Social Forums,Social Movements and Social Change: A Response to Peter Marcuse on the Subject of the World Social Forum

This response to Peter Marcuse situates his reading of the World Social Forum in the larger ‘space versus movement’ debate that has been raging among the WSF’s organizers. The author argues that this debate signals: (1) a power struggle over its future; (2) profound disagreement over the character of its power, which is itself based in conflicting understandings and visions of power and change in the contemporary period more generally; (3) at the heart of this last conflict is a yet more basic one about the status of multiplicity and diversity — in understanding power(s), in building resistance(s), in creating alternatives, in crafting solidarities, in imagining other possible worlds as les raisons d’être of the Social Forum. Drawing on the historical experience of feminism, the author proposes an alternative reading of the meaning of the Social Forum grounded in more multivalent understandings of power, movements and change, and argues that, in the evolving practice of the World Social Forum, a new democratic imaginary — post‐liberal and post‐Marxist — is taking shape and, with it, other possible futures are coming into view. Cette réponse à Peter Marcuse replace son explication du Forum social mondial dans le débat plus vaste ‘espace et mouvement’ qui a enflammé les organisateurs du FSM. En effet, ce débat met en évidence plusieurs aspects: une lutte de pouvoir pour son avenir; un désaccord profond quant à la nature de son pouvoir, s’appuyant lui‐même sur des appréhensions et visions contradictoires du pouvoir et du changement dans la période contemporaine, de manière générale; au c?ur de cette opposition, en existe une autre encore plus fondamentale sur la situation de multiplicité et de diversité, pour comprendre le ou les pouvoirs, élaborer une ou plusieurs résistances, créer des alternatives, tisser des solidarités, imaginer d’autres possibilités de monde comme les raisons d’être du Forum social. S’inspirant de l’expérience historique du féminisme, l’article propose une autre lecture du Forum social, fondée sur des compréhensions plus polyvalentes du pouvoir, des mouvements et du changement; de plus, il affirme que, dans le cadre de l’exercice évolutif du Forum social mondial, prend forme un nouvel imaginaire démocratique — post‐libéral et post‐marxiste — et, qu’avec lui, se dessinent d’autres possibilités d’avenir.     

Social networks,employment and worker discouragement: Evidence from South Africa

Social networks are increasingly being recognized as having an important influence on labour market outcomes, since they facilitate the exchange of job related information. Access to information about job opportunities as well as perceptions about the buoyancy of the labour market depend critically on the social structures and the social networks to which labour market participants belong. In this paper, we examine the impact of information externalities generated through network membership on labour market status. Using Census data from South Africa, a country characterized by high levels of unemployment and worker discouragement, we adopt an econometric approach that aims to minimise the problems of omitted variable bias that have plagued many previous studies of the impact of social networks. Our results suggest that social networks may enhance employment probabilities by an additional 3–12%, and that failure to adequately control for omitted variables would lead to substantial over-estimates of the network co-efficient. In contrast, the impact of social networks on reducing worker discouragement is much smaller, at between 1 and 2%.     

Introduction to a Debate on the World Social Forum

Social Forums, modeled on the World Social Forums, are not social movements in the classic sense. They are not, and do not purport to be, the organizational form through which basic social change will be achieved, or can best be pursued. But they do bring together elements of many social movements, afford an opportunity for coalition‐building among them, frequently around urban issues, and thus make a significant contribution to achieving such change. Conceivably they may be the foundation for an international social movement for change, but if so it is likely to coalesce about a specifically political program. Some concrete suggestions are made which might enhance their effectiveness. Les Forums sociaux, sur le modèle des Forums sociaux mondiaux, ne sont pas des mouvements sociaux au sens traditionnel. Ils ne sont, ni ne sont censés être, la forme d’organisation permettant d’atteindre ou de mener au mieux un changement social fondamental. Cependant, ils réunissent des composantes de nombreux mouvements sociaux, leur offrent une possibilité de créer une coalition (souvent autour de problèmes urbains) et contribuent ainsi fortement à l’évolution visée. En théorie, ils peuvent servir de base à un mouvement social international en faveur d’un changement, quoique ayant alors tendance à s’unir sur un programme politique. Les suggestions concrètes qui sont formulées peuvent en améliorer l’efficacité.     

