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    20 January 2007, Volume 27 Issue 1
    Articles
    Sociological Paradigms for Studying Religion in China——Religion in Chinese Society to Ching Kun Yang
    Jin Yaoji;Fan Lizhu
    2007, 27(1):  1-1 . 
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    Abstract: This paper examines the sociological paradigms for studying religion in China on the basis of Ching Kun Yang’s innovative, outstanding research in this field. His book Religion in Chinese Society, as a modern classic modeling how to conduct sociological studies on religion in China, has been acknowledged for its high values in academic work and theory building. It is definitely a very important reference book to the sociologists who’d like to carry on this line of research. In contrast to Western institutionalized religion, Yang has put forward the concept of diverse religion, contending that diverse religious beliefs and rituals will have the opportunity to evolve into organized social systems, and at the same time, to function as part of the social organizational whole. In its diversified form, religion is playing multiple functions and exists as a form of organization in the Chinese secular social life. Yang was the first scholar who demonstrated from the broad perspective of sociology the existential form of religion in China, its rationality and historical traditions. His work has laid down a very important academic foundation for later scholars to carry out their research.

    New Institutionalism: A Review of Its Theories and Contributions to Organization Study

    Guo Yi;Xu Ying;Chen Xin
    2007, 27(1):  14-14 . 
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    At present, institution research is a hot topic in the academics of international social sciences. Its main research areas are related to politics, sociology, psychology, and management. Introduced into the field of institution research in the 1970s, organization has attracted extensive attention in the academia. This paper systematically examines the developmental course of institution research and reviews the new institutionalism and its contributions to organization studies.
    Financial Instruments, Credibility Differentiation and Social Injustice
    Wang Shuixiong
    2007, 27(1):  41-41 . 
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    Following the research on social differentiation and inequality initiated by Georg Simmel, this paper attempts to examine via financial instruments’ social properties the systematic changes in credibility differentiation, interpersonal exchange adjustment, and social injustice as a result of the general development of financial instruments. From the analysis of social exchange, the paper introduces the concept of “marks of promise” and utilizes “marks of group promise” to handle financial instruments’ social properties. Thinking of the transition from marks of promise to marks of group promise and the impact of money’s nonmetal aspect on people’s ability to make valid marks of promise (i.e., credibility) has led to the discovery of the selfsustaining and selfintensifying mechanisms for social credibility differentiation and social injustice. The author contends that the emergence of money as a basic mark of group promise has made the following very important: a social member’s position in the social structure, his/her ability to symbolize, and his/her knowledge of symbolization and its operations. Marks of different group promises are created by the supreme in the societal structure and get connected to money, thus recreating social injustice. From the angle of loans, the paper analyzes the mutual influences between credibility and social structure, and the problem of social differentiation henceforth.

    “Piaopiao” in the City: The Emergence and Change of Homosexual Identities in Local Chengdu
    Wei Wei
    2007, 27(1):  67-67 . 
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    Changes in the economy and society of contemporary China have contributed to the coming out of homosexual identities and formation of homosexual communities. Based on a field study in Chengdu and from a constructivist perspective, this paper examines three identities among homosexual men in the local contextthe emergence and change of “the wandering (piao piao),” “comrades (tongzhi),” and “gay.” Although these three identity terms are being used interchangeably by the male homosexuals in Chengdu, they imply different cultural references and political connotations. The author argues that the “piao piao” identity serves as a critical linkage between the traditional and modern homosexual identities, whereas the “tongzhi” identity facilitates the shift of homosexual expression from behavior to identity in contemporary China, thus helping the formation and development of homosexual communities.
    Ritualization of Daily Practices: A Study on Diary Keeping Among the Educated Youth
    Wu Yanhong;J. David Knottnerus
    2007, 27(1):  98-98 . 
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    This paper reports a case study on the diary keeping behavior by the Educated Youth in an effort to examine the ritualization of daily practices. Due to its daytoday nature and the individuality in expressing oneself, the social nature in such a ritualized daily practice is not readily apparent. Applying the structural ritualization theory, this study demonstrates the rich socialness and group conditions embedded in ritualized daily practices. The study also shows how society, group conditions, and individuals play the key roles in the formation of such ritualized daily practices. The public behavior exhibited at the societal level provides the main source for the development of these ritualized daily practices; whereas group conditions prepare for the group members to mimic, select, adjust, or even modify the public behavior. In contrast, the assessment of the social public behavior and group characteristics is accomplished by individuals.

