Immigrants on Chinese Television and Limitations of China’s Globalist Discourse

Traditionally perceived as a country of emigration, China has in recent years become an increasingly popular subject for immigration and diaspora studies, with an immigrant population that has been growing quietly and steadily since the 1990s. However, media representations of immigrants in China have not garnered much attention. This article provides a critical assessment of how immigrants and immigrant experience are portrayed on Chinese television, using the example of Foreigner in China (2013–19), the first-ever program on a national platform to tackle this topic. It argues that, while the program paints a rather insightful and entertaining picture of contemporary immigrant life in China, its representation of immigrants is restricted by not only the internal contradiction of the Xi administration’s globalist discourse, but also the exclusive, ethnocentric conception of Chinese nationhood, which remains the norm in a more heterogenous and globally conscious Chinese society.

RELIGIOUS FAITH AS AN INTEGRATOR OF THE INTERNAL CONTRADICTION OF THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PERSONALITY

Стаття присвячена аналізу виявів інтеграційно-дезінтеграційних процесів в релігійній вірі. Увага акцентується на інтеграційному аспекті релігійності і особливостях її прояву в архетипній символіці. Стверджується, що усвідомлення деструктивних тенденцій суб'єктом відкриває перспективи їх психокорекції і ослаблення, що сприяє розвитку конструктивних форм віри. Головною метою статті є аналіз інтеграційно-дезінтеграційних процесів в контексті релігійної вири. Аналіз наукових джерел. Проблема інтеграції та дезінтеграції в контексті релігійної віри представлена в роботах: М. О. Бердяєв, О. Кернберга, Дж. Макдугала, Є. Ноймана, О. Ранка, З. Фрейда, Е. Фромма, К.Г. Юнга та інших й окреслена як механізми, що лежать в основі внутрішньої суперечності психіки, і є однією з особливостей взаємозв’язків між сферою свідомого та несвідомого. Виклад основного матеріалу. На особистісному рівні інтеграція являє собою стан узгодженості всіх складових елементів, риси та якостей особистості. Механізм інтеграції нерозривно пов'язаний з дезінтеграцією яка представляє зворотній рух та задає певною мірою, поштовх інтеграційним процесам. Релігійна віра базується на інфантильному досвіді, це є повторення дитячого періоду переживання страху покарання, відторгнення батьками, та водночас боязкість могутності оточуючого світу. Висновки. З’ясовано, що процеси інтеграції та дезінтеграції лежать в основі внутрішньої суперечності психіки та знаходять вияв у релігійній вірі. Механізми інтеграції та дезінтеграції знаходять вираження в архетипній релігійній символіці, де набувають змістовно індивідуальної вираженості. Перевалювання в інтеграційних процесах дезінтеграції є наслідком соціалізації особи, яка зумовлює табуювання, а з тим і витіснення лібідних почуттів, що задає деструктивну спрямованість психіки. Об’єктивація та усвідомлення суб’єктом глибинних витоків особистісної проблеми сприяє послабленню гостроти суперечливих тенденцій його психіки.

Geophysical approach for determining the Stokes parameters for the Earth

It is shown that: 1. Basic Stokes parameters the compressed level ellipsoid rotations are not consistent, which naturally suggests some internal contradiction in the values of these parameters; 2. At this stage, it is impossible to determine which of them are correct and which are not. This question lies in the proof of the existence or non-existence of a solution to an integral equation.

Confronting Agamben on the Pandemic: Biopolitics, Class Struggle and Surveillance Capitalism

This paper evaluates Agamben’s observations on the COVID-19 crisis and its consequent crises that seek to revisit issues of the security state. Through this paper, I attempt to probe the contentious relationship between capitalism and human freedom, biological life and its politicisation thereof without taking recourse to the idiom of biopolitics. I seek to enumerate the ways in which Marxist postulates such as ‘class struggle’ and the ‘internal contradiction of capitalism’ are indispensable frames to think along while addressing the concerns of an anticipatory surveillance society by demonstrating the problems and limits of displacing immanent dialectics of antagonisms of class struggle with Agamben’s immanent sovereign logic of reproduction of biopolitics.

El dilema de John Stuart Mill

This paper discusses the idea that John Stuart Mill supported two intellectual positions which are considered to be contradictory. On one hand, he proposed a radical empiricist epistemology in his System of Logic. On the other hand, Mill defended David Ricardo’s Political Economy, fairly criticized in its time from an empirical point of view. This paper argues that there is no internal contradiction in Mill, as he believes that the method used in Political Economy (criticized for being a priori) is necessary because of the difficulties that rise due to the nature of the study object. Furthermore, Mill suggests that it is the only possible method that social sciences may use. Key words: J.S. Mill, economic methodology, epistemology. JEL Classification: B12, B41. Resumen: Este artículo discute la idea de que John Stuart Mill mantuvo dos posiciones intelectuales consideradas como contradictorias. Por un lado, él propuso una epistemología radicalmente empirista en su System of Logic. Por el otro, Mill defendió la Economía Política de David Ricardo, bastante criticada desde una perspectiva empírica en su momento. Este artículo argumenta que no hay contradicción interna en Mill, ya que él postula que el método usado por la Economía Política (criticado por su apriorismo) es necesario debido a las dificultades propias del objeto de estudio. Incluso, Mill sostiene que ese es el único método posible para las ciencias sociales. Palabras clave: J.S. Mill, metodología económica, epistemología. Clasificación JEL: B12, B41.

