The contested role of foreign and domestic foundations in the PRC: policies, positions, paradigms, power

This research paper examines how foundations—foreign and domestic, public and private, operating and grant making engage with Chinese civil society organisations in an authoritarian political context. In contrast to previous literature, which considers civil society through the lens of state-society relations, the author contends that in the case of China, civil society-building has been a foundation-led process. Following a discussion of conceptual caveats in the nascent field of foundation research, the author traces how China’s evolving policy framework has influenced the development trajectories, legal statuses and modes of operation of both foreign and domestic foundations. The empirical part of the paper focuses on foundation positions, paradigms and power. Based on 12 in-depth interviews conducted in 2014 with foundation representatives and CSO leaders, this research reveals how foreign and domestic foundations position themselves vis-à vis the party-state, market and civil society; how they understand philanthropy; and how they deal with the power imbalance in the relationship between grant maker and grantee. Research findings show that foundations have different value propositions, visions and missions, as well as different theories of change, which determine their philanthropic approaches. Foreign and domestic foundation representatives primarily follow a paradigm of conventional charity, managerial philanthropy, or political philanthropy. Findings from this research raise a number of pertinent questions about the likely impacts of China’s controversial Overseas NGO Law on foreign and domestic foundations and their grantees

New strategies of civil society in China: a case study of the network governance approach

Since the turn of the millennium a second generation of Chinese civil society organisations (CSO) have started taking on issues such as rural migrant integration, social service provision, as well as community building. Organisations such as Beijing-based Shining Stone Community Action (SSCA) can be seen as the avant-garde of a second wave of humanistic, community-based CSO which are willing to help improve the strained state-society relationship in the People´s Republic of China (PR China). In order to advance their values and interests civil society practitioners are willing to engage with Chinese government officials. By gaining the trust of First-in-Command (FIC) cadres they manage to introduce ideas such as the principle of subsidiarity, solidarity and reciprocity. Civil society practitioners thereby initiate open-ended processes of communication, consultation and cooperation. Such processes help promote cross-sector collaboration between Chinese civil society organisations and local government agencies. These developments signify an incremental change from government control (guanzhi) to public management (guanli) and to network governance (zhili). As a framework for the case study the authors look at strategies for the establishment of cooperative relations, focusing on steering mechanisms and process factors. In order to further understand the dynamics of cross-sector collaboration they further explore the social capital dimensions of the principle of reciprocity and trust. To evaluate outcomes and impacts of cross-sector collaboration, the authors discuss the ability of collaboration partners to produce tangible results and to innovate. The findings show that successful experiments with cross-sector collaboration not only depend on structural factors but also on the skills and strategies of the individuals and organisations involved

Experimental demonstration of higher-order Laguerre-Gauss mode interferometry

The compatibility of higher-order Laguerre-Gauss (LG) modes with interferometric technologies commonly used in gravitational wave detectors is investigated. In this paper we present the first experimental results concerning the performance of the LG33 mode in optical resonators. We show that the Pound-Drever-Hall error signal for a LG33 mode in a linear optical resonator is identical to that of the more commonly used LG00 mode, and demonstrate the feedback control of the resonator with a LG33 mode. We succeeded to increase the mode purity of a LG33 mode generated using a spatial-light modulator from 51% to 99% upon transmission through a linear optical resonator. We further report the experimental verification that a triangular optical resonator does not transmit helical LG modes

Phase effects due to beam misalignment on diffraction gratings

All-reflective interferometer configurations have been proposed for the next generation of gravitational wave detectors, with diffractive elements replacing transmissive optics. However, an additional phase noise creates more stringent conditions for alignment stability. A framework for alignment stability with the use of diffractive elements was required using a Gaussian model. We successfully create such a framework involving modal decomposition to replicate small displacements of the beam (or grating) and show that the modal model does not contain the phase changes seen in an otherwise geometric planewave approach. The modal decomposition description is justified by verifying experimentally that the phase of a diffracted Gaussian beam is independent of the beam shape, achieved by comparing the phase change between a zero-order and first-order mode beam. To interpret our findings we employ a rigorous time-domain simulation to demonstrate that the phase changes resulting from a modal decomposition are correct, provided that the coordinate system which measures the phase is moved simultaneously with the effective beam displacement. This indeed corresponds to the phase change observed in the geometric planewave model. The change in the coordinate system does not instinctively occur within the analytical framework, and therefore requires either a manual change in the coordinate system or an addition of the geometric planewave phase factor.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Optics Expres

Ende der China-Illusion. Wie wir mit Pekings Machtanspruch umgehen müssen: Janka Oertel