    Intellectual Capital and Status Obtain——An Explorative Case Study of Upward Social Mobility for PrivateBusiness Owners' Children in a City, Zhejiang Province
    Gao Yuanhong
    2007, 27(1):  120-129 . 
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    This paper explores private business owners’ views of upward social mobility via a case study. The private business owners being interviewed identified themselves with the lowermiddle class according to their intellectual capital; they expected, and tried hard to ensure, their offspring to enter the system through education in order to move upward. However, when their children failed in the system and then had to follow their steps without other alternative options, no upward social mobility that they had desired was achieved. This paper is focused on analyzing the impact of intellectual capital on the private business owners’ selfstatus determination and their children’s efforts for upward social mobility. It is the influence originated from the system and culture that has been recognized by the private business owners as the only path to upward social mobility.

    Youth Unemployment and Life Transition
    Zeng Qun
    2007, 27(1):  141-141 . 
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    TUsing a grounded theory, this paper explores the impact of unemployment on Chinese young people’s life transition. It points out the limitations of Western theories when applied in China and argues that youth life transition in the Chinese context doesn’t mean a separation from the original family system. Instead, it means, within the original family system, to achieve financial independence, to win honor for the family, and to return kindness to the parents. The major impact of unemployment on the Chinese youth life transition is impeding the realization of the aforementioned life goals. This paper also briefly discusses some issues regarding indigenous studies in social sciences.

    The Determinants of the Expansion of the Coverage of the Basic Pension Program

    Zhang Guang;Yang Jingjing
    2007, 27(1):  164-164 . 
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    A priority objective of the social security reform in China is to expand the coverage of the basic pension program. Utilizing OLS models with provincial data from 1998 to 2003, we found that two macrolevel economic factors (i.e., degrees of economic development and market regulation of the economy) and two policy factors (i.e., basic security benefit level and fiscal support for security supplement) were the major determinants of the variation of the coverage rates among provinces. Based on these findings and the consideration of the continuous economic development as well as the intensification of market economy in China, we espouse a cautious but optimistic belief in the constant growth of our social security. We insist that, at present, “low payments with wide coverage” be a reasonable policy choice that must be adhered to as it fits the situation of our country. Local governments should increase financial support for social security, whenever financially affordable.

    Book Review

    Between Modern Sociology and Postmodern Theory——Rereading Mills’ “The Sociological Imagination”

    Zheng Congjin
    2007, 27(1):  180-180 . 
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    In his book “The Sociological Imagination,” Mills comprehensively criticizes the abstractness and stiffness in the theories and methodology of traditional sociology in America. In the process, he has advocated new theoretical and methodological paradigms that are characteristic of postmodernism. His transition to postmodernism is obvious in his views of human history and contemporary times, criticisms of grand theories, attitudes toward positivism, comprehension of discipline divisions, and value preferences. However, his criticisms of modern sociology are based on classic sociological theories without completely abandoning modernism, which separates his thought from pure postmodernism and thus posits his in between modernism and postmodernism. Therefore, it seems that, by rereading “The sociological Imagination,” we are able to logically connect postmodern theories with modern sociology, suggesting that there is no unsurpassable gap between the two.


    Academic Speech

    OR Academic Lecture by Michael Burawoy: Public Sociology

    Michael Burawoy
    2007, 27(1):  192-192 . 
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