变迁中的道德话语:特性、作用与未来——读欧爱玲教授《饮水思源》一书

Moral Discourse in Changing Society: Character,Effect and Future: Reading of Ellen Oxfeld's Drink Water,but Remember the Source

欧爱玲教授在《饮水思源》一书中,通过描绘一个村庄的道德话语变迁揭示其特征与作用。道德话语的内涵在于报答的责任和义务,其特性为建构性、变迁性、特殊性和多重性。道德话语既有对非道德行为的监督、调解纠纷以及回应现实困境的积极作用,也具有一定局限性。在快速变迁的社会情境下,道德话语面临严重危机。因此,可通过一种国家主导的,更大范围内的非直接互动的道德话语重构,来实现一种新形式的道德话语的延续,并为维护社会和谐稳定发挥作用。

In her book Drink Water,but Remember the Source： Moral Discourse in a Chinese Village,Professor Ellen Oxfeld revealed the character and effect of moral discourse by researching the changing process of a village＇s moral discourse. The connotation of moral discourse is the duty and obligation of repay,and its character is constructivism,change,particularity and multiplicity. Moral discourse has the positive role on supervising unmoral behavior,mediating dispute and responding practical dilemma,but also has some limitation. In the rapid changing social situation,moral discourse encounters severe crisis. Therefore,a wider range of state-oriented and indirectly interactive moral discourse should be reconstructed to realize the continuation of the new discourse for maintaining social harmony and stability.