Critical review of Integrated Water Resources Management: Moving beyond polarised discourse

Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) emerged as a popular concept in the water sector in the 20th century. From a highly techno-centric approach in the past, it has taken a new turn embracing Habermasian communicative rationality as a place-based nexus for multiple actors to consensually and communicatively integrate decisions in a hydrological unit. The 'how to integrate' approach had remarkable appeal worldwide in promoting authentic participation of all stakeholders. However, critics argue that the domain of water resource management is a political process of contestation and negotiation; the emphasis is on complexities, contextuality, power dynamics and the importance of analysing real world situations. They demonstrate 'how integration cannot be achieved' given the power dynamics in social interactions. These apparently contradictory discourses draw on different theoretical paradigms and polarise the discourse on IWRM, without offering constructive alternatives. To this end, this paper offers an option to complement this polarised discourse by examining 'how integration actually does take place' in a strategic context thereby facilitating consensual decisions to integrate water management for a sustainable future.     

Collective action and the traditional village

This article considers the dispute between moral economy and rational peasant theories of agrarian societies in application to problems of collective action. The moral-economy theory holds that traditional peasant society is organized cooperatively through shared moral values and communal institutions; while the rational-peasant theory maintains that peasant society shows the mark of rational individual calculation, leading to free-rider problems that undermine successful collective action. This article offers an abstract model of a traditional village and assesses the applicability of recent qualifications of the collective action argument to this model. It will emerge that the social characteristics of the traditional village embody features that facilitate collective action by rational peasants.     

关于职工情境意识的研究综述

对情境意识的定义、活动机制、测量方法及强化方法等进行了述评。分析了关于情境意识研究的问题及趋势。     

Not by nutrients alone: a call to broaden the soil fertility initiative

The article discusses agricultural practices in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in terms of maintaining soil fertility. It disagrees with alarmist tendencies in the current debate, exaggerating the state of soil impoverishment in the African region. Nor does it subscribe to the idea that the remedy lies primarily in a massive influx of chemical fertilisers, especially phosphorus.
Instead, the article advocates a more balanced approach, where soil nutrient replenishment, as an improvement in natural capital, is but one part of the investment African agriculture needs. To achieve sustainable rural livelihoods, other forms of capital are also required, such as physical capital, i.e. infrastructure (roads, means of communication); financial capital in the form of credit and savings schemes; and human- and social capital, especially improved access to information and knowledge for farmers as well as improved local organisation and empowerment.
The article reviews nine case studies, taken from different climate zones in the region and representing different soil conditions. All case studies were projects using the participatory learning and action research (PLAR) method, which is discussed in detail.     

地震作用下结构失稳诱发的塌陷和地裂缝机理分析

分析了地震诱发的地表塌陷和地裂缝机制。通过地裂缝微观机理分析研究发现:(1)地震造成了大量的地裂缝和塌陷,这些破坏的出现与地震发生时造成的瞬间应力变化和结构破坏密切相关;(2)利用结构突变失稳理论来研究岩土体内部结构是可行的。当应力状态满足孔隙结构失稳判别式时,结构元的变形状态将产生一个“跳跃”;(3)地震情况下岩土体颗粒之间有效接触力的增加,使得结构的变形能增大;同时导致颗粒间连接刚度的降低,导致结构的失稳,这些变化又是在瞬间发生和完成的,这就造成了在地震发生时总是伴随着大量的裂缝和塌陷的出现。     

基于上海案例的大都市旅游容量及承载力研究

都市旅游容量和承载力问题是事关都市旅游可持续发展、和谐旅游环境建设的重大战略性命题。上海都市旅游发展跨入了由数量扩张向质量提升的重要转型发展期。面临警旅游容量问题的严峻挑战。都市旅游容量管理与调控是一项社会系统工程。实施旅游容量管理与调控不是剥夺或限制公民进入都市旅游和体验的权利。而是根据这种区域的极限容量阀值。疏导进入大都市的旅游流。使之保持警一种合理的、持续的容量态势发展，维系整个区域发展的可持续性。为此。要创新都市旅游容量与承载力管理的制度安排。通过都市旅游产品转型与创新、基础设施技术升级和扩能、都市旅游布局空间战略调整、区域协调与联动、实施旅游可持续指标行动等举措，进一步释放都市旅游容量及承载力潜力，缓解都市中心城区容量压力。促进都市旅游可持续发展。     

