Voluntary sports clubs as ‘schools of democracy’? Critique of German sports science

ABSTRACT

In Western societies, modern sports have always been subjected to diverse expectations of social benefits. One especially bold and frequently repeated claim is that voluntary sports clubs serve as ‘schools of democracy’. Based on a pragmatist framework of critique, the present study provides the first comprehensive map of evidence on this subject from German sports science, revealing limitations in the content, research methodologies, and democratic theories of past studies. Based on the shortcomings identified in the established concept of democracy underlying past research, an alternative theory is proposed, rooted in John Dewey's pragmatist philosophy of democracy. The final outcome is essentially alternative ‘schools of democracy’, basically prepared to be tested in further empirical studies.     

纪律处分期间供述罪行的自首定性

对于纪律处分期间(“两规”和“两指”)供述罪行的行为是否构成自首,理论和实践中存在较大的分歧。对于纪律处分期间如实供述罪行的行为应当认定为自首,因为它符合自首的构成要件和符合自首的立法精神,对于降低司法资源成本和教育改造罪犯也有重要的意义。     

Communication and Voluntary Downward Career Changes

Downward career changes are challenging in societies which place a premium on the accumulation of material wealth and discourage risk-taking, such as Singapore. To better understand how individuals manage their identities during such changes, 30 individuals who had completed a voluntary downward career change were interviewed. Results suggest three phases of communication during this process: (1) Decision making, in which individuals communicate to gather information about the change and seek support for it; (2) Announcement, in which they strategically time, frame, and deliver the message to maximize acceptance of the change; and (3) New career, in which they reframe, refocus, and recalibrate to increase their social identity. The findings suggest strategies individuals may use to effectively manage their social identities as they change careers and suggest strategies organizations may use for recruiting individuals into socially less-prestigious occupations.     

Acceptance of public cloud storage services in South Korea: A multi-group analysis

As cloud computing has spread from the enterprise sector to individuals, there has been a growing need for research on the adoption of cloud computing at the individual level. However, relatively little research has investigated the differences and similarities between users and nonusers regarding the individual-level technology acceptance. To fill this gap, this study explored the differences and similarities between users and nonusers in the context of public cloud storage services of South Korea. Data (users = 210; nonusers = 187) were analyzed using structural equation modeling. For social influence, there was a significant difference between users and nonusers. For users, social influence was not a determinant for positive intention to use PCSS, whereas it was a determinant for nonusers. For other factors, there were no significant differences between the two groups, but each showed meaningful similarities: habit was the strongest predictor of the intention to use for both users and nonusers, whereas hedonic motivation was not an important concern for both; performance expectancy was a determinant for positive intention to use PCSS for both groups. Effort expectancy was a determinant for positive intention to use PCSS for users, whereas it was not a determinant for nonusers. These results can provide academic researchers and businesses with insights into individual-level adoption of cloud computing.     

Toward a Communication Model for the Socialization of Voluntary Members

Because most socialization/assimilation research focuses on employment as the primary membership role in groups and organizations, the accompanying models have failed to consider the unique characteristics of voluntary membership. In addition, those models have been criticized for being too linear and based on concepts of organizations as containers. Using principles of the bona fide group perspective and a case study, this paper develops a model that emphasizes the unique characteristics of the socialization of voluntary members. The multilevel model also examines how membership in various other groups, such as work and family, influence and interact with individuals’ voluntary memberships. With a focus on communication, the model emphasizes the fluid process of voluntary associations in organizations with ambiguous boundaries.     

贫困地区乡村图书馆服务提供机制研究

乡村图书馆的服务机制可分为政府权威机制、市场化机制、志愿机制和混合型机制4种。从理论角度来看,志愿机制和混合型机制更适合乡村图书馆,而且志愿机制方兴未艾;从实际情况来看,政府权威机制占据了主导地位。因此,我们应动态理解和构建贫困地区乡村图书馆服务的提供机制,如构建以混合机制为主、志愿机制为辅的多中心、多层次协同合作的长效供给机制。     

Effects of different policy approaches on sport facility utilisation strategies

The consequences of subsidising sport facilities have so far not been a focus of sport facilities research. In this article, we propose a conceptual framework for assessing the effects that different public subsidies have on the utilisation of private non-profit sport facilities. Based on theories drawn from the public administration literature three different subsidy schemes are introduced: New Public Management, Governance and Budget. How they will influence the utilisation of a sport facility is assessed using insights from institutional and motivational theory from political science along with the role the voluntary sport organisations play in sport facilities. The resulting conceptual framework consists of twelve different strategies. It is argued that it is likely that a sport facility will choose one or more of these, and which strategies it chooses will impact the level of utilisation. The aim of the article is to show plausible conjectures for future empirical research into how to increase sport facility utilisation via different policies and thus inform future research into the complex interplay between the public sector, sport facilities and voluntary sport organisations.     

公共图书馆志愿服务项目化管理比较研究

近年来,公共图书馆志愿服务得到了快速发展,并逐渐形成项目化、社会化、制度化的发展趋势,积累了一定的实践经验,然而,从全国范围来看,各省志愿服务整体发展不均衡。本文从中美公共图书馆志愿服务入手,参考项目管理的知识体系理论,对两国公共图书馆志愿服务进行比较,分析异同,在总结经验与不足的基础上,提出促进我国公共图书馆志愿服务发展的有益建议。     

Rewards of reading: Toward the development of possible selves and identities

Children's voluntary reading positively correlates with school grades, vocabulary growth, reading comprehension, verbal fluency, general information, and attitudes towards reading. Drawing on qualitative interviews collected alongside six waves of longitudinal survey data in an urban setting in eastern USA, We argue that voluntary reading by adolescents also provides learning opportunities that scaffold identity formation, afford ‘spaces’ where youth rehearse and relationally enact gender roles, ethnic/racial identification, and fashion educational aspirations. The interviews with African American and European American youth were conducted in five visits and spanned 3 years through senior high school and 1 year post-high school. Methods of inductive and narrative analysis identified patterns of benefits and potential drawbacks of voluntary reading. Amount of voluntary reading was affected by school, family, and social and work commitment pressures, and fulfilled a number of broad roles. What and how youth were reading was as important as the amount. Significantly, reading allowed adolescents to explore possible selves—an interest in historical figures helped one African American male to develop values resisting stereotypes of male or African American, just as an African American female came to resist conforming to gender and racial stereotypes in dress and occupational ambitions. Relationships between voluntary reading habits, family context and educational aspirations were identifiable for a number of the interviewees.     

青年志愿行动与城市社区建设关系研究

青年志愿服务行动以“奉献、友爱、互助、进步”为宗旨,在全国范围内蓬勃开展,城市社区成为青年志愿服务行动的主要阵地。本文阐述了青年志愿服务行动兴起的背景,及其与城市社区建设之问的良性互动关系,同时分析了进一步深化青年志愿事业存在的障碍,并提出了相应的对策。