêmes questionnements scientifiques qu'en biologie humaine même lorsqu'elle traite des mêmes agents pathogènes et, connectée aux autres sciences animales (génétique, physiologie, zootechnie), elle s'enracine dans une réalité agricole et économique très spécifique. Des synergies génériques et méthodologiques existent néanmoins avec la recherche biomédicale, en particulier autour des outils et des modèles biologiques. Certaines espèces domestiques (tel le porc) présentent en outre des similitudes fonctionnelles avec l'Homme, plus que le rongeur de laboratoire. Ainsi la singularité de la recherche en santé animale par rapport à la recherche en biologie humaine devrait être prise en compte dans son organisation, son évaluation et son financement, via une politique de reconnaissance des enjeux spécifiques. Simultanément, l'approche one health devrait faciliter une collaboration approfondie entre recherche en biologie humaine et recherche en santé animale, à l'échelle des équipes ou des programmes. ; In the moving context of research on animal health, a collective discussion has been carried out on its issues, special features and synergism with biomedical research. Strongly enhanced by WHO, FAO and OIE, the issues of animal health are important and deal with food security, agriculture economics and all economical activities that follow from it. Others are related to public health (zoonoses, xenobiotics, antimicrobial resistance), environment and animal welfare. Research on animal health has got special features concerning methodology and scientific questions, among others the particular biological nature of domestic species and breeding practices. Scientific questions are not similar to those of biomedical research, even if dealing with the same pathogens; connected to the other animal sciences (genetics, physiology, animal breeding), research on animal health takes root in a very specific agricultural and economical reality. Nevertheless, generic and methodological synergies do exist with biomedical research, particularly concerning biological tools and models. Some domestic species like pig have functional similarities with Humans, better than with mouse or rat. Thus, the peculiarity of research on animal health compared to biomedical research should be considered in its organisation, evaluation and funding, through a political recognition of specific issues. Simultaneously, the one health approach should facilitate a thorough collaboration between biomedical research and research on animal health, at the levels of research teams and research programmes.

Hudson Bay, as the world's second-largest inland sea, is far from insignificant. Yet, the Hudson Bay bioregion barely registers on the radar of Canadian ocean management. When it does, it almost invariably appears under a project-specific approach or within the strict parameters of jurisdictional responsibilities. However, Inuit in Sanikiluaq, from their standpoint on the Belcher Islands, see the surrounding marine environment as being largely unrelated to political boundaries and jurisdictions. From their perspective, stewardship means ensuring the sustained health of Hudson Bay and its marine life. We advocate concrete steps to bring compartmentalized governmental processes in line with this more comprehensive definition of marine environmental stewardship. A twofold course of action is needed. The first step is to make joint, complementary use of scientific and Inuit knowledge to understand the cumulative, transboundary effects on this Arctic marine ecosystem of natural and human-induced changes. Second, collaboration is greatly needed to unify the present fragmented coastal and marine governance in the eastern Canadian Arctic. We therefore propose establishing a community-based monitoring and assessment network and a cooperative, inter-jurisdictional stewardship body. Such a collaborative effort could make tangible progress toward sound, ecosystem-based, integrated management of the Hudson Bay bioregion. ; La baie d'Hudson, soit la deuxième mer intérieure au monde de par sa superficie, est loin de revêtir peu d'importance. Pourtant, la biorégion de la baie d'Hudson est à peine captée sur le radar de la gestion canadienne des océans. Lorsqu'elle fait surface, c'est habituellement parce qu'elle fait l'objet d'un projet spécifique ou qu'elle se trouve à faire partie des paramètres stricts relevant de responsabilités juridictionnelles. Cela dit, du point de vue des Inuits de Sanikiluaq, sur les îles Belcher, l'environnement marin environnant n'a à peu près rien à voir avec les frontières et les juridictions politiques. D'après leur perspective, la gérance signifie qu'il faut donner lieu à un état durable pour la baie d'Hudson et sa vie marine. Nous nous prononçons en faveur de l'adoption de mesures concrètes afin que les processus gouvernementaux compartimentalisés cadrent mieux avec cette définition plus exhaustive de la gérance marine de l'environnement. Les mesures doivent se faire en deux temps. Dans un premier temps, il faut procéder à l'utilisation conjointe et complémentaire des connaissances des scientifiques et des Inuits pour en venir qu'à comprendre les effets cumulatifs et transfrontières sur cet écosystème marin de l'Arctique qui subit des changements à la fois provoqués par la nature et par l'être humain. Dans un deuxième temps, il y a lieu de collaborer pour unifier la gérance côtière et marine actuellement fragmentée dans l'est de l'Arctique canadien. Par conséquent, nous proposons l'établissement d'un réseau de surveillance et d'évaluation communautaire de même que d'un organisme coopératif et interjuridictionnel de gérance. Un tel effort de collaboration pourrait donner lieu à des progrès tangibles pour aboutir à la gestion solide et intégrée des écosystèmes de la biorégion de la baie d'Hudson.