The Social,Spatial, and Economic Roots of Urban Inequality in Africa: Contextualizing Jane Jacobs and Henry George

Unravelling the social and economic roots of urban inequality in Africa has remained a thorny issue in African political economy. Stripped to its bare essentials, the critical questions are who causes urban inequality, what causes it, and how it is caused? While all different, the questions are interrelated. Answering the “who causes inequality” question requires a related analysis of what and why, and that is connected to the how question. Indeed, the how question has two parts—how inequality is caused and how it can be addressed. Both are connected to the why question and to its resolution. Unfortunately, while studies about urban inequality abound, they tend to hive off one aspect or another of the tripartite questions on inequality and, even worse, they study the three questions separately. This article tries to overcome the existing atomistic and piecemeal approach to the study of urban inequality in Africa by contextualizing the work of Jane Jacobs and Henry George, who took a holistic view of urban inequality. It argues that Jacobsianism and Georgism have much to offer in terms of understanding urban inequality in Africa, but neither analysis goes far enough to be able to serve as a solid foundation for policy. Ultimately, it is in their approach to urban analysis—the emphasis on context, on actual urban problems, inductivism, and some of their mechanisms for change such as George's land tax and cautious abstraction, in that order, along with their combined vision—which I call “diversity in equality”—that can add to the insights of postcolonialism in understanding and transforming urban inequality in Africa.     

John Hobson, Thorstein Veblen and the Phenomenon of Imperialism

Abstract . Although Hobson (1858–1940) and Veblen (1857–1929) both wrote extensively on imperialism, a systematic comparison of their views has yet to be undertaken. This is corrected with reference to three issues: their respective condemnation and explanation of, and remedy for, imperialism. The contexts in which they wrote is outlined and it is shown that on the basis of a shared definition of imperialism: (1) they both condemned imperialism on economic and political grounds, although Veblen's hostility was arguably the greater; (2) they both advanced dualistic explanations of imperialism, but whereas Hobson developed more fully and emphasized economic rather than ideological forces, the reverse was the case for Veblen; and (3) they agreed that modern imperialism could be remedied by the establishment of an international system of law and order. Veblen, however, was far less confident that this would solve totally the problem of imperialism and hence argued for the abolition of both capitalism and patriotism. The convergencies and divergencies in their analyses of imperialism may reflect the British liberal and American radical traditions that the politically involved Hobson and the iconoclast Veblen, respectively, operated within. There is a lesson for our time in their views.     

SARS与城市座谈会发言(摘要)

SARS在中国大地 ,尤其是城市中的肆虐 ,对我国社会经济发展造成极大冲击。痛定思痛 ,有许多经验教训值得总结。2 0 0 3年 6月 2 7日 ,中国城市科学研究会与北京城市科学研究会联合举办了“SARS与城市”座谈会。现刊出部分与会专家发言要点 ,供参考。     

Patterns of business creation,survival and growth: Evidence from Africa

We study firm dynamics using a novel database of all formally registered firms in Cote d'Ivoire from 1977 to 1997, which account for about 60% of GDP. First, we examine entry and exit patterns and the role of new and exiting firms versus incumbents in job creation and destruction. We find that while the rate of job creation at new firms is quiet high – at 8% on average – the numbers of jobs added by new firms is small in absolute terms. Next, we examine survival rates and find that the probability of survival increases monotonically with firm size, but that manufacturing and foreign-owned firms face higher likelihoods of exit compared to service oriented and domestically-owned firms. We find that higher GDP growth increases the probability of firm survival, but this is a broad impact with no firm size disproportionately affected. In robustness checks we find that post-1987, size is no longer a significant determinant of firm survival for new entrants, suggesting that the operating environment for firms changed. Finally, we find that trade and fiscal reform episodes raised the probability of firm exit and attenuated the survival disadvantages faced by smaller firms, but exchange rate revaluation and pro-private sector reforms did not significantly lower the likelihood of exit.     

Collective Acceptance, Social Institutions, and Social Reality

ABSTRACT . The paper presents an account of social institutions on the basis of collective acceptance. Basically, collective acceptance by some members of a group involves the members’ collectively coming to hold and holding a relevant social attitude (a “we‐attitude”), viz. either one in the intention family of concepts or one in the belief family. In standard cases the collective acceptance must be in the “we‐mode,” viz. performed as a group member, and involve that it be meant for the group. The participants must be collectively committed to what they have accepted. Social institutions are taken to be norm‐governed social practices introducing a new social and conceptual status on the practices or some elements involved in those practices. This requires that some of the involved norms be constitutive norms as opposed to merely “accidentally” regulating ones. A classification of social institutions is presented. The account is broader in scope than is Searle’s.     