Rescuing Rawlsian Justice: Are Fraternity and Difference Principle Compatible?

The revival of the academic interest in the problem of fair distribution of resources in the society, which is one of the key issues for the political thought today, is largely associated with the name of John Rawls and his Theory of Justice. The article is devoted to the analysis of Rawls’s arguments in support of the difference principle as one of the principles of social justice. According to Rawls (whose arguments later formed the foundation for a separate direction in the political-philosophical thought known as luck egalitarianism), due to the random nature of the original distribution of talents, inequality in human wellbeing cannot be justified by an appeal to a merit. However, because strict equality in distribution might reduce productivity of the owners of talent, achieving the best outcome for all requires such inequalities that incentivize the more talented to work as efficiently as possible for the benefit of the less talented. This compromise drew criticism from ardent egalitarians, among which Gerald Cohen articulated objections to the difference principle most clearly and compared the claims of the most talented for material rewards with extortion. Having considered possible justifications for the need for incentives, based on Rawls’s argument in the Theory of Justice, the authors conclude that these justifications do not solve the problem that Cohen revealed. Appealing to human nature merely translates the dispute into the methodological realm: should the theory of justice proceed from reality, or should it be guided by the ideal? In turn, the inevitability of a conflict of private interests does not fit well with Rawls’s ideal of fraternity as an integral part of a just social order. According to their conclusion, in order to resolve the internal contradiction in Rawls’s theory, it is necessary to abandon either the postulates of luck egalitarianism or difference principle. However, both of these options directly contradict Rawls’s intellectual constructs and undermine the basic foundations of his concept.

Materialismo dialético, luta de classes e insights filosóficos sobre a educação a partir de Slavoj Žižek

Materialismo dialético, luta de classes e insights filosóficos sobre a educação a partir de Slavoj Žižek Resumo: O artigo aborda a concepção de luta de classes no atual cenário histórico, político e social. O dogma das democracias ocidentais sugere que vivemos numa era pós-ideológica. Isso implica que não há mais espaço para a ideia de luta de classes. Contudo, segundo Žižek, é esse discurso que deve ser enquadrado no campo ideológico. Žižek retoma o conceito de materialismo dialético a fim de demonstrar a contradição interna ao campo ideológico de nossa sociedade dita pós-ideológica. Nesse momento, o conceito de luta de classes retorna à cena. A luta de classes não consiste num antagonismo entre dois polos num espaço comum, mas na fissura inerente ao próprio espaço. Para desenvolver o tema, cabe, antes, abordar o conceito de materialismo teológico de Walter Benjamin, que fundamenta, substancialmente, o conceito de materialismo dialético de Žižek. Importante, igualmente, retomar uma reflexão sobre o conceito de pulsão de morte em Freud, já que tal conceito exprime exatamente a fissura interna à realidade que condiciona a luta de classes. Convém, ademais, compreender como a ideia de educação pode ser pensada a partir da contradição que mobiliza a luta de classes.Palavras-chaves: Materialismo dialético. Luta de classes. Ideologia. Educação. Dialetic materialism, class struggle and philosophical insights on education from Slavoj Žižek Abstract: The article discusses the concept of class struggle in the current historical, political and social scenario. The dogma of Western democracies suggests that we live in a post-ideological era. This implies that there is no longer any room for the idea of ​​class struggle. However, according to Žižek, it is this discourse that must be framed in the ideological domain. Žižek takes up the concept of dialectical materialism in order to demonstrate the internal contradiction to the ideological field of our so-called post-ideological society. At this point, the concept of class struggle returns to the scene. The class struggle does not consist of an antagonism between two poles in a common space, but in the fissure inherent in the space itself. To develop the theme, it is first necessary to approach Walter Benjamin's concept of theological materialism, which substantially supports Žižek's concept of dialectical materialism. It is also important to resume a reflection on the concept of the death instinct in Freud, because this concept expresses exactly the internal fissure in reality which conditions the class struggle. In addition, it is important to understand how the idea of ​​education can be thought of from the contradiction that mobilizes the class struggle.Keywords: Dialectical materialism. Class struggle. Ideology. Education. Matérialisme dialetique, lutte de classe et insights philosophiques sur l'éducation de Slavoj Zižek Résumé: L'article aborde le concept de lutte des classes dans le scénario historique, politique et social actuel. Le dogme des démocraties Occidentales sugère que nous vivons à une époque post-idéologique. Cela implique qu'il n'y a plus de place pour l'idée de lutte de classe. Cependant, selon Žižek, c'est ce discours qui doit être cadré dans le domaine idéologique. Žižek reprend le concept de matérialisme dialectique afin de démontrer la contradiction interne au champ idéologique de notre soi-disant société post-idéologique. À ce moment, le concept de lutte des classes revient sur la scène. La lutte des classes ne consiste pas en un antagonisme entre deux pôles dans un espace commun, mais dans la fissure inhérente à l'espace lui-même. Pour développer le thème, il est d'abord nécessaire d'approcher le concept de matérialisme théologique de Walter Benjamin, qui étaye substantiellement le concept de matérialisme dialectique de Žižek. Il est également important de reprendre une réflexion sur le concept d'instinct de mort chez Freud, car ce concept exprime exactement la fissure interne à la réalité qui conditionne la lutte des classes. En outre, il est important de comprendre comment l'idée de l'éducation peut être pensée à partir de la contradiction qui mobilise la lutte des classes.Mots-clés: Matérialisme dialectique. Lutte des classes. Idéologie. Éducation. Data de registro: 09/02/2020Data de aceite: 28/08/2020