Esta investigación trata acerca de la responsabilidad social empresarial y sus alcances, con especial énfasis en el caso venezolano. El referente gnoseológico clave, guarda relación con el impacto de la nueva propuesta civilizatoria implícita en las nuevas formas de acumulación del nuevo capitalismo, lo que tiene importantes consecuencias en el mundo del trabajo y en las interrelaciones entre empresa y sociedad. Esta nueva sociedad infocapitalista (Castells) cuyo despliegue más visible se expresa en los encuadres de la globalización planetaria, configura nuevos procesos de subjetividad de naturaleza ético - estéticagnoseológica. En ese contexto, el rol de las empresas tiende a redefinirse, fundamentalmente en cuanto a las relaciones con su entorno socioeconómico, político y cultural. Se trata de una nueva perspectiva ética, en la medida en que integra la dimensión humana en términos tensionales, bajo el avasallante influjo de la racionalidad política. La investigación muestra no sólo las particularidades que supone la responsabilidad social en el marco de las políticas multilaterales (las iniciativas de la ONU y la Unión Europea, entre ellas), asimismo la experiencia en el caso de Venezuela. Se destaca así, la labor que en este sentido desarrollan diversas empresas e instituciones en la comunidad, más allá de los fines estrictamente económicos. Se delinean además las fases de la investigación que se adelanta en el parque empresarial del Estado Carabobo, Venezuela, para evaluar la significación y los alcances que tiene la responsabilidad social empresarial en ese contexto. ; This investigation tackles the enterprise the scopes of social responsibility, with special emphasis on Venezuelan case. The key gnoseologic modal, have relation to the impact of the new civilizing proposal that is implicit in the new accumulation forms of the emergent Capitalism, which has important consequences in the world of work and the interrelations between company-society. This new infocapitalist society (Castells), whose more visible unfolding is expressed in the frames of the planetary globalization, configure new subjectivity processes of ethicalaesthetic - gnoseologic nature. In that context, the roll of the companies tends to be redefined, fundamentally about the relations with its socioeconomic, political and cultural surroundings. It is a new ethical perspective to the extent that integrates the human dimension in tensional terms, under the overwhelming influence of the political rationality. The investigation shows not only the supposed particularities of the social responsibility in the multilateral policies framework (the initiatives of the UN and the European Union, among them), also the experience in Venezuela. Thus it highlights the work that in this sense is developed by diverse companies and institutions in the community, beyond the strictly economic aims. Furthermore, it is delineated the investigation phases that goes ahead in the business park in Carabobo State, Venezuela, to evaluate the meaning and the scopes of the social responsibility in this context. ; 284-301 ; magda_cejas@yahoo.es ; gaparr2005@yahoo.es

A primeira década do terceiro milênio trouxe mudanças inimagináveis para a sociedade humana, principalmente como conseqüência do impressionante crescimento da velocidade e qualidade da comunicação em todas as áreas. Os avanços científicos que resultaram da interação mais efetiva entre grupos de pesquisadores em localidades distantes do globo são cada vez mais evidentes. No entanto, a mesma taxa de progresso não tem sido observada em outros desafios científicos importantes, tais como a interdisciplinaridade na pesquisa. Ainda é difícil para os cientistas em áreas diferentes interagir e trocar informação na busca de novas descobertas e soluções para problemas existentes por longa data que envolvem várias disciplinas. Exceções são centros científicos que são criados por iniciativa privada ou governamental com objetivos bem especificados, mas a humanidade tem o potencial de realizar muito mais do que isso. Uma maneira possível de lidar com e mudar essa realidade seria um esforço dos autores de cada área de produzirem artigos sobre problemas abertos atuais em seus respectivos campos que necessitem de conhecimento de outras áreas para serem resolvidos. Nesse sentido, a engenharia térmica poderia tomar a iniciativa nessa direção, uma vez que está presente em praticamente todos os sistemas físicos, a começar pelo conceito e uso da energia. Conseqüentemente, Engenharia