-
Sort Memos by geography
Archives
Tags
anthropology ASEAN Asian Studies Asia Pacific War Business Chinese Communist Party corruption democracy development earthquake economics education education policy election environmentalism G20 Geography history human rights immigration immigration policy international organizations international relations Islam labour law literature media migrants migration military mining natural resources political science protests public intellectuals red shirts religion rivers security sociology Thailand conflict trade water Xinhai Revolution
Tag Archives: sociology
Change in Democratic Mongolia (Video Interview with Dr. Julian Dierkes)
Memo #181 – In this interview, Dr. Julian Dierkes introduces the edited volume “Change in Democratic Mongolia: Social Relations, Health, Mobile Pastoralism, and Mining.” By tracing rapid change in Mongolia in four broad fields of contemporary social relations, the chapters in this volume will elucidate the state of contemporary Mongolia and help us understand Mongolia ten or 20 years from now. Continue reading
Posted in Mongolia
Tagged Behind the Book, democracy, health, mining, pastoralism, social relations, sociology
Comments Off
Women Part of a Major Turnover in Mongolian Parliament
Memo #168 – Mongolians voted in a parliamentary election on June 28, 2012 according to a new electoral system that mixed majoritarian and proportional representation. It also included a new quota requirement for women candidates. Continue reading
Mongolian Election: Bumpy Road, but Heading in the Right Direction
Memo #161 – Elections are milestones in democratic development. With the closing of nominations on June 6, 2012, the campaign for the Mongolian parliamentary election officially opens. Observers seem pessimistic about Asia’s only post-socialist democracy. But the upcoming election promises to be more carefully organized and transparent, and public discussions of corruption will strengthen democracy. Continue reading
Posted in Mongolia
Tagged corruption, democracy, economic development, election, political development, sociology
Comments Off
Protests in China: Oppositional, or a Reflection of Faith in the System?
Memo #150 – Protests in China are often assumed to be ultimately aimed at regime change. But while protests reflect grievances, they also demonstrate faith that the state will respond to protesters’ demands. Continue reading
National Testing in Japan and Australia: To Publish or Not to Publish Scores?
Memo #149 – On this April 17, 2012, in Japan, around 30 per cent of years 6 and 9 students have undergone national standardized testing. But Japan isn’t the only country to introduce tests as part of policy efforts to improve student performance. In fact, all advanced countries use tests to assess potential workforce knowledge and skills with an eye towards raising national productivity and surviving global competition. But the exact nature of testing regimes differs per country. For example, Japan and Australia use different mechanisms to direct individual schools towards national goals. Continue reading
同化と差異化が同時進行する世界の教育政策: 学力テストの日豪比較から
Memo #149 – 今日、全国の小学校と中学校の約３０％を対象に全国学力・学習状況調査（以下「学テ」）が実施された。もちろん、こうした全国的な学力テストを導入して学力の向上を図る教育政策は、日本に限ったことではない。グローバル化した「知識経済」において、国の経済的生産性を高め国際的な競争に生き残るには、労働者の知識・技能レベルの底上げが不可欠であり、そのためには全国学力テストを通じて教育の質を向上する必要がある、というのが先進国に共通する政策的見立てである。 Continue reading
Japan’s Failure to Enfranchise its Permanent Resident Foreigners
Memo #145 – Over 500,000 Koreans, many who were born and raised in Japan, have become disheartened since Japan’s historic change of government in 2009. In March 2010, the Japanese government failed to submit the long-awaited bill to give voting rights to permanent resident foreigners. Enfranchisement is a major political issue in Japan and the political rights of permanent resident foreigners are ignored. Continue reading
Posted in Japan
Tagged Democratic Party of Japan, enfranchisement, Liberal Democratic Party, migration, sociology, voting
Comments Off
South Korea’s Immigrant Incorporation Strategy
Memo #127 – In July 2002, the mayor of Seoul conferred honourary residency status on Guus Hiddink, a Dutch soccer manager who advanced the Korean soccer team to the World Cup quarter finals. In contrast, in October 2009 the government deported Minu, a migrant worker and activist from Nepal, who had lived in Korea for 18 years and had been active in organizing migrant workers. These two vignettes demonstrate how the Korean government treats immigrants differentially. Continue reading
한국정부의 이민자 정책
Memo #127 – 2002년 월드컵의 열기가 채가시기 전인 2002년 7월에, 서울시는 당시 대한민국 축구 국가대표팀 감독이었던 거스 히딩크 감독에게 명예 서울 시민증을 수여했다 반면 2009년 10월 한국에 18년 동안 있으면서 이주노동자 운동에 앞장섰던 네팔인 미누씨를 강제추방했다. 이 두 사건은 한국 정부의 차별적 이주자 정책을 단적으로 보여 준다. Continue reading
Why No Anti-Mining Party in Mongolia? Why No Pro-Mining Movement?
Memo #106 – Next week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is scheduled to address the Mongolian parliament. Her visit will come during a tumultuous period as Mongolian politicians prepare for parliamentary elections in summer 2012. Recently, 20 MPs petitioned the government to revisit the 2009 Investment Agreement signed with Ivanhoe Mines and Rio Tinto for the giant Oyu Tolgoi (OT) gold and copper project. The petition sent shares and Mongolia’s credibility as a natural resource investment destination momentarily tumbling. No enduring anti-mining coalition is behind this petition, nor has a pro-mining, single-issue party emerged. Continue reading
Posted in Mongolia
Tagged development, mining, natural resources, political parties, sociology
Comments Off