THE SONG OF EVERLASTING SORROW: WANG ANYI'S TALE OF SHANGHAI

ABSTRACT The 2008 publication of the English version of The Song of Everlasting Sorrow - a Novel of Shanghai, translated by Michael Berry and Susan Chan Egan, brought some well-deserved attention to Wang Anyi, an important contemporary Chinese author who had, hitherto, been relatively unknown among Western readers. Since then, her reputation has grown. This thesis explores the life and writings of Wang Anyi, focusing on her major work, The Song of Everlasting Sorrow, which won the author the prestigious Mao Dun literary award in China. The novel is an attempt by the author to capture the spirit of the city of Shanghai over a span of more than four decades. It focuses primarily on the life story of Wang Qiyao, a former Miss Shanghai, who embodies the values and represents the changes undergone by the city during a turbulent time in its history. One of the aims of this paper is to analyze the subtextual meaning of "the everlasting sorrow" of the title, an understanding of which is, in fact, critical to the complete understanding of the story. In addition, the thesis also aims to unravel the myth surrounding the literary ties between the famous Shanghai Style Chinese author Zhang Ailing and the younger Wang Anyi. By tracing the origin of the book title, The Song of Everlasting Sorrow, and focusing on the central message of the book, the thesis argues that the subtextual meaning of the title cannot possibly refer to what the protagonist of the book feels regarding her life, but rather refers to the author's feelings of sorrow as she contemplates the fate of Shanghai in the face of the growing materialism of the twentieth century. The thesis also focuses on an analytical study of Zhang Ailing's novella, Sealed Off, comparing it with Wang Anyi's, The Song of Everlasting Sorrow, and concludes that, although there may be some superficial similarities between the two writers, in the end, Wang Anyi's literary background, her attitude toward writing and her style are simply too different from Zhang Ailing's own for Wang to be considered Zhang's "Shanghai Style" heir apparent

The occurrence of classical Cepheids in binary systems

Classical Cepheids, like binary stars, are laboratories for stellar evolution and Cepheids in binary systems are especially powerful ones. About one-third of Galactic Cepheids are known to have companions and Cepheids in eclipsing binary systems have recently been discovered in the Large Magellanic Cloud. However, there are no known Galactic binary Cepheids with orbital periods less than one year. We compute population synthesis models of binary Cepheids to compare to the observed period and eccentricity distributions of Galactic Cepheids as well as to the number of observed eclipsing binary Cepheids in the LMC. We find that our population synthesis models are consistent with observed binary properties of Cepheids. Furthermore, we show that binary interaction on the red giant branch prevents some red giant stars from becoming classical Cepheids. Such interactions suggest that the binary fraction of Cepheids should be significantly less than that of their main-sequence progenitors, and that almost all binary Cepheids have orbital periods longer than one year. If the Galactic Cepheid spectroscopic binary fraction is about 35%, then the spectroscopic binary fraction of their intermediate mass main sequence progenitors is about 40-45%.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, resubmitted to A&

Bargaining in the Shadow of Investor-state Mediation: How the Threat of Mediation Will Improve Parties\u27 Conflict Management

Issues of access to justice, threats to national sovereignty, and perceptions of inconsistency and arbitrariness have led to a crisis of confidence in the investor-state arbitration system. In response, there has been a successful push for the inclusion of mediation in treaty provisions and arbitration rules, as well as ratification of the Singapore Convention for the expedited enforcement of mediated agreements. Nonetheless, very little mediation is actually occurring on the ground. Efforts to increase the use of mediation have failed to address concerns such as the political costs of settling cases, the lack of coordination between state agencies with different portfolios, and the existence of governmental actors with different jurisdictions and misaligned incentives. Strategic use of mediation\u27s shadow, however, could increase the effectiveness of existing conflict management tools and systems that have been designed in certain countries and recommended by the World Bank to better facilitate ongoing relationships and investment. More particularly, the threat of mandatory mediation (i.e., being required by ICSID rules to participate in mediation before filing an arbitration claim) could encourage the development of conflict management systems and structured stakeholder negotiations that respond more effectively to investor-state conflicts, especially if the International Bar Association (IBA) rules provide that the mandate for mediation may be met by the occurrence of stakeholder negotiation that is supported by these other conflict management tools

Layered Social Network Analysis Reveals Complex Relationships in Kindergarteners.