社会资本视角下的收入满足度分析

一、关于社会资本的文献回顾关于中国目前收入差距不断扩大问题,在学界已经是一个共识,而且成为当前中国社会关注的热点问题之一。一般认为,适当的收入差距是可以激励劳动者和促进经济增长的,但是收入差距持     

Capital mobility, foreign aid, and openness: further panel data evidence from sub-Saharan Africa

This study uses several alternative panel data estimation techniques (pooled ordinary least squares, fixed effects, and random effects) to examine the effect of domestic savings, foreign aid, the evolution of capital mobility over time, and openness on investment rates for a sample of 29 sub-Saharan African countries over the time period 1980 to 2001. The empirical evidence suggests the presence of capital mobility in line with previous studies of developing economies and that capital mobility has gradually increased over time. Moreover, foreign aid and openness both have positive and significant impacts on investment rates.     

对我国经济"过热"现象的分析

前一段时期,我国经济出现了一些新的变化,经济增长速度加快,固定资产投资迅速增长,生产资料价格高位运行,消费物价指数逐步回升,局部地区和个别行业出现了一定程度的投资热。究竟如何认识这一经济形势,是一个事关全局的重要问题。事实上,前一段出现的经济“过热”现象,是经济增长从低位增长格局向中位增长格局转换过程中的暂时失衡,由于主要的瓶颈因素有望在近期内缓解,新的均衡逐渐在形成中并将在近几个月内完成,未来出现全面经济过热和典型通货膨胀的可能性并不大。从中长期来看,存在从中位增长格局向低位增长格局转变的可能性。因此,当前…     

基于SWOT模型对余额宝现象的分析

本文运用SWOT态势分析法,对余额宝在当前信息全球化的大背景下的内部优势与劣势、外部机会和威胁进行了研究分析,并提出了相关政策建议。     

《全国技术经济与创新论坛暨2002年学术研讨会》综述

由中国社会科学院数量经济与技术经济研究所、国务院发展研究中心技术经济部、中国技术经济研究会、清华大学经济管理学院、重庆大学经济与工商管理学院共同发起,中国社会科学院数量经济与技术经济研究所、重庆大学经济与工商管理学院承办的《全国技术经济与创新论坛暨2002年学术研讨会》,于2002年10月28～31日在重庆大学召开。出席本次研讨会的代表有来自全国20多个省、市、自治区的高等院校、科研机构、政府机关和企事     

Capital structure,product market competition and firm performance: Evidence from South Africa

This paper investigates the relationship between capital structure and firm performance, paying particular attention to the degree of industry competition. The paper applies a novel measure of competition, the Boone indicator, to the leverage-performance relationship. Using panel data consisting of 257 South African firms over the period 1998–2009, this paper examines the effect of capital structure on firm performance and investigates the extent to which the relationship depends on the level of product market competition. The results suggest that financial leverage has a positive and significant effect on firm performance. It is also found that product market competition enhances the performance effect of leverage. The results are robust to alternative measures of competition and leverage.     

Social enterprise factory location and allocation model: Small scale manufacturing for East Africa

The manufacturing location decision for social enterprises that work in the context of sustainable development is rarely based on a quantitative, analytical process. As a result, decisions may be far from profit-maximizing. Location and allocation optimization models have the potential to improve decisions and thus enable such enterprises to scale up their business as well as their impact. We develop and explain a single-period single-factory model, and also a two-echelon location and allocation model, to provide enterprises with information about optimal factory locations, and with future demand allocations and capacity-changing decision information. We apply the models to a company that manufactures and distributes solar cookers in East Africa. Our results illustrate that quantitative location and allocation models can significantly affect social enterprises by improving profitability. The case study shows strong cost-reduction potential of local manufacturing in developing countries due to high transportation costs for small production volumes. We discuss this model-recommended decision by weighing it against associated opportunities and risks. This paper aims to enable and encourage social and sustainability-oriented manufacturing enterprises to apply operations research methods in their strategic factory location decision-making.     

第二十八次经济形势分析预测会上的讲话

当前宏观经济形势很特殊，既不同于20世纪90年代中期以前的严重通胀局面，又不同于前几年持续的通缩趋势。从经济运行来看，当前既有局部经济过热，特别是某些部门投资过多，引起一些瓶颈供应紧张的现象，又有从总体上看，供大于求，有效需求