Térmica sugere aos autores a produção de artigos que formulem problemas de natureza altamente interdisciplinar que apresentem resultados até mesmo preliminares e estabeleçam desafios ainda a serem vencidos através do trabalho conjunto de cientistas de áreas diferentes. The first decade of the third millennium has brought unimaginable changes to the human society, mainly as a result of the astonishing increase of communication speed and quality in all areas. The scientific advances that resulted from the more effective interaction among groups of researchers in distant locations of the globe are increasingly more evident. However, the same progress rate has not been observed in other important scientific challenges, such as research interdisciplinarity. It is still difficult for scientists in different areas to interact and exchange information in the search of new discoveries and solutions to long existing problems that involve several disciplines. Exceptions are scientific centers that are created by governmental or private initiative with well specified goals, but mankind has the potential to accomplish much more than that. One possible way to cope with and change that reality would be an effort by authors of each area to produce articles on current open problems in their respective fields that need knowledge from other areas to be solved. In that sense, thermal engineering could take the lead in that direction, since it is present in practically all physical systems, starting from the concept and use of energy. Therefore, Engenharia Termica suggests to authors the production of articles that formulate problems of highly interdisciplinary nature that present even preliminary results and state the challenges still to be overcome through the joint work of scientists from different areas.

Este artículo fue defendido como Ponencia en el II Curso Internacional de Derecho Parlamentario, organizado por la Asamblea Nacional de Panamá y la Asociación Española de Letrados de Parlamentos (AELPA), celebrado en la Ciudad de Panamá los días 7 a 9 de julio de 2008. ; El análisis de la relación entre legislación y lenguaje, las leyes de igualdad, y parlamento y lenguaje, permite mantener a la autora que la integración de las mujeres como sujetos que ha dado lugar a la inclusión de la palabra que designa a la mitad del género humano, «mujer», en los textos constitucionales que definen el pacto político de ciudadanía al más alto nivel y el desarrollo normativo de la igualdad de mujeres y hombres en leyes estatales y autonómicas, debe, necesariamente, tener su reflejo en el lenguaje de toda norma. La definición de la ley como norma de carácter general que se aplica por igual sin distinción a todas las personas fue buscada, singularmente, como parte de la ruptura con un orden cuya regla general era la discriminación. Por ello, si uno de los conceptos que se tienen en cuenta en las leyes es la calidad, se debe integrar también la perspectiva de género en lo que atañe al lenguaje que juega un papel decisivo en la interpretación de sus contenidos, como así ha sido entendido en las leyes de igualdad que se han citado a lo largo de este estudio. El lenguaje debe reflejar la realidad, en este caso la existencia de mujeres y hombres, adaptándose –como así lo hacen las academias en otros campos– a los cambios que en la misma se producen. ; Through an analysis of the relationship between legislation and language, equal rights laws, and parliament and language, the author maintains that the integration of women as subjects, which has led to the inclusion of the word that designates half of the human race –woman– in constitutional texts which define the political pact of citizenship at the highest level, as well as in national and regional laws concerning the equality of women and men, should necessarily be reflected in the language of every norm. The definition of laws as norms of a general nature which apply equally to all people without exception was developed, particularly, as part of a break with a system whose general rule was that of discrimination. Therefore, if one of the main criteria of laws is quality, the gender perspective should also be incorporated, since language plays a decisive role vis-à-vis the interpretation of the contents, something which has been understood in the laws of equality cited in this study. Language should reflect reality, in this case, the existence of women and men, and adapt itself –just as institutions do in other fields– to the changes which occur.