The interplay between individuals forms building blocks for social structure. Here, we examine the structure of behavioral interactions among kindergarten classroom with a hierarchy-neutral approach to examine all possible underlying patterns in the formation of layered networks of "reciprocal" interactions. To understand how these layers are coordinated, we used a layered motif approach. Our dual layered motif analysis can therefore be thought of as the dynamics of smaller groups that tile to create the group structure, or alternatively they provide information on what the average child would do in a given local social environment. When we examine the regulated motifs in layered networks, we find that transitivity is at least partially involved in the formation of these layered network structures. We also found complex combinations of the expected reciprocal interactions. The mechanisms used to understand social networks of kindergarten children here are also applicable on a more general scale to any group of individuals where interactions and identities can be readily observed and scored

The Thoughtful Integration of Mediation into Bilateral Investment Treaty Arbitration

While the current system of investment treaty arbitration has definitely improved upon the “gunboat diplomacy” used at times to address disputes between states and foreign investors, there are signs that reform is needed: states and investors increasingly express concerns regarding the costs associated with the arbitration process, some states refuse to comply with arbitral awards, other states hesitate to sign new bilateral investment treaties, and citizens have begun to engage in popular unrest at the prospect of investment treaty arbitration. As a result, both investors and states are advocating for the use of mediation to supplement investor-state arbitration. This Article draws upon dispute system design principles, the socio-psychological research and theories regarding procedural justice, and the U.S. experience with court-connected mediation. Using these lens, the article examines the models of mediation that have been shown to be effective, the importance of ensuring that mediation offers something different from the other procedural options available to resolve investor-state disputes, and the mechanisms that increase the likelihood that disputing parties and stakeholders will perceive individual outcomes and the larger system as fair. The Article also examines the U.S. domestic experience to identify the elements of the mediation process that can be, and have been, made compulsory and the effects of this choice, as well as different approaches for ensuring the quality of the mediation process and its accountability to the disputing parties and other stakeholders. Ultimately, the Article recommends the integration of a default model of mediation into the investor-state context that begins in a facilitative manner, in order to increase the likelihood of trust-building and information exchange regarding important underlying interests, but also permits both evaluative interventions by the mediator and discussion of relevant legal norms. The Article further concludes that if stakeholders’ input is sought and considered regarding mechanisms for the referral of disputes to mediation, some elements of mediation could be made compulsory. More specifically, the dispute resolution clauses in investment treaties could require the parties to participate in an initial meeting to discuss the potential use of mediation or other consensual procedures, with the parties themselves then choosing whether to proceed further, when, and with what process. Finally, the Article recommends the establishment of a small pool of well-known and well-respected investment treaty mediators who will offer a reasonably strong and pragmatic guarantee of quality in the short-term and engender a heightened perception of trust in the process. These mediators should also possess the temperament and skills to provide the default model of mediation. In the long term, however, evaluation and mentoring must be put into place to permit thoughtful cultivation of both the model of mediation that is best suited for the investor-state context and the next generation of mediators

Negotiation Theories Engage Hybrid Warfare

So how do we know hybrid warfare when we see it? And do negotiation theories, concepts and skills have any applicability to addressing the phenomenon of hybrid warfare? Our intent in this Article is to respond to those questions and then to do a bit of reframing to begin to explore negotiation theories, concepts and skills that might help us deter or respond to hybrid warfare. In the process, and as we will explain, we will reframe our focus—from responding to hybrid “warfare” to engaging in hybrid “conflict management.” We also will do a bit of reframing regarding the sorts of negotiation theories, concepts and skills that are potentially relevant in this context. We will begin with negotiation theories that assume one-on-one or bilateral relations, and, although we will demonstrate that these theories and their underlying concepts are foundational, we also will point out why they are not sufficient in the multilateral context of hybrid warfare. Rather, we will urge that international diplomacy and multiparty negotiation theories and skills, as well as the more recent scholarship that has developed regarding hostage negotiation and “wicked problems,” are likely to be most relevant

Collecting Celebrity: The Meanings and Process of Collecting Sports Memorabilia

The sports memorabilia marketplace has experienced exponential growth since the advent of Internet auction sites such as eBay. While collectors were once constrained by local encounters with personal collectors, the Internet now facilitates buying and selling on an international scale. This study explores the phenomenon of collecting sports memorabilia as it has been transformed historically as well as more recently. Scholarly literature suggests that fascination with the famous may have begun in ancient Greece, although contemporary studies of celebrity examine a broader scope of subjects in addition to an odd array of items collected. This study specifically addresses the following: first, what are historical and contemporary meanings of fame and/or celebrity; second, how do sports collectibles accrue value; and third, how do Internet auctions impact the sports collectibles marketplace? To explain the phenomenon of collecting sports memorabilia, one author offers a four-stage model known as the Sports Collectibles Commodity Continuum. This model draws upon concepts from previous literature: singularization (items may be set aside for special purposes)and commoditization (intersection of time, culture, and society) (e.g., see 4, 12, 20, 33). The model also introduces previously unarticulated notions of culturalization ( consumer identities and norms set by social, cultural, economic, and/or political forces) and marketization (singularized needs drive market prices). After assessing prices of sport collectibles offered on eBay, the authors conclude that the escalating use of online sport auctions will likely continue to impact the sports collectibles marketplace in ways that merit further study