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Spatial Justice In South Asia - A Zipf’s Curve Approach
No full textThis paper aims at demonstrating how regional governance plays a crucial role on urban concentration and spatial justice. The paper presents the “The Zipf’s Curve” estimates for the South Asian countries and maps for India and Pakistan the various city regions in relation to the estimated Curve. The analysis of the results indicate that the spatial distribution of rents of natural resources and from public transferences do have a role in the spatial distribution of wealth. Summing up, there are signs that governance influences spatial justice governance specifically by the spatial allocation of property rights over natural resources and by the spatial distribution of public spending
Mensch, Held, Gott: "Fluid identities" in hinduistischen Traditionen
No full textDie hinduistischen Traditionen bieten vielfältiges Quellenmaterial zur Frage der Verflechtung von Religiösem und Heroischem. Auch die wissenschaftliche Auseinandersetzung mit dem Konzept von Heldentum in der indischen Kultur hat eine lange Geschichte. In dem Artikel werden Quellen und Befunde aus verschiedenen Epochen der hinduistischen Kultur- und Religionsgeschichte von der Frühzeit (etwa 1200 v. Chr.) bis zur Gegenwart vorgestellt, die für einen interkulturellen Vergleich der Konzepte von Heldentum besonders geeignet scheinen. Die Beispiele veranschaulichen, dass die Sphären des Heroischen, Göttlichen und Menschlichen miteinander verwoben sind, dass Mensch und Gott sich nicht als in sich geschlossene, unwandelbare Entitäten/Individuen gegenüberstehen, sondern dass ihre Daseinsformen flexibel oder fluide gestaltet sind. Dies spiegelt sich auch in bestimmten rituellen beziehungsweise performativen Praktiken wider. Die Leitfragen sind: (1) Was macht den ‚Helden‘ aus? Gibt es bestimmte Eigenschaften oder biografische Gemeinsamkeiten, die diesem eigen sind, die ihn als solchen qualifizieren? Hier ergeben sich auffällige Parallelen zu anderen Kulturkreisen. (2) Worin genau besteht die Verflechtung von Heroischem und Religiösem, die man in hinduistischen Traditionen als gegeben voraussetzen kann? Wo ist der Held anzusiedeln auf der Skala zwischen Mensch und Gott? Es wird
deutlich werden, dass letztere Frage mit der Frage nach dem Konzept von Person beziehungsweise Persönlichkeit und menschlicher Identität einhergeht
In Solidarität mit Osttimor – 25. Jahrestag des Massaker vom Santa Cruz Friedhof
No full textAlljährlich wird am 12. November in Osttimor der Opfer des Massakers vom Santa Cruz Friedhof 1991 gedacht. Das Militär Indonesiens schoss damals ohne Vorwarnung in eine Kundgebung für die Unabhängigkeit, der eine Totengedenkfeier vorausgegangen war. Über 271 Menschen verloren ihr Leben. Das Morden ging im Militärhospital, wohin die Verwundeten gebracht wurden, weiter. Das Militär vertuschte seine grausamen Taten und verscharrten die Leichen oder warf sie ins Meer. Bis heute fehlt von 250 Menschen jede Spur. Die Demonstration war eine Aktion des zivilen Widerstandes, der vor allem von jungen Menschen getragen wurde. In Anerkennung ihres mutigen Einsatzes wurde der 12. November zum Tag der Jugend ausgerufen und ist heute im unabhängigen Timor-Leste ein offizieller Gedenk- und Feiertag
Wohin führen die Neuen Seidenstraßen? Chinas ›Belt and Road Initiative‹
No full text»China rief, und fast alle sind gekommen«, hieß es in Der Spiegel. Delegationen aus mehr als hundert Ländern versammelten sich Mitte Mai 2017 zum zweitägigen Belt and Road Forum on International Cooperation in Beijing – vier Jahre nach der ersten Ankündigung der Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) im September 2013, die auch als One Belt, One Road (OBOR) oder griffiger und mit historischer Reminiszenz als »neue Seidenstraßen-Initiative« bezeichnet wird. Damit demonstrierte die chinesische Regierung, wie weit das ambitionierte Vorhaben, Asien und Europa auf dem Land- und dem Seeweg enger zu verbinden, inzwischen gediehen ist. Die TeilnehmerInnenliste war hochrangig – mit Wladimir Putin, Präsident Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Rodrigo Duterte, dem Präsidenten der Philippinen, und zwei Dutzend weiteren Staats- und Regierungschefs nicht nur aus Asien und Europa, sondern auch aus Afrika und sogar aus Lateinamerika
2016 EU–China Twinning: Partnerships between European and Chinese NGOs Social and Environmental Justice and Climate Change
No full textIf one were to look for the 2016 civil society word of the year, it would have to be “shrinking spaces”. So often has this term been used in connection to the global threat to civic freedoms, the marginalization of politically “unsavory” fields of work, the growing lists of legal and regulatory restrictions and the strategy of putting civil society activists on par with foreign puppets, criminals and even terrorists, that many members of civil society organizations have tired of it already. The reality of more and more governments interfering with civic spaces, however, is a dangerous global trend. In China, the 2016 Charity Law went into effect and the National People’s Congress passed new legislation on the regulation of international NGOs. Both have already had a great impact on Chinese and European civil society organizations in China and Europe and at the same time a marginalization of certain topics. We can witness a move towards social enterprises rather than pure NPOs, the regulation is going hand in hand with rising distrust towards civil society organizations
Handbook of the Ryukyuan languages: History, structure and use (review article)
No full textThe article is a review of Heinrich, Patrick; Miyara, Shinsho & Shimoji, Michinori (eds.). 2015. Handbook of the Ryukyuan languages: History, structure and use. Berlin: De Gruyter-Mouton [Handbooks of Japanese language and linguistics 11]. lxvii +723 pp. (ISBN 978-1-61451-115-1)
The review starts with a description of the contents of the different chapters and sections of the book, and discusses its significance in light of the endangered status of the Ryukyuan languages.