Social conflicts represent one of the basic social phenomena, and also a historical constant in human societies. Therefore, it has always attracted the attention of theoreticians and researchers. Writers from various fields of social sciences - philosophy, history, law, psychology, sociology military and strategic history, etc. - but also creators of various utopias on social harmony and eternal peace, have been discussing the nature of conflict, its causes, function, goals, its regulation and solving. Philosophers, ethicists and theologists have tried to justify or question it to see into its essence, to explain it as inevitability and evil, or as real social phenomenon. Hence theoretical thought on social conflicts has long history and wide range - from theological, ethical, biological, natural law and geopolitical teachings, to various versions of psychological psychosocial and social theories, game theories, and within them various versions of micro and macro theories of conflict. Nowadays, at the beginning of the Third Millennium, social conflicts, as one of the greatest socio-political and security subjects, have imposed themselves as a priority theoretical problem, due to the course of historical events in the XX century. The two world wars, revolutions, civil wars, Cold War, and a series of local wars between states, nations and religions took place in XX century while people were simultaneously overwhelmed with fear of nuclear holocaust and ecological disaster. Thus the attempt to determine the final causes of social conflicts and systematize them represents one of the priority subjects of socio-political and security thought even in the XXI century. Additional reason for that is the fact that in the XXI century the spending of several billions of dollars daily for more sophisticated armaments and maintenance of military force continued, as well as multiplication of ethnic interconfessional and parareligious conflicts and rise of radical ideologies (extreme nationalism, chauvinism, religious fundamentalism, terrorism classic and cultural racism). The aim of this paper is to get an insight into cultural, systemic, economic, ideological and socio-structural background that has created concrete social conflicts in the last decade. It simultaneously attempts to uncover involutive dialectic of transition of structural social contradictories into systemic crisis, including genesis and main factors of transition of crisis into conflicts. The paper will also attempt to tell crucial moments in genesis of social conflicts, their bearers and phenomenal forms. ; U radu se nastoji pronići u determinante i uzroke društvenih protivrečnosti i sukoba koji su obeležili kraj drugog i početak trećeg milenijuma. Težište rada je na sistematizaciji činilaca koji se nalaze u pozadini najvećeg broja društvenih kriza i konflikata a koji se ispoljavaju kao različiti, suprotni i suprotstavljeni interesi i vrednosti. Analiza je usmerena i na sagledavanje šire istorijske, sistemske, idejne, socio-strukturne, političke i kulturne podloge na kojoj neposredno nastaju različite društvene krize i sukobi a koji su značajni sa stanovišta ugrožavanja bezbednosti.

