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崑山與安期 : 謝靈運《登江中孤嶼》詩新解 : 兼及謝靈運與早期上清傳記《馬君傳》之關係
Get PDF在謝靈運的《登江中孤嶼》一詩中，最後的四句常被詬病爲不和諧的“玄言的尾巴”。由此提出的問題是，本詩的敘事寫景和説理抒情之間有什麽邏輯關係？另外，“崑山”和“安期”，從表面上看分别代表不同的神話（神仙）系統，那麽，“想像崑山姿”二句與“始信安期術”二句之間又有什麽樣的聯繫？
要解決上述問題，關鍵在於對“崑山”和“安期”的理解。這裏的崑山，指向的不是西王母，而是《馬君傳》中的太真夫人，安期也不是《史記》和《列仙傳》中的安期，而是《馬君傳》中的安期先生。謝靈運《山居賦》中有“安期先生是馬明生之師”的表述，這一情節當來自《馬君傳》。故本文試圖從該傳的知識背景出發，對此詩作一全新的解讀，並對謝靈運和《馬君傳》之間的關係作一考證。
The last four lines of Xie Lingyun’s poem “Deng jiang zhong guyu” (On Climbing Isolated Island in the River) has been criticized as a disharmonious xuanyan de weiba (tail to subtle words). This criticism raises the question as to what the logical connection between the descriptive narrative and the lyrical reasoning in the poem is. Besides, as Mount Kun and Scholar Anqi appear to belong to different mythological genealogies, what is the relationship between “imagining the beauty of the Kun Mount” and “believing in Master Anqi’s magic arts”? Understanding Kun Mount and Master Anqi correctly is the key to answering these questions. The “Mount Kun” here refers not to Xiwangmu (Queen Mother of the West) but to Taizhen furen (Lady of Grand Perfection) in Majun zhuan (Hagiology of Lord Ma), and the “Anqi” here not to the one in Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian) or Liexian zhuan (Legendary Biographies of Taoist Immortals of Antiquity) but is the Anqi xiansheng (Master Anqi) in Majun zhuan. Xie’s statement, “Master Anqi was Ma Mingsheng’s teacher,” in his “Shan ju fu” (Rhapsody of Dwelling in the Mountain) is also derived from Majun zhuan. This paper takes the background of Majun zhuan as its entry point, provides a new reading of Xie’s poem, and explores the relationship between the poet and Majun zhuan
“We are Parents” : changing constructions of fatherhood and fathering in Urban Zambia
Get PDFThere is ample evidence that the conceptualization of fatherhood and the involvement of fathers in families is changing in many societies. However, in sub-Saharan African countries, dedicated studies on fatherhood are still very limited and in Zambia, a review of literature showed that they are non-existent. To address this gap, this study used the framework of masculine compromise to explore the ways in which fatherhood is conceptualized, practiced, and negotiated in view of existing masculinity and fatherhood discourses. The study also examined how fathers dealt with existing discrepancies between their everyday fathering practices and cultural expectations. It also considered conditions that compel fathers to engage in the care of others. The study employed a qualitative approach. Data were collected through 35 in-depth interviews with fathers, 25 with mothers, and 5 couple interviews. Selection of participants was confined to Lusaka urban, which is the capital city of Zambia and consisted of fathers of children aged 12 years and below. Data were analysed thematically. Consistent with masculine compromise, findings revealed that fathers are embracing emotionality and the conceptualization of fatherhood is shifting away from a simplistic view centred only on the hegemonic notion of fathers as financial providers. It has become more intensive and expansive incorporating emotional expressiveness, physical caregiving, spending time, giving voice and respect to children as individuals. In many ways, fathers’ conceptions aligned with the child-centred discourse of intensive parenting and their ideal image of a ‘responsible’ child. Particularly, fathers showed lots of anxieties, worries and fears about the safety and (future) wellbeing of their children. Three types of fathers were identified based on their relative proximity to masculine power relations and practical engagement in childcare and housework. These included actively, moderately, and selectively involved fathers. Consistent with masculine compromise, fathers’ involvement in housework was based on pragmatic rationales and not principles of gender equality, which made it less intensive compared to other facets. Fathers’ engagement in traditionally feminine duties was subjected to social scrutiny and ridicule (being bewitched, under petticoat government, weak men). However, in health centres, they were given preferential treatment and priority. To deal with ridicule and legitimize their involvement, fathers harnessed proactive strategies ranging from interpreting parenting as gender-neutral based on children’s dire needs, temporally withdrawal and self-censorship, to the more subversive strategies of owning the narrative labels. Strategies allowed fathers to both deviate and comply with hegemonic masculine norms. Evidence was strong that changes in fatherhood and fathering were mainly rooted in intense anxieties emanating from declining collectivistic culture and rising individualism, fading traditional masculinity, spread of Pentecostalism and its prosperity gospel suited for the adoption of intensified parenting styles. Since fathers held on to breadwinning while vying for more involvement, the study concludes that the expansion of, and change in fatherhood and fathering is a result of masculine compromises and fathering transformations that fathers make on certain gender ideals in order to take care of children’s vulnerabilities and achieve successful fatherhood. Fathers want to be seen both as men and good parents
