An Analysis of the Current State of Civil Society Participation in Ensuring the National Security of Mongolia

In this article, the researchers tried to evaluate the contribution of civil society to Mongolian democracy and the problems faced by civil society. In addition, the article aimed to determine the unique national criteria of Mongolian democracy and the need to create an organization to monitor the process of democracy. The process of identifying important documents and ideals for the development of Mongolian civil society today is still in its early stages. It can be said that the approval of the democratic constitution and the first free and fair parliamentary elections as a country that has newly and restored democracy became another impetus for the creation of a new type of citizen organization. It is characterized by trying to study the changes that have occurred since this historical period at the intersection of political science and security studies. One of the most important issues today is to find out how many non-governmental and civil society organizations exist in Mongolia today, which are Western-oriented, focused on specific issues, have their own position and opinion, are specialized, and are capable of influencing government policy. On the other hand, in this article, we emphasize whether non-governmental and civil society organizations, which aim to hold the government accountable, and carry out influence and control activities, are fully developed.

Assessing Barriers to Mental Healthcare Interventions for Deaf People in Ghana

While mental health issues are increasingly gaining attention in Ghana, little is known about the situation among deaf people. This study assessed the mental health care needs of deaf people in Ghana. A descriptive design, consisting of interviews and focus group discussions, was used to collect data from 97 participants. Findings indicated that participants had limited knowledge on mental health issues. Mental health stigma, inaccessible mental health information and exclusion from mental health programmes were the major barriers hindering access to mental health care services. This study bridges the knowledge gap and provides evidence for the implementation of deaf-friendly services.

Establish Rational Ecological Man to Construct the Harmonious Society

Rational Ecological Man （REM） is the integration of government, enterprise and the public, which plays an important role in our society. This paper firstly clarifies the definition of REM and regards that REM differs essentially from Rational Economic Man. Subsequently, the.paper analyzes the signi＇ficance of establishing REM to construct the harmonious society. Finally, the paper provides some specific suggestions on how to establish REM.

Changes in Citizen Participation in Japanese Civil Society

Japan experienced the retrenchment of the welfare state. The purpose of this study was to deepen the understanding of the impact these policy changes had on citizens’ organized activities. It focused on the 2016 revision of Long-Term Care Insurance （LTCI） system, which urged citizens to organize activities to support the frail seniors in their communities. Researchers conducted interviews in the Tokyo from February-March 2016. The subjects were six local officers in charge of LTCI implementation and 10 community members who led the voluntary activities organized as a response to the 2016 systemic revision. This study found that those leading voluntary activities were primarily baby boomers, who were born between 1947 and 1949. They were actively involved in “new voluntary activity movements” in the 1980s, as interacting with a wide range of citizens. However, as they reached the age of 65 or older, they became more focused on developing a comfortable space and collaborating with those similar to them： those who were college graduates, middle- to upper-class, and held white-collar jobs. The disparity based on income level seemed to be emphasized also because the way the 2016 revision of LTCI system was designed.

Integrated Civil Society Organizations System

The integrated Civil Society Organizations(iCSO)System,developed by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs(DESA),facilitates interactions between civil society organizations and DESA.The system

BRICS POLITICAL PARTIES, THINK TANKS AND CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS TO CEMENT COOPERATION

The BRICS political parties,think tanks and civil society organizations Forum was held in Fuzhou,capital of southeast China’s Fujian Province,June 11-12,2017.The forum drew over 400 participants from BRICS and other developing countries.Heads of political parties,think tanks and civil society organiza-

Pool Civil Wisdom to Assist Social Development——Sidelights of Civil Society 20 China

Civil Society 20 China 2016(C20)was successfully convened in Qingdao on July 5th and 6th.Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message of congratulations to the Conference.State Councilor Yang Jiechi attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech.Sun Jiazheng,Vice-Chairman of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and President of China

Development of China’s Media Industry & Building of Civil Society

Historical changes have taken place in China under the reform-and-opening-up policy over the past three decades. Changes in China＇s social and economic structures, cultural scenes and social operations are revolutionary. The Chinese people, who account for one fifth of the human race, are working hard to bring about a national reiuvanation.

Civil Society to Be More Active in Human Rights Affairs

Nobody can become an expert on the United Nations in one week. But a week-long training workshop on international human fights treaties in Geneva, Switzerland may herald more active participation of China＇s civil society in the country＇s commitment to these principles.

Sustainable Development, Partnership for the Future

The issue of development as an urgent question is facing future challenges and is recognized along side with the efforts made to promote qualitative changes, aiming at the adaptation, activation, organization, and optimum use of efforts, capacities, and available potentials. So much is said about development, its characteristics, and related considerations. However, main features remain to show in this contest. These include objective participation of society, the endeavor towards adapting the features of advanced societies, together with observing social, economical and environmental specifications, and the changes which aim to fulfill essential needs, together with observing issues emanating from social changes.