The critical part of the review takes issue with the way in which the genetic relationship of Ryukyuan and Japanese is presented in the book, namely as sister languages. Although proto-Ryukyuan and Central Old Japanese were sister languages, not all modern Japanese dialects are descendants of Central Old Japanese. Since Ryukyuan shares a number of innovations in the tone system with the Kyushu branch of Japanese, the idea of Ryukyuan and Japanese as two equal branches in the Japonic language family tree should be rejected
The paradox of public benefit schemes in India
No full textEvery country in the world has created some sort of scheme for the benefit of underprivileged citizens; this is also the case in India. However, what can now be observed is that the simple creation of these schemes is not enough as the main problems lie in proper implementation. A peculiar situation exists in India wherein the supposed recipients of a governmentally-formed and constitutionally backed public beneficiary schemes are often not aware of the existence of such aids and are thus not able to make full use of these reliefs so as to improve their ragged conditions. This paper will try to demonstrate that only by educating the intended recipients of beneficiary schemes can we achieve an improvement in the delivery of public services as well as a significant advance in the conditions of underprivileged citizens
Peace-making in Afghanistan: Heart of Asia is in Question?
No full textFor the given of its geographical location and strategic significance in the geopolitical landscape of the Asia, Afghanistan has been popularly known as ‘Heart of Asia’. It is a landlocked with an area of 652,230 km², located at the crossroads of the North-South and East-West corridors in the Asia. It is a bridge between the South, Eastern, Western and Central Asia. Therefore, Afghanistan has been holding the pivotal position for connectivity and economic integration to these adjacent regions of the Asian continent. It has been very rich in mineral sources. The entire energy projects such as the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI), CASA-1000, Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TUTAP) electricity project (TUTAP), railway-Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan (TAT), and Chabahar-Afghanistan trade corridor, have made the Afghanistan as the ‘Heart of Asia’. However, all these energy, electricity projects, railway lines, and corridor depended upon peace and stability of Afghanistan. In this backdrop, the extra-regional powers have been concerned about the security situation in Afghanistan in general and the regional countries in particular. In the present context, Afghanistan has been falling in the ‘Arc of Turbulence’. For the given vested interests, peace, prosperity, stability and security of Afghanistan have been holding paramount importance for regional and extra regional countries
Education: South Asia’s foundation for the future
No full textThis policy brief analyses the current state of basic education in South Asia and the different areas that require attention to improve it. This study focuses in particular in three key areas: the impediments to school inscription and attendance; the teachers’ role for quality education; the ideology in education, in particular religion and nationalism. The policy brief argues that the quality of schools rather than attendance is the main issue to be addressed. For this, teachers are fundamental. Likewise, the content of what is being taught must also be revised in order to promote a tolerant and inclusive world vision
Law, labour disputes and trade union building in Myanmar
No full textOn June the 9th 2016, More than 12,000 workers from different Yangon factories were protesting in Hlaing Tharyar township against low wages, forced and unpaid overtime, and the firing of organized workers. They were also protesting against the employers’ ignorance against the decisions made by the Dispute Settlement Arbitration Council. With the introduction of the new labour law and the democratic opening in Myanmar since 2011, workers increasingly articulate inhumane working conditions and labour disputes are rising. Trade unions play a crucial role in helping workers formulating and articulating their complaints. Claiming rights is an important driver for democratic change in a political environment which was characterized by brutal repression of trade unions and labour rights under the military regime for over 50 years. This article discusses the link between trade union’s role in the interpretation, spread, and application of the labour law and the current model of worker organizing