For more than 16 years, Uzbekistan has been trying to modernize its sociopolitical and economic system. This process is encompassing all spheres of public life, particularly the administrative structures. It should be noted that reform of state administration is the most important prerequisite for enabling transformation of the political system as a whole. Uzbekistan's vast and cumbersome bureaucratic machinery is hindering implementation of the reforms in the republic. The prevalent bureaucratic arbitrariness in the economic sphere could lead to the monopolization of property, the creation of non-market mechanisms for regulating the activity of economic agents, and a reduction in the inflow of investments into the country. Stagnation of the administrative reforms in the political sphere is delaying the adoption of progressive laws, blocking the implementation of the decisions taken, promoting the formation of corporate groups among government officials, and making it impossible to efficiently regulate certain social processes. Bureaucratic arbitrariness in the social sphere can hinder the implementation of various social programs, which might later discredit the state bodies. In order to analyze the problems and prospects of administrative reforms in Uzbekistan, we should take a look at the main conceptual models of efficient administration. The idea of forming an efficient administrative system goes way back into the distant past. It generates, we feel, from man's need, as a social being, to provide himself with efficiently organized administration. This was precisely why, according to many academics, the first political studies were of an applied nature. It is interesting to note that one of the oldest conceptions of administration was developed in China, since it was precisely that model which presumed the formation of a hierarchal system of administration, as well as clear delimitation of powers. These two main aspects of the Chinese administration model point the way to forming the rudiments of a rational bureaucracy. But in contrast to the contemporary versions, the purpose of the Chinese administration model was not to resolve social problems, but to serve the emperor. At the end of the nineteenth-beginning of the twentieth centuries, new administration models began to appear aimed at resolving social problems. These models started with Max Weber's conceptions. It was precisely his conception of "rational bureaucracy" in the 20th century that led to the appearance of new administration models. Different administration models were formed within the framework of such schools and trends as the classical school, the school of human relations, structural-functional trends, and so on. It is not our intent in this article to reveal the essence of the conceptual models of efficient administration, since this is not part of our study, instead we will only take a brief look at the main aspects of these models in the context of their efficiency by identifying the things they have in common. This comes from the practical need to understand what the country should gain during the administrative reforms.

By keeping away from practically all mechanisms of regional integration and cooperation, Turkmenistan stands apart from its Central Asian neighbors. One of the CIS founding members, it gradually reduced its involvement in the Commonwealth to purely nominal: nowadays the CIS is regarded as a structure that passes general non-obligatory decisions, while the U.N. is declared to be the republic's priority for ideological reasons. At the same time, the very specific nature of Turkmenistan's ruling regime is keeping the world community away from the country's domestic affairs. For the same reason, Turkmenistan refused to grasp the opportunity offered by the events of 9/11, which riveted the world's attention on the region, to extend its ties with the West, something that other Central Asian countries did not miss. On the whole, Turkmenistan can be described as a closed country devoid of any geopolitical ambitions, opting for voluntary self-isolation. Inside the country, this is described as "positive neutrality." The constitutional Law on Turkmenistan's Permanent Neutrality of 27 December, 1995 serves as the legal cornerstone of the country's foreign policy. It describes Turkmenistan's Constitution, rights, and obligations as those of a neutral state. In the military-political sphere, in particular, it is expected to pursue a peace-loving foreign policy based on the principles of equality, mutual respect, and non-interference in the domestic affairs of other states and keep away from military blocs, unions, and inter-state alliances that impose strict functions on or presuppose collective responsibility of its members. Under the law, the republic pledges not to start wars and armed conflicts, not to take part in them (self-defense being the only exception), and not to do anything that might provoke a war or a conflict. The country does not allow other states to set up military bases on its territory or use its territory for military purposes, nor does it possess, produce, or take part in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. In the economic sphere, the republic is expected to develop international mutually advantageous economic cooperation on the basis of equality and with due account of the interests of all the sides involved; to keep open its financial-economic expanse; and to avoid economic pressure as a political tool (the "open doors" strategy is a foreign economic component of the "positive neutrality" conception). Finally, in the humanitarian sphere, the republic pledges to recognize and respect the basic generally accepted human and civil rights and democratic freedoms; to promote international exchange of spiritual values; and to cooperate with the world community on the humanitarian issues. 1 Certain Turkmenian lawyers insist that besides being set forth in the country's domestic legislation, their country's neutral status rests on the firm basis of international law. 2 This sounds like an overstatement: the problem belongs primarily to the context of nation-building and the development of Turkmenistan's national ideology.