Human Rights Organizations in Transition Countries

The paper examines the challenges faced by the human rights organizations in the Arab region. It will focus on those challenges resulting from the radical changes that happened since 2011. It will also look into the prospective role of the human rights organizations in the future phases of the political transition.

Trust and Structural Response to Natural Disaster： Some Implications to Government Reform

The Philippine government is a representative democracy. It has three co-equal branches of government namely the executive, legislative, and judicial, operating on the principle of check and balance. Issues that had riddled top officials of government remained unresolved hitherto; and, the local government units had their own lingering issues. The government structure therefore did not seem to have the mechanism to correct itself. This paper argues that responses to, as well as the ensuing conditions of the survivors of natural disasters, are affected by how much trust the incumbents of relevant government structures have of each other and that actors outside of the government hierarchy can offer avenues for reform. Tropical Storm Washi that hit Cagayan de Oro City could be a case in point. It left thousands of people dead or missing, millions of dollars in damages, and thousands of internally displaced persons （IDPs）. The local government, tasked by the local government code to handle matters related to social welfare, did not seem to have performed as expected. In an apparent lack of trust, donor agencies preferred to course cash and relief items through conduits others than the local government. While the system remained unable to correct itself, the victims of the disaster continued to suffer. Civil society organizations and non-government organizations were trying to re-establish people’s trust in the system through legal measures, and hope that electoral reforms could be instituted.

Participation in the Higher Education Chamber [CESJ of the National Education Council （：CNE） During the Administration of Fernando Henrique Cardoso

After the creation of the Law 9.394/96, which established the bases of Brazilian education, it is noted that government policies initiated at Fernando Henrique Cardoso （FHC） government reinforced the education decentralization process, combining higher education reform with state reform ruled by neoliberal policies. The literature about Higher Education contemporary problems points to three central themes： access to higher education, academic organization, and public universities privatization. Therefore, it is important to analyze the public space of relationship between state and civil society constituted for making decisions in this area because its deliberations directly affect public policy development. This paper aims to examine the capacity of Higher Education Chamber （CES） of the National Education Council （CNE） to consolidate civil society participation in decision-making issues concerning Higher Education in the period that includes 1997-2002, The CNE was selected because it is the highest forum for participation： it discusses the problems involved in national education, especially in higher education, whose decisions are taken by CES. The period 1997-2002 was defined because it is the period of President FHC government, after the creation of Law 9.394/96. The official documents and Council documents analysis showed that this public space consolidates the participation because there is an educational process of recognition of civil society issues, although there are restrictions imposed by the government.

Chinese Residents’Philosophy and Religion in Contemporary China and North America

The cultural dimension of sustainability as the fourth pillar of the overall sustainable development framework encompasses both tangible and intangible cultures.In this study,tangible culture refers to the home environments of Chinese residents in China and North America,while intangible culture refers to their faiths and belief systems,in other words,their philosophy and religion,reflected(or not)in their home environments.The paper argues that Chinese philosophy and religion have historically contributed to Chinese people’s environmental ethics and their health and happiness.Set within this context,the paper presents the author’s two empirical research findings on Chinese residents’philosophy and religion in contemporary China and North America.Quantitative and qualitative data were collected by asking Chinese residents the same research question in the 2007-2008 onsite survey and follow-up interviews in Beijing and Suzhou of China,and the 2013 online survey and follow-up interviews in the US and Canada.The findings show a significantly higher percentage of ethnic Chinese in North America holds traditional Chinese faiths than those in China,though Western cultural infiltration is also happening to them.Nevertheless,due to the limited number of participants,the findings may only be indicative.

Constructing a ＂Common Field＂ Across the Taiwan Strait via Environmentalism？ Case Studies of Cross-Strait Environment NGO Exchanges

This paper examines cases of exchange among environmental non-governmental organizations （ENGOs） between Taiwan and China. Based on interviews with three Taiwan Residents ENGOs and five Chinese ENGOs, this article has come up with the following preliminary observations. First, Chinese ENGOs have already built widespread connections with international community and developed good partner relationship within international groups. The exchange between the ENGOs across the Taiwan Strait is part of such a global network. Second, unlike other external or international actors, the Taiwan Residents ENGOs rarely provide direct financial support to the Chinese counterparts. Instead, the most important impact the Taiwan Residents ENGOs have brought to their Chinese counterparts are their accounts of ideas and their experiences of practices. Third, due to similar language and cultural backgrounds, Taiwan Residents ENGOs have a more important role in influencing their Chinese counterparts in comparison with other international connection. These direct contacts have contributed to form a ＂common identity＂ of environmentalism among the ENGOs across the strait, which actually is also part of a ＂global identity of environmentalism＂. Exchanges across the Taiwan Strait among ENGOs have provided a case in which cross-strait relations can be constructed and construed beyond nationalistic or economic context. ENGOs of Taiwan and China are developing a ＂common identity＂ as partners in a global community via ＂environmentalism＂.