The aporia of refugee rights in a time of crises: the role of brokers in accessing refugee protection in transit and at the border

Many refugees fleeing from persecution across borders, find navigating the refugee registration system extremely complicated. In many border spaces, destination or transit countries, the difficult registration processes and the lack of support services requires the intervention and support of many non-state actors. Over the past decades, neoliberal policies have increasingly relegated public responsibilities to the private sphere. In this vein, a range of organisations have been working with refugees to assist them access to their legal status. This paper seeks to critically examine on-the-ground practices of these individuals, international and local non-profit organisations—or brokers—in Malaysia and the United States of America. Using ethnographic fieldwork data from these two very disparate fieldsites—one a signatory of the Protocol to the Convention, the other a non-signatory country—we document shared difficulties, frustrations, opportunities and specific obstacles, strategies and tactics refugees and organisations deploy. Building on Hannah Arendt’s insights of an internal contradiction in the human rights framework, we point to a new aporia: Whilst there now exist international instruments to protect refugees, access to this framework and its protections is becoming ever more challenging. This means that those seeking asylum need the assistance and mediation of third-party organisations in order to access their rights. The struggle for recognition and protection thus is no longer about achieving universal rights, but rather on how vulnerable populations can access them.

Free and Regulated Competition: Two Forms of the Competitive Principle Implementation

Although interference in the competitive mechanism is a fact of economic reality, the controversy around free and regulated competition does not subside. In contrast to opposing these forms of competition to each other, the author views them as ensuring re-creation of competitive relations at qualitatively different stages of competition development. Based on the reproduction approach, the objective nature of these forms’ existence is revealed, and the reasons for transition from free to regulated competition are shown. Free competition is interpreted as a way of the competitors selection mechanism, acting without regard to position occupied by competitors in the market. Regulated competition is characterised by external interference, carried out by influencing the mechanism and results of the competitive process, in competitive selection. Considering free and regulated competition as a means of maintaining the competitive principle and restoring rivalry relationships, the author concludes that each form reflects the specifics of the implementation of this principle at different stages of the competitive system development. At the same time, the transition from free competition to its regulated form is interpreted as a way of resolving the internal contradiction within the competition, and at the same time as an evidence of its evolution. This interpretation is not only of theoretical significance related to justification of the need to regulate competition. It is a methodological key to determine areas and boundaries of intervention in the competitive process for competitive policy. The current stage of competition development is characterised by a high rate of change, ultimate and unpredictable, and requires a transition to new regulatory measures affecting the competitive principle itself. The study of this side of regulated competition seems to be the most promising. This article focuses on the subjective side of macrocompetition represented by institutions (antitrust laws) and actors (rivals and regulators). However, the evolution of competitive conditions and competitors also change the content of the competitive principle. This requires regulation of competition from within.

INTERNAL INCONSISTENCY OF THE CONCEPT OF «TOLERANCE» IN UNITED NATIONS DOCUMENTS: CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL ANALYSIS

В статье показана взаимосвязь понятия «tolerance» в документах ООН и положения Конституции РФ о приоритете общечеловеческих прав перед правами, обусловленными групповой принадлежностью людей. При этом в документах ООН на русском языке единый подход к переводу «tolerance» отсутствует, что препятствует толкованию Конституции РФ, а потому при анализе понятия «tolerance» нами использованы документы на английском языке. Однако и в них видна явная внутренняя противоречивость, что может указывать на признаки легковесности позиции ООН в отношении самой идеи «tolerance» и ее продвижения. Даются рекомендации по коррекции ситуации. The article shows the relationship between the concept of «tolerance» in UN documents and the provisions of the Russian Constitution on the priority of universal human rights over rights arising from the group affiliation of people. Notably, UN documents in Russian contain no unified approach to the translation of «tolerance», which impedes the interpretation of the Russian Constitution; therefore, UN documents in English were used to analyze the concept of «tolerance». However, a clear internal contradiction can be observed in these documents as well; this might indicate signs of unacceptable lightness of the UN position in relation to the idea of «tolerance» and its advancement. Recommendations are provided to remedy the situation.