"The paper rejects the notion of 'multiple modernities' as both conceptually flawed and empirically unfounded. In line with the sociological tradition, it will argue that we should speak of modernity only in the singular. Modernity, according to this view, denotesa peculiar epoch in the history of human kind, originating in Europe and spreading from there to the rest of the world. We may well be tempted to succumb too quickly to ill-conceived generalizations of what are in fact often only particular, locally based experiences. But we should also not lose sight of the truly revolutionary character of the historical 'breakthrough' to modernity. The protagonists of the multiple modernities paradigm appear to be doing precisely this: their very terminology impliesa trivialization of what is common to 'the' modern condition. At the same time, it suggests an overrating of which ever diversities (may) exist in different parts of the world. The paper will identify four main conceptual flaws in the pertinent literature: 1. The proclivity to equate modernity with its polity. The proposed conception of modernity is thus too thin for capturing the complex social structure of modern society as a whole. 2. To the extent that a theory of modernity is proposed at all, this theory is a self proclaimed cultural theory. Such a theory may shed light on some of the historical roots and self-perceptions of modernity, but it does so at the cost of excluding any thorough analysis of institutions. 3. The conceptualization of inter-societal difference in civilizational terms is misleading because it rules out, almost by definition, the possibility that countries belonging to different civilizations may in certain respects have more in common with ones from other civilizations than with some of the members of their 'own'. 4. The account's notion of diversity is exceedingly vague - the nature and profundity of the differences that are said to exist between different modernities are nowhere discussed at adequate length. But we need to know them to assess their social theoretic significance. In addition to these conceptual flaws, there are also various empirical phenomena and trends that challenge key premises of the multiple modernities approach. None of this is to say there are no differences between different regions, countries, civilizations. Nor is it to suggest their insignificance. It is, however, to suggest that we be more precise and that we extend our analyses beyond the confines of culture and politics - at least if we want to say something meaningful about modernity or modern society at large. Rather than speaking of multiple modernities, a better alternative to accommodate existing differences might be a yet to be developed concept of 'varieties of modernity' - akin to (but naturally pitched at a higher level of abstraction than) the notion of 'varieties of capitalism' which is beginning to crystallize in the new political economy literature." (author's abstract)

"The author describes the program and organization of the Riverside Church & Corporation in New York City for a German readership, taking German experiences with religious work and life into account. The essay is based on the underlying sociological concept of 'welfare production', which deals with the general question of how societal actors contribute to the quality of life and well-being of people. The first section, 'Die Kirche und die Firma' (The Church and the Firm), is a standard introduction of the article's subject. It acquaints the reader with Riverside's neighborhood and buildings, denomination, corporate indicators, and the diversity of its congregation. It also includes a brief portrait of its present senior minister, Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes, Jr. This section illustrates the dual nature of U.S. churches as both religious and entrepreneurial organizations. The second section, 'Riverside's Angebot-Seelsorge im größeren Zusammenhang' (What Riverside Offers-Pastoral Care Within a Wider Context) explores the mission, goals and day-to-day activities of the Riverside Church. The main topics are its integrative approach known as the 'three is' (interdenominational-interracial-international) and its broad program which centers on worship services and spiritual exercise, including a range of social, cultural, and political activities. The third section, 'Der Sonntagsgottesdienst' (The Sunday Worship Service) comprises a description of three frequently mentioned elements to make the worship services of the Riverside Church particularly attractive: the famous sermons of Reverend Dr. Forbes, the church's music program, and the optical setting. The section closes with observations and explanations of the offertory formalities during the Sunday worship services. The fourth section, 'Der Einfluss von Rockefeller und Fosdick' (The Impact of Rockefeller and Fosdick) reviews the founding phase of Riverside and the meeting and synergies of its founding fathers, Dr. Harry E. Fosdick and Mr. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. The author argues that these two men exerted lasting positive influence on Riverside's philosophy, freedom of spirit and action, innovative capacity, and high standing. The fifth section, 'Die Ökonomie von Riverside: das 'dreifache t'' (The Economy of Riverside, Including the Three t's') gives an overview of Riverside's resources. The 'Rockefeller endowment' and the time, talent, and treasure of the congregation are emphasized as the financial assets and human input of Riverside's work. Highlights of this section are creative money-making, exemplified by the Easter Flower List, and the New Members Plus Program. The final section, 'Die dauernde Herausforderung' (The Constant Challenge) focuses on two main challenges for the Riverside Church & Corporation: the cohesion of its multifaceted congregation, and organizational sustainability in the face of external pressure. The author concludes that Riverside is fit for survival thanks to a timely pastoral concept, professional excellence, business acumen, creativity, ability and willingness to communicate, and innovative capacity." (author's abstract)

Las armas están unidas desde su origen al orden y su historia porque ellas han sido el amparo ante feroces seres y la naturaleza acechante, sirviéndole como respuesta imprescindible a la debilidad de sus manos y su cuerpo. Son pues las armas el instrumento de la mente privilegiada de un ser que necesitó de manera imperiosa un medio para su supervivencia en la tierra. A lo largo de varios horizontes temporales veremos aparecer algunas armas emblemáticas para el fin de la supervivencia humana. En la edad de piedra el hacha, la honda, el cuchillo y el arco resaltaron hasta que el hierro les dio una nueva composición que hizo de la espada, el escudo, lanza y el carro de guerra los símbolos armados de la antigüedad más próxima a nuestros días. El milenio cristiano nació de la devastación del mundo antiguo donde murallas, arietes y caballeros en armadura representaron el horizonte ecuestre que existió hasta que la modernidad hizo de las armas de fuego con cañones, arcabuces, mosquetes, pistolas y escopetas un tiempo marcado por el fuego y la pólvora. El fuego y el carbón darían origen hacia el siglo XVIII a una edad del acero, donde las armas se hicieron más precisas y donde ametralladoras, tanques y fusiles serían hasta nuestros días los actores del drama infinito entre las causas que se defienden para bien o para mal de los desdichados hombres. ; The arms are united from their origin to the order and its history because they have been the shelter before ferocious beings and the acechante nature, serving like essential answer to the weakness as their hands and their body to him. They are because the arms the instrument of the privileged mind of a being who needed urgent way an average one for his Earth survival. Throughout several temporary horizons we will see appear some emblematic arms for the aim of the human survival. In the age of stone the axe, the wave, the knife and the arc, stood out until the iron gave a new composition them that did of the sword, the shield, sends and to the car military the symbols armed of the antiquity next to our days. The Christian millenium was born of the devastation of the old world where walls, rams and horsemen in armor represented the ecuestre horizon that existed until modernity did of the firearms with tubes, arcabuces, mosquetes, pistols and guns a time marked by the fire and the powder. The fire and the coal would give origin towards century XVIII to an age of the steel, where the arms became more precise and where machine guns, tanks and guns would be to the present time the actors of the infinite drama between the causes that are defended for or or for badly of the unfortunate men.