Design of an Interactive Geo-Location Mobile Application for Civil Societies in East Africa

This paper reports the developed mobile application through the use of advanced technologies such as mobile computing, cloud computing and Global Positioning System (GPS) in order to solve the challenges. The purpose of this study is to find out how the recent advances and mass adoption of ICT by the public can best be leveraged to enhance the performance of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in East Africa. The data collection techniques used are through questionnaires, observations and conducting interviews with different stakeholders in the civil society arena i.e., the donors, the CSOs and the people in society that are given a voice by civil societies. In the system development phase, agile development methodology was used. Analysis of the data collected showed that there is a gap in the availability of a single or a centralized platform which can be easily accessed, user-friendly and reliable where different actors can readily get reliable and up-to-date information about the available CSOs they are interested in. To address this problem, an interactive online directory of CSOs has been developed. The platform is mobile based and enables CSOs to register and fill up their current details, thus ensuring that there is always correct and updated information. The platform is equipped with, among other features, a geo-mapping facility which enables users of the system to correctly geo-locate their civil societies of interest on a map view. The results of system evaluation showed that 88.125% of users were satisfied with the system basing on the evaluation criteria.

Community governance:the micro basis of civil society

This article attempts to use an analytical perspective to reveal to some extent the micro basis of the civil society in China＇s urban grass-roots communities, as well as its subtle connection with ＂community-based co-governance＂ and community ＂governance structure.＂ At the same time, it reminds readers that, when exploring this subtle connection, one must focus on power relations and coordination mechanisms in a concrete space of action.

Commercial Civil Society:A Perspective on Private Higher Education in China

Two distinctive paradigms have been used in researching higher education phenomena in China’s process of social transformation.The first might be described as“critical realist,”and the second as“interpretivist.”The book Portraits of 21st Century Chinese Universities:In the Move to Mass Higher Education,has inclined toward the second paradigm and a central concept is that of“civil society.”However,the authors of this article argue that the concept of“commercial civil society”may better explain the characteristics of Chinese private higher education.Different from civil society that is based on voluntary action and contributions,commercial civil society is characterized by profit making behavior.This article focuses on analyzing the profit making features of Chinese private higher education,and thus aims to supplement the interpretivist analysis presented in the book.The authors believe that the concept of“commercial civil society”not only reflects certain features of the social environment in which Chinese private higher education operates,but may also be helpful for analyzing private higher education phenomena in other countries.

Three Decades of Social Transformation in Russia:From a Totalist Society to a Civil Society

To review and evaluate the transformation of Russia at the historical juncture of the 30th anniversary of the Soviet collapse is an essential task.Compared with political and economic transformation,social transformation is more complex,slower,and more uncertain.This paper seeks to examine Russia’s social transformation from a totalitarian to a civil society from the perspective of the state-society relationship.Viewed from Western theories of civil society,the social transformation of Russia has not been a success:citizens have a low level of self-organization,civil rights are not genuinely guaranteed,and state power constantly intervenes in civil society.However,this transformation has achieved the goal of social solidarity.We need to reflect upon the concept of social transformation and gain an understanding of the structure of and changes in Russian society by taking into account its cultural logic and historical context.

The Strange Fate of Marxist Civil Society Discourse in Japan and China

Since the fall of the Soviet bloc and the various transformations in China since the late 1980s and early 1990s, scholars in both China and other regions have begun to use the term ＂civil society＂ to denote a realm of political practice separate from the state. Even today, the Chinese philosophy professor Han Lixin uses the term to denote future possibilities for China. However, unlike earlier works on civil society that attempt to guide China through Western liberal theory, Han explicitly draws on the Japanese ＂civil society Marxists,＂ such as Hirata Kiyoaki and Mochizuki Seiji. This essay in some ways mimics Han＇s attempt to bring together Japanese Marxist theory and contemporary Chinese reality, but claims that reexamining theories of civil society in Japan should lead us to emphasize the logic of capital in understanding Chinese society and envisioning a future for socialism. The essay introduces the complex theorization of civil society by an often overlooked Marxist, Kakehashi Akihide. Kakehashi explicitly grasps civil society in relation to more fundamental categories in Marx＇s work, such as the commodity form. In this way, he points the way to a deeper understanding of the dynamic of capitalism and by extension the history of particular regions of the world, such as China. However, in the 1960s and early 1970s when the ＂civil society Marxists＂ Hirata Kiyoaki and Mochizuki Seiji popularized their reading of Marx, they focused on civil society as a moment of liberation without stressing the totalizing dynamic of capitalism. The essay discusses Han＇s use of Hirata and Mochizuki, before returning to the problem of how thinking of capitalism as a totalizing dynamic could further illuminate issues of post-1949 and contemporary China. In short, I argue that civil society is always already imbricated in a more fundamental logic of producing surplus value, which serves to undermine the freedom that civil society is supposed to realize. Hence a true theory of human emancipation must focus on the totalizing logic of capitalism and how to overcome it.