This German-language popular science book entitled 'End of the China illusion. How we must deal with Beijing's power ambitions' comes at a pivotal time (please note that all following translations from German to English are my own). Written by Janka Oertel, Director of the Asia programme and a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, this book is certain to contribute to an increasingly lively public debate in Germany about how to best engage with autocracies. In the academic discourse John Lough's Germany's Russia Problem or Hamilton and Ohlberg's Hidden Hand: Exposing How the Chinese Communist Party is Reshaping the World have previously shed light on the various challenges emanating from Putin's Russia and Xi's China. In her book, Oertel aims to dispel common misconceptions about China, which she calls the 'China illusion'. Besides the Chinese Communist Party, Oertel believes western entrepreneurs, politicians, and experts also contributed to what she calls the 'myth of modern China'.  《終結對中國的幻覺：我們應如何面對強勢的北京》，這本德語科普書籍的問世正逢其時。此書由歐洲對外關係委員會亞洲項目主任兼高級政策研究員揚卡 ∙ 奧特爾（Janka Oertel）撰寫，必將引發德國社會廣泛討論如何與專制國家發展關係。在學術領域，約翰 ∙ 拉夫（John Lough）的《德國的俄羅斯問題》，以及漢密爾頓（Hamilton）和奧爾伯格（Ohlberg）合著的《隱蔽的手： 揭露中國共產黨如何重塑世界》已經對普京主導的俄羅斯和習近平時代的中國所帶來的挑戰進行了深入分析。西方對中國普遍存在的認知誤區，奧特爾在其著作中稱之為“中國幻覺”，並指出，構建這一“現代中國神話”的除了中國共產黨自身，還有西方商界、政界人士和學術界的專家。《終結對中國的幻覺：我們應如何面對強勢的北京》，這本德語科普書籍的問世正逢其時。此書由歐洲對外關係委員會亞洲項目主任兼高級政策研究員揚卡 ∙ 奧特爾（Janka Oertel）撰寫，必將引發德國社會廣泛討論如何與專制國家發展關係。在學術領域，約翰 ∙ 拉夫（John Lough）的《德國的俄羅斯問題》，以及漢密爾頓（Hamilton）和奧爾伯格（Ohlberg）合著的《隱蔽的手： 揭露中國共產黨如何重塑世界》已經對普京主導的俄羅斯和習近平時代的中國所帶來的挑戰進行了深入分析。西方對中國普遍存在的認知誤區，奧特爾在其著作中稱之為“中國幻覺”，並指出，構建這一“現代中國神話”的除了中國共產黨自身，還有西方商界、政界人士和學術界的專家

Higher order Laguerre-Gauss mode degeneracy in realistic, high finesse cavities

Higher order Laguerre-Gauss (LG) beams have been proposed for use in future gravitational wave detectors, such as upgrades to the Advanced LIGO detectors and the Einstein Telescope, for their potential to reduce the effects of the thermal noise of the test masses. This paper details the theoretical analysis and simulation work carried out to investigate the behaviour of LG beams in realistic optical setups, in particular the coupling between different LG modes in a linear cavity. We present a new analytical approximation to compute the coupling between modes, using Zernike polynomials to describe mirror surface distortions. We apply this method in a study of the behaviour of the LG33 mode within realistic arm cavities, using measured mirror surface maps from the Advanced LIGO project. We show mode distortions that can be expected to arise due to the degeneracy of higher order spatial modes within such cavities and relate this to the theoretical analysis. Finally we identify the mirror distortions which cause significant coupling from the LG33 mode into other order 9 modes and derive requirements for the mirror surfaces.Comment: 12 pages Submitted to PRD 19/07/201

The Politics of Factionalism in Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party

In this article the rise of Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party {DPP) from opposition to power (1986-2001) is analyzed from the perspective of party faction development. Faction politics within the DPP can both explain the short period of radicalization in the late 1980s as well as the party's mainly tactical moderation throughout the 1990s. Upon assumption of the presidency in March 2000 the DPP became ruling party. Without a majority in the parliament, President Chen Shuibian (DPP) however failed to implement most of the party's reform policies. Chen had been too dependent on the party's hardliners while the combined opposition alliance {KMT, NP, PFP) played the role of a disloyal opposition. By discussing the prospect of inter-party coalitions after the December 2001 Legislative Yuan (LY) election this analysis comes to the conclusion that the DPP stands at the crossroads: any path - whether with or without a formal coalition - is likely to satisfy few and disappoint many

Bridging the gap: pracademics in foreign policy

In his seminal work Bridging the Gap: Theory and Practice in Foreign Policy, Alexander George (1993) lamented the great divide between academia and the foreign policymaking community, arguing that greater interaction between scholars and policymakers would produce better policy. We share George's belief that scholars and practitioners each have much to offer the other. In fact, a wide spectrum of opportunities exists for scholars in the field of political science to engage in meaningful public service that can enhance every aspect of their careers, as well as contribute to international understanding