The struggle of a Kantian power in a Lockean world – German leadership in security and defence policy

ABSTRACT

German security and defence policy has undergone substantial transformation. This transformation requires an unprecedented level of political leadership, suggesting that Germany needs to solve the dilemma of how to supply leadership to increasingly demanding partners. What are the conditions under which German leadership can unfold in security and defence policy? To what degree do German role-conceptions of international agency and role-expectations of German leadership coincide? What kind of leadership outputs are produced? This study offers a comprehensive analysis of German security and defence policy in terms of supply (role conceptions) and demand (role expectations). We outline three leadership role conceptions present in the German strategic debate, which we then assess in the context of the Wendtian theory of cultures of anarchy. We then analyse Berlin's leadership in terms of outputs via the case study on Anchor Army and the Framework Nations Concept. We conclude that while Germany has tried to match leadership role expectations both rhetorically and in action, Berlin's leadership inputs have so far been insufficient. This has led to an imbalance in terms of role conceptions and expectations hampering effective German leadership in security and defence policy.     

The Bullet in the Brick: The Materiality of Conflict in Museum Objects

Tangible traces of conflict in visual artefacts can take viewers uncomfortably close to the realities of war—violence, destruction and fatalities. This article questions the evidential force of objects associated with conflict and their eventual display in exhibitions. Through a study of the display of a brick in which is embedded a bullet that is said to have passed through the body of Francis Sheehy Skeffington when he was executed by firing squad during the Easter Rising in Dublin in 1916, this article explores the historical configuration of the brick and analyses its public display in the National Museum of Ireland (NMI). By examining the actions carried out by the NMI in collecting and archiving the object and analysing the narrative strategies of its display, this article considers how the visual aspects of exhibition displays can perpetuate a particular version of historic events and accredits objects with assumed authenticity.     

The Trump effect downunder: U.S. allies,Australian strategic culture,and the politics of path dependence

Donald Trump’s election precipitated a debate in Australia about the value of retaining close alliance ties with the United States. Similar dynamics are discernible in other U.S. allies as the negative impact of Trump administration policies becomes clearer. Yet despite this “Trump effect,” we argue Australia is unlikely to distance itself from the United States because at the core of Australia’s strategic culture is a very positive “cultural orientation” toward the United States that is highly institutionalized in treaties, formal bilateral ties, Track 2 diplomacy, and public opinion. Such institutionalized ties have powerful path dependent effects. Accordingly, we conclude that the Trump effect does not constitute a powerful enough “exogenous shock” to move Australia off its well-worn grand-strategic path. But this alliance relationship is marked by both high cultural affinity and high institutionalization: American policy-makers should seriously consider whether other U.S. allies can tolerate similar levels of “stress.”     

兵团文学是兵团先进文化的有力支撑

兵团文化是社会主义先进文化在新疆兵团屯垦戍边实践中的具体体现,兵团文学作为兵团文化系统中的子系统,其系统功能、特征受到兵团文化的影响和制约,伴随着兵团文化发生重大变革,在兵团文化中不断释放出绚丽的艺术魅力。兵团文学的健康发展有利于兵团文化先进性的快速提升。     

多维度把握中国特色社会主义的科学定位

所谓“中国特色社会主义”,主要强调中国社会主义发展道路的独特性,可以从四个角度对其内涵进行界定：经济文化落后的基本国情决定了其与科学社会主义的区别;一系列鲜明的时代特征体现了其与传统社会主义模式的迥异;社会主义现代化的道路又有别于资本主义现代化的发展道路;两种截然不同的政治道路则划清了其与民主社会主义的界限。     

和谐文化视野中的教育民主

凡是促进社会和谐、有利于建设社会主义和谐社会的文化,都可以统称为和谐文化。本文立足于和谐文化的视野,探讨了教育民主的本质和内涵、发展教育民主的意义、当前教育中存在的教育民主问题等几方面的内容,在此基础上提出了和谐文化视野下教育民主的蓝图。     

浅谈在营区规划中对营区文化的塑造

当前在军队工程建设中,对营区规划的主导思想已形成基本一致的认识,但多从物质技术层面去理解,就营区规划单位而言,尚没有广泛认识到营区文化也是规划中的重要内容以及在营区现代化建设中起着不可替代的作用。本文针对此情况重点论述了营区文化的主要内容和重要作用,并提倡通过对营区空间形态的创造来塑造有特色的营区文化,最终创造出一个充满凝聚力的,有利于长期发展的营区环境。     

Meanings of military ranks

This paper studies what kinds of meanings reserve officers ascribe to military ranks. The study builds on existing literature on reserve forces and hypothesizes that military ranks among reserve officers are subject to rendering the ranks with multiple meanings, and which are bound to create ambiguity of interpretation. To elaborate these theoretical insights a survey among Finnish reserve officers was conducted (N = 6193). The data was analyzed using factor analysis and correlation analysis. The results show that military ranks are ascribed, in addition to the functionalistic, hierarchical meaning, also with meanings of prestige, proficiency, and identity. The main theoretical contribution of the paper is in complementing the previous literature on ambiguity of military ranks by specifying four different meanings in the interpretation of the ranks.     

西点军校管理文化特点及启示

西点军校管理文化,是西点在200多年的发展过程中形成的行为方式、管理制度、价值标准和道德规范。西点军校管理文化的特点集中体现在：造就国家精英的目标文化、落后必遭淘汰的竞争文化、没有任何借口的执行文化、英雄就在身边的激励文化、决不容忍欺骗的诚信文化、团结就是力量的团队文化等方面。借鉴西点管理文化,我军院校应注重素质培养、造就一流人才,突出思想教育、提升职业品格,健全体制机制、强化管理效果,不断改善我军院校管理,真正担负起培养高素质军事人才的重任。     

中国传统节日在高校思想政治教育中的功能与应用

中国传统节日根植于中国古代农耕文化,凝结着中华民族的民族情感和民族精神,其具有的独特文化内涵是对高校大学生进行思想政治教育的宝贵资源与重要载体。本文在充分认识到中国传统节日的重要价值基础上,重点挖掘其思想政治教育功能,力求探索中国传统节日的价值在高校思想政治教育中的功能与应用。