Between Gifts and Commodities: Commercial Enterprise and the Trader's Dilemma on Wallis ('Uvea)

Recently, the model of the trader’s dilemma was developed as an analytical