From Soviet periphery to Kazakh heartland : economic crises, ethnic politics, and the Great Russian emigration from Kazakhstan, 1970-2000
Get PDFAccording to the 1959 census Kazakhs made up only 30 percent of the total population in Kazakhstan, while the share of European peoples (Russians, Germans, Ukrainians, etc.) was about 65%. Kazakhstan was the only Soviet Republic in which Russians outnumbered a “titular nationality”. Starting in the late 1960-s, Russians and other Europeans began to decrease gradually firstly in relative numbers and then in absolute numbers. As a result the 1999 census showed that Kazakhs made up of 53.4 percent and became the ethnic majority in the country. The proposed research examines the role of outmigration in this demographic shift. It focuses on the different factors (the economic crisis, ethnic demography, the agency of the political elite, and social and national tensions at the local level etc.) effecting on the ethnic demographic change and causing the return migration from Kazakhstan in the late Soviet period and the first Post-Soviet decade (1970-2000).
Migration from Kazakhstan peaked in the 1990s. This period has very frequently been under special focus of many scholars who explore the return migration from Kazakhstan. At the same time, the roots of this huge wave of outmigration were in the late Soviet period. Migration between Soviet republics, had highly negative migration balance (more 1.5 mln. people) in Kazakhstan from late 1960-s to 1991. The negative migration exchange with other Soviet republics was caused by various factors. They include the changes in the priorities of the state migration policy, agricultural crises and poor living standards in rural areas, rapid growth of young working age population of indigenous nationality, difficulties in professional realization of Slavic young people, increasing Kazakh national consciousness, unsuccessful attempts of the Soviet government to solve existing economic, social and national problems
Examining the perceived meanings, motivations, benefits and mechanisms for Creating Shared Value (CSV) by Asian firms
Get PDFCreating Shared Value (CSV) is a fairly new concept that emerged in the last decade. CSV was originally conceptualized by Porter & Kramer (2011) as a “hybrid” business model that seeks to create economic value in tandem with social value creation and environmental sustainability. The notion of CSV gained traction with business practitioners worldwide and many Western/US companies now claim to have incorporated CSV within their business models. Notwithstanding the popularity of CSV among business practitioners around the world, CSV has been heavily criticized by some management and business scholars, who have expressed concerns about its novelty, theorization and lack of implementation and assessment guidelines. Therefore, this empirical study addresses the critical concerns of CSV commentators, and it extends the knowledge field of CSV by examining the following topics in the context of Asia based CSV-espousing multinational corporations (MNCs) and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). These are: CSV definitions and understandings; motivations for CSV adoption; processes of CSV implementation and value creation; associated CSV assessment mechanisms; and benefits of CSV.
A qualitative research approach has been adopted to accomplish the research objectives, and accordingly an interpretative approach has been embraced, which seeks to understand the CSV phenomenon from the perspective of the participants. Data for the current study were mainly collected by means of one-to-one semi-structured interviews, which were undertaken with 42 informants from eight firms, comprising five MNCs and three SMEs. These firms were headquartered either in Hong Kong, Pakistan, or Sri Lanka. In order to analyze the data, thematic analysis was carried out to identify patterns of meaning and to provide answers to the research questions.