店员在超市安全疏散中的作用研究

对某超市安全疏散演习资料进行分析,研究超市店员在火灾疏散中的行为对顾客的影响。通过观看疏散录像,分析疏散之后所作的问卷调查,采用SPSS统计分析软件分析不同位置店员在听到火灾警报后的反应。研究发现:店员的疏散前准备时间随他们所处的位置而不同,也因在不同岗位的店员所承担的责任不同。由于经过消防训练和对环境比较熟悉,店员的疏散速度明显快于顾客的疏散速度。在整个疏散过程中,大约80%的店员为顾客安全疏散提供帮助,对顾客及时撤离产生直接的有益影响。一些骨干型的店员在疏散中发挥了重要作用。对商店消防培训和疏散预案的制定提出建议。应根据店员岗位设置不同培训内容,并注重培训骨干消防员;对店员行为进行干预;制定性能化的疏散预案等。     

Immediate behavioural responses to earthquakes in Christchurch,New Zealand,and Hitachi,Japan

This study examines people's immediate responses to earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand, and Hitachi, Japan. Data collected from 257 respondents in Christchurch and 332 respondents in Hitachi revealed notable similarities between the two cities in people's emotional reactions, risk perceptions, and immediate protective actions during the events. Respondents' physical, household, and social contexts were quite similar, but Hitachi residents reported somewhat higher levels of emotional reaction and risk perception than did Christchurch residents. Contrary to the recommendations of emergency officials, the most frequent response of residents in both cities was to freeze. Christchurch residents were more likely than Hitachi residents to drop to the ground and take cover, whereas Hitachi residents were more likely than Christchurch residents to evacuate immediately the building in which they were situated. There were relatively small correlations between immediate behavioural responses and demographic characteristics, earthquake experience, and physical, social, or household context.     

Sources of organisational resiliency during the Thailand floods of 2011: a test of the bonding and bridging hypotheses

Based on the Institutional Collective Action framework, this research tests the impact of two competing hypotheses—bonding and bridging—on enhancing organisational resiliency. The bonding hypothesis posits that organisational resiliency can be achieved if an organisation works closely with others, whereas the bridging hypothesis argues that such a structure places considerable stress on an organisation and advocates for an organisation to position itself as a central actor to gain access to novel resources from a diverse set of entities to achieve resiliency. The paper analyses data gathered from semi‐structured interviews with 44 public, private, and non‐profit organisations serving communities affected by the Great Floods of 2011 in the Thai capital, Bangkok (urban), and in Pathum Thani (suburban) and Ayutthaya (rural) provinces. The findings suggest that: organisational resiliency was associated with the bridging effect; organisations in the rural province were more resilient than those in the suburban and urban centres; and private and non‐governmental organisations generally were more resilient than public sector organisations. The findings highlight the importance of fostering multi‐sector partnerships to enhance organisational resiliency for disaster response.     

The effectiveness of forecast-based humanitarian assistance in anticipation of extreme winters: a case study of vulnerable herders in Mongolia

This paper presents evidence relating to a forecast-based cash and non-food item distribution among vulnerable herder households during the 2017–18 dzud (extreme winter) season in Mongolia, and analyses the results of a quasi-experimental study evaluating its impacts. An innovative approach in disaster risk reduction, forecast-based financing (FbF) can have short- and long-term benefits to vulnerable households but remains understudied. The paper contributes information on a multimodal FbF programme offering one-off cash grants and in-kind veterinary kits. The data found significant effects of reduced mortality and increased offspring survival in some types of livestock, and that the timing of FbF assistance is crucial, as reported early assistance correlated to positive outcomes in terms of reduced animal mortality. These findings can be used to design more effective FbF interventions, to understand better the appropriateness of FbF designs, and to use early warnings and early actions to help people prepare and withstand disasters such as dzuds.