Public space in postsocialist and postindustrial city, the new role of private and public actors

2011 ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Friedrich W. De Wet

After almost two decades of democratic rule in South Africa, patterns of withdrawal and uncertainty about the complexities involved in defining the contents, rationality and impact of the public role of the church in society seem to be prevalent. As unabated levels of corruption and its sustained threat to sustainable development point out, a long-awaited reckoning should take place – at least in the circles of South African churches from reformed origin – regarding its rich tradition of critical and transformational prophetic involvement in the public space. In this article, the author places different models for the public role of the church in the field of tension that is generated when the private and public spheres meet each other. The author anticipates different configurations that will probably form in this field of tension in the cases of respectively the Two Kingdoms Model, the Neo-Calvinist Approach and the Communicative Rationality Approach.Die rol van profetiese prediking in publieke teologie: Die implikasies vir die hantering van korrupsie in ‘n konteks van volhoubare ontwikkeling. Na bykans twee dekades van demokratiese regering in Suid-Afrika blyk dit dat patrone van onttrekking en onsekerheid oor wat die inhoud, rasionaliteit en impak van die publieke rol van die kerk in die samelewing presies behels, steeds voortduur. In ‘n situasie waaruit dit blyk dat daar geen werklike teenvoeter is vir die hoë vlakke van korrupsie asook vir die bedreiging wat dit vir volhoubare ontwikkeling inhou nie, is dit hoog tyd dat die kerk, ten minste in die geval van die Suid-Afrikaanse kerke van reformatoriese oorsprong, diep oor sy profetiese rol in die samelewing moet besin. Hierdie kerke kom uit ‘n ryke tradisie van kritiese en transformerende betrokkenheid in die publieke sfeer. In hierdie artikel plaas die outeur verskillende modelle vir die publieke rol van die kerk in die spanningsveld wat gegenereer word wanneer die private en publieke sfere mekaar ontmoet. Die outeur antisipeer verskillende konfigurasies wat waarskynlik na vore sal tree in hierdie spanningsveld in die gevalle van onderskeidelik die Twee Koninkryke Model, die Neo-Calvinistiese Benadering en die Kommunikatiewe Rasionaliteit Benadering.


Author(s):  
Andrea Fumagalli ◽  
Sara Gandini ◽  
Cristina Morini

Abstract This paper is a translation of three early critiques of the responses of the Covid-19 pandemic in Italy, each addressing a unique facet and different perspective of Europe’s first lockdown. Through bringing together these memorial traces, the article captures the heterogeneity of discussions taking place on the left at the very beginning of the pandemic, destabilizing a totalizing framing of Covid responses through simple binaries such as health vs economics or individual rights vs the collective good. Crisitina Morini addresses the ambivalences around the term ‘care’ (in Italian meaning both ‘attention’ and ‘cure’). Grounded in feminist economics, she argues for the establishment of a self-determination income envisioned as an unconditional and universal income, not linked to working positions. Sara Gandini ponders the possibility of turning anger into a political force and questions what forms this could take. Highlighting the problems related to turning a public health issue into one of national security, Gandini probes the politics of acceptability around Covid-related deaths against non-Covid related deaths, particularly deaths precisely exacerbated by confinement strategies. She speaks also of the silencing and policing of dissent when one tries to raise such issues in the public space. Lastly, Andrea Fumagalli uses the idea of crisis as an opportunity to rethink social and economic issues. These include readjusting the balance between private and public healthcare, (especially as Covid treatments are not very profitable), the implementation of a major European investment plan relating to social infrastructure and the environment, which will relaunch the European economy. Though these critiques were formulated at the start of the pandemic. many of the arguments and questions the authors asked themselves at the time remain highly topical: the role of welfare and income, the regulatory devices (including gender) that risk passing using the fight against the pandemic; all of which are central to maintaining a lucidity of analysis and to be resistant witnesses, politicizing anger to turn it into an agency that takes advantage of this difficult experience to build a slightly better world.