The findings reveal that informants from the eight focal firms espouse clear distinctions between CSV and CSR, and characterize CSV as a more sustainable strategy than CSR. The interviewees’ accounts indicate that four firms (three SMEs and one MNC) are mainly driven by moral principles to undertake shared value initiatives, and four MNCs are primarily driven by the pressure of the government and benchmarking with other firms to engage in CSV activities. To implement and derive shared value, the five MNCs had repurposed internal resource slack, embraced a resource-abundant model of bricolage, and engaged in internal bricolage. By contrast, the three SMEs had embraced a resource-constrained model of bricolage, under which they had relied upon collective bricolage. Within all focal firms, there was strong evidence of a dynamic and mutually sustaining relationship between their organizational learning processes and CSV. To assess the benefits of their CSV activities, all the eight focal firms separately calculate the economic, social and environmental impact of their CSV, which is consistent with the adoption of a triple bottom line framework. Interviewee’s accounts indicated that the CSV projects of seven focal firms were generated economic value, social/environmental value and firm value. One SME was struggling to make a profit from its CSV project, nonetheless they have created social and economic value for stakeholders
Subject formation in Hong Kong’s “alternative communities”, 2010-2020
Get PDFThis research explores the history and development of the concept “community” in Hong Kong from the late colonial period to date, aiming to show the complex understanding of this ambiguous term. Responding to the (colonial) government’s invention of community as a means of control, there have been different types of bottom-up intervention that have sought to re-define the meaning of that concept. My research focuses on one of these attempts that emerged in the 2010s during the new social movements in Hong Kong. This attempt has been to create what I call “alternative communities”, in which members intentionally build communities with their own unique practices to demonstrate their shared values. I have picked three communities to study, two are rural and emphasises agriculture-related practices, while one is based in the urban area and runs different kinds of collective experiments including a vegetarian co-op restaurant.
This ethnographic research involves participant observation and in-depth interviews with community members. I illustrate the life trajectories of the community members and explore the continuities and discontinuities of their political actions before and after they joined the communities. The thesis focuses on the members’ life practices in the communities to analyse their understanding of the larger social and political context.
I argue that the subjects’ practices in the communities are conducted with an aim to transform the society, but not in the conventional way that involves opposition to the state or engagement in electoral politics. Through analysing the subject formation of the participants, what may be revealed is a fundamental set of reflections on a vision for a better society. Instead of asking the question “is community building a kind of resistance (抗爭, in Cantonese: kong jang)?”, what the research explores is the attempt to expand the vocabulary of activism to imagine different modes and aims of actions in the public domain
Ecology, socialism and the future of history
No full textModerator: Paulo NAKATANI (Federal University of Espírito Santo, Brazil)
Speaker (60-90 mins): John Bellamy FOSTER (Monthly Review, USA
The loss of biodiversity : an insect’s perspective
No full textModerator: Denise TANG (Lingnan University, Hong Kong, China)
Speaker (90 mins): LÜ Chensheng, Alex (Southwest University, China
Seeds of hope : people’s resilience, resistance, regeneration in times of public health and climate disasters
No full textModerators: LAU Kin Chi (Lingnan University, Hong Kong, China) Ana FELICIEN (Venezuela Institute for Scientific Research, Venezuela)
Speaker (60-90 mins): Vandana SHIVA (NAVDANYA, India
Europe : people’s resilience and resistance
No full textModerator: HUANG Ping (Chinese Institute of Hong Kong, China)
Speakers (30 mins each): Galip YALMAN (Middle East Technical University, Turkey) Dimitris KONSTANTAKOPOULOS (The Delphi Initiative, Greece) Remy HERRERA (University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, France) Sonja LOKAR (Women\u27s Lobby of Slovenia, Slovenia
Traditional medicine : decolonizing knowledge
No full textModerators: SIT Tsui (Southwest University, China) Rosy ZUNIGA (CEAAL, Mexico) Hernán José VARGAS PÉREZ (ALBA, Venezuela)
Speakers (30 mins each): Dialo DIOP (Cheikh Anta Diop University, Senegal) Lucia Helena RANGEL (The Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo, Brazil) Luna Lucía CONTRERAS (Casa Pakarii Doula School, Peru) Manneke BUDIMAN (University of Indonesia, Indonesia