The Structure of Constraints: Social Networks of Immigrants from Taiwan This study looks at the social incorporation of affluent first generation immigrants from Taiwan who migrate to the deconcentrated settlement spaces of South Orange County in Southern California. Based on the socioeconomic and demographic profiles of these immigrants, it is assumed that not only will they experience economic and political integration, but also social integration into the mainstream society. At first glance, opportunities for incorporation into the larger society of the United States seem both plentiful and scarce. While some conditions facilitate integration, other circumstances work against integration. The present study aims to describe the present conditions for social integration of immigrants from Taiwan. It also discusses the nature of the incorporation process and the relation between spatial structure and social structure. Findings from ethnographic fieldwork, including 60 structured, 30 semi-structured interviews and numerous informal interviews, show that the social networks of ethnic Chinese and ethnic Taiwanese immigrants are not comparable to the densely knit, broadly-based ties linking neighbors and kin group members attributed to traditional immigrants. Instead, the social networks of immigrants with high levels of human and economic capital are based on loosely bounded, sparsely knit, and dynamic specialized ties. Recent immigrants have local networks involving less kinship, but higher numbers of former classmates and members of joint recreational associations. However, space- and time-compressing technologies still afford opportunities to maintain ties with family and friends in Taiwan as well as in other places around the globe. In addition, although immigrants from Taiwan choose to live geographically dispersed from other members of their ethnic group, they favor ethnically exclusive interaction outside their work or school environment. Numerous voluntary associations have evolved but are only weakly connected. However, membership in these religious, educational and recreational organizations fluctuates. This dissertation identifies the important structural constraints that shape the formation of personal networks of ethnic Taiwanese and ethnic Chinese immigrants from Taiwan and the degree of overlap created by these networks. Special attention is given to the implications of varying network structures for male and female immigrants on their sense of well-being and the different choices men and women make in building bridges to other social worlds. Analysis of personal network structures and the extent of connectivity between and across various subethnic community organizations is based on the notion that heterogeneity in network composition decreases while homogeneity increases the likelihood of social integration. Overall, there are few structural constraints to interaction with members of other ethnic groups in the social networks of ethnic Chinese and Taiwanese immigrants from Taiwan. However, while immigrants are economically integrated, the likelihood of social integration is not very high since immigrants rarely encounter the need to contact people outside their ethnic groups in their private lives.

Summary in English. ; According to President Thabo Mbeki, the fight against corruption is one of the principal tasks of his new government. Corruption is a central concern for a country that is in a difficult political transition and is facing strong economic demands. South Africa needs an effective government. The focus of this paper is one of the areas where corruption is thriving, the South African Police Service (SAPS). I have chosen for a study within the department of Safety and Security because this is the headquarters of the fight against corruption and the place where the rule of law should be rooted most deeply. If the justice-system is corrupt, the whole state will be polluted. According to the Parliamentary researcher for the Safety and Security Committee 'the current level of corruption within the overall criminal justice system is the factor most negatively influencing efforts to substantially improve safety and security in South Africa', undermining both public confidence and crime prevention strategies (Briefing Committee 1999:1). This is one motivation for writing a thesis on this topic: corruption is a central concern for those involved in South African politics. The theme of corruption is also at the heart of political organization. People organize themselves for certain goals. Whatever these goals are, corruption interferes with their effective pursuance. Studying corruption means studying the nature of government and the tension between the way it should use its power and the way it does. It is about the limits of human organization, the tension between the public and the private, and the slippery way people practice their ethics. This is another motivation for writing on this topic: corruption is a central concern for those involved in political science. In South Africa, there are widespread beliefs in the existence of corruption. In a survey published by Idasa in 1996, 46 percent of the respondents felt that most officials were engaged in corruption and only 6 percent believed there was a clean government (Lodge 1998:157). The police certainly does not have a dean reputation. In a newspaper poll over half of the respondents called the police 'corrupt and having no integrity' (Sowetan 28/3/96, quoted in Syed and Bruce 1997:2). Moreover, an opinion survey at the end of 1998 showed that 60 percent of the respondents thought the government was controlling corruption 'not very well' or 'not at all well' (Mail & Guardian 8/10/99:30). In this thesis, I want to put these figures into perspective. The purpose of the thesis is two-folded. Firstly, to provide for an analysis of the historical, political, social and organizational roots of corruption within the SAPS. Secondly, to confront this analysis - and the policy directions it suggests - with the practice of fighting corruption in South Africa.