Author(s):  
يونس عبد الله ما تشنغ بين الصيني

الملخّص إن بقاء الإسلام، ورغبة المسلمين في الحفاظ على عقيدة الإسلام، وشريعته السمحاء في الصين راجعة إلى جهود علمائنا الأجلاء الذين نَهَلُوا العلم الصافي من مَعِينِ القرآن والسنة. وخدمتهم من خلال ترجمة معاني القرآن الكريم، وتبسيط العقيدة والشريعة باللغة الصينية خير دليل على ذلك. ويحاول الباحث تسليط الضوء من خلال هذا البحث على طبيعة الإسلام في أرض الصين، كاشفا أمر وضع الإسلام وطبيعة حال المسلمين، وتحدياتهم قديما وحديثا، مبينا محاولتهم على حفاظ دين الإسلام، وأداء شعائره. ويؤمن الباحث من خلال توصيف حالة الإسلام والمسلمين، أن صلاح المسلمين، وبقاءهم كأمة مسالمة لا رغبة لها؛ إلا في الإصلاح، والتعمير في الأرض، فهو لا يتحقق إلا بإصلاح النفس، وعودتها إلى طاعة الله سرا وعلانية دون الإنغماس في تحقيق الرغبات المادية، وإشباع المطامع الشهوانية من خلال جمع حطام الدنيا دون الالتفات إلى حلال وحرام، وطاعة ومعصية.    الكلمات المفتاحيّة: جهود العلماء، ثقافة الإسلام، مصادر الإسلام الأصلية، التحديات، الصين، الدعوة.                                                                                             Abstract The continuation of Islam in China and the aspiration of the Muslims to maintain Islamic faith and its true tolerant legal system retract to the struggles of our respected scholars who learnt the knowledge of the Qurʼan and the Prophetic traditions (al-Sunnah). The services they rendered in translating the meaning of the Qurʼan, simplifying the creed and the legal system of Islam into Chinese language are good indications in that context. In this paper, the researcher is trying to highlight the normal nature of Islam in China by exploring the position and nature of the Muslims, their contemporary and past challenges, and revealing their attempts to preserve the religion of Islam in discharging the religious rites. Through the depiction of Islam and the Muslims, the researcher believes that the wellbeing of Muslims and their continuous survival to be a peace-loving nation could not be achieved without the reform and proper development through self-reformation and its return to full submission to Allah both in private and public life, and without indulging in attainment of material desires and satiating the lust of accumulating ephemeral materials of this world without paying any heed to lawfulness or unlawfulness, or to being obedient or disobedient. Keywords: Effort of the Scholars, Islamic Culture, Noble Origin of Islam, Challenges, Propagation of the Religion.


Author(s):  
يونس عبد الله ما تشنغ بين الصيني

الملخّصإن بقاء الإسلام، ورغبة المسلمين في الحفاظ على عقيدة الإسلام، وشريعته السمحاء في الصين راجعة إلى جهود علمائنا الأجلاء الذين نَهَلُوا العلم الصافي من مَعِينِ القرآن والسنة. وخدمتهم من خلال ترجمة معاني القرآن الكريم، وتبسيط العقيدة والشريعة باللغة الصينية خير دليل على ذلك. ويحاول الباحث تسليط الضوء من خلال هذا البحث على طبيعة الإسلام في أرض الصين، كاشفا أمر وضع الإسلام وطبيعة حال المسلمين، وتحدياتهم قديما وحديثا، مبينا محاولتهم على حفاظ دين الإسلام، وأداء شعائره. ويؤمن الباحث من خلال توصيف حالة الإسلام والمسلمين، أن صلاح المسلمين، وبقاءهم كأمة مسالمة لا رغبة لها؛ إلا في الإصلاح، والتعمير في الأرض، فهو لا يتحقق إلا بإصلاح النفس، وعودتها إلى طاعة الله سرا وعلانية دون الإنغماس في تحقيق الرغبات المادية، وإشباع المطامع الشهوانية من خلال جمع حطام الدنيا دون الالتفات إلى حلال وحرام، وطاعة ومعصية.   الكلمات المفتاحيّة: جهود العلماء، ثقافة الإسلام، مصادر الإسلام الأصلية، التحديات، الصين، الدعوة.                                                                                   AbstractThe continuation of Islam in China and the aspiration of the Muslims to maintain Islamic faith and its true tolerant legal system retract to the struggles of our respected scholars who learnt the knowledge of the Qurʼan and the Prophetic traditions (al-Sunnah). The services they rendered in translating the meaning of the Qurʼan, simplifying the creed and the legal system of Islam into Chinese language are good indications in that context. In this paper, the researcher is trying to highlight the normal nature of Islam in China by exploring the position and nature of the Muslims, their contemporary and past challenges, and revealing their attempts to preserve the religion of Islam in discharging the religious rites. Through the depiction of Islam and the Muslims, the researcher believes that the wellbeing of Muslims and their continuous survival to be a peace-loving nation could not be achieved without the reform and proper development through self-reformation and its return to full submission to Allah both in private and public life, and without indulging in attainment of material desires and satiating the lust of accumulating ephemeral materials of this world without paying any heed to lawfulness or unlawfulness, or to being obedient or disobedient.Keywords: Effort of the Scholars, Islamic Culture, Noble Origin of Islam, Challenges, Propagation of the Religion.


2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-114
Author(s):  
Im Sik Cho ◽  
Blaž Križnik

Sharing practices are an important part of urban life. This article examines the appropriation of alleys as communal space to understand how sharing practices are embedded in localities, how communal space is constituted and maintained, and how this sustains communal life. In this way, the article aims to understand the spatial dimension of sharing practices, and the role of communal space in strengthening social relationship networks and urban sustainability. Seowon Maeul and Samdeok Maeul in Seoul are compared in terms of their urban regeneration approaches, community engagement in planning, street improvement, and the consequences that the transformation had on the appropriation of alleys as communal space. The research findings show that community engagement in planning is as important as the provision of public space if streets are to be appropriated as communal space. Community engagement has changed residents' perception and use of alleys as a shared resource in the neighbourhood by improving their capacity to act collectively and collaborate with other stakeholders in addressing problems and opportunities in cities.


2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Poornima Madan ◽  
Shalini Srivastava

The purpose of the study is to investigate the relationship between locus of control and impression management. The study also examines the variation in locus of control dimensions namely, internality, externality (others) and externality (chance). It further investigates the difference on perception of demographic variables (gender and marital status) and sectoral difference on impression management. The study was administered on 125 Managers who were representatives of different private and public sector organizations in Delhi/NCR. Variables in the study were assessed using validated instruments. Descriptive Statistics, t-test, Correlation and Regression were used for data analysis. Organizations will be better prepared to dig into the arena of one of the personality variable, i.e. locus of control and its relationship with impression management. The current research is imperative in providing insights into role of personality variable (locus of control) and impression management, which will be one of the pioneer researches available till date. Moreover, the research will highlight the significance of locus of control dimensions and impression management.


2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 385-413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Thibodeau ◽  
John Harry Evans ◽  
Nandu J. Nagarajan

SYNOPSIS Starting in 1995, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) transformed a bureaucratic healthcare system into a performance-driven, patient-focused integrated healthcare network. The VHA's experience may offer lessons for private and public sector providers as the U.S. explores alternative healthcare delivery systems and payment methods. Similar patient-focused integrated systems are one of the hallmarks of the latest U.S. attempt to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery. The use of performance incentives to promote cooperation and innovation is also central to both the VHA and the U.S. reform. This study reviews the VHA's experience with an eye to identifying issues and potential research avenues for accounting researchers interested in the role of accounting information for control, coordination, and organizational change.


Author(s):  
Pierre Pestieau ◽  
Mathieu Lefebvre

This chapter looks at the role of the public versus the private sector in the provision of insurance against social risks. After having discussed the evolution of the role of the family as support in the first place, the specificity of social insurance is emphasized in opposition to private insurance. Figures show the extent of spending on both private and public insurance and the chapter presents economic reasons to why the latter is more developed than the former. Issues related to moral hazard and adverse selection are addressed. The chapter also discusses somewhat more general arguments supporting social insurance such as population ageing, unemployment, fiscal competition and social dumping.


Author(s):  
Aga Skrodzka

This article argues for the importance of preserving the visual memory of female communist agency in today’s Poland, at the time when the nation’s relationship to its communist past is being forcefully rearticulated with the help of the controversial Decommunization Act, which affects the public space of the commons. The wholesale criminalization of communism by the ruling conservative forces spurred a wave of historical and symbolic revisions that undermine the legacy of the communist women’s movement, contributing to the continued erosion of women’s rights in Poland. By looking at recent cinema and its treatment of female communists as well as the newly published accounts of the communist women’s movement provided by feminist historians and sociologists, the project sheds light on current cultural debates that address the status of women in postcommunist Poland and the role of leftist legacy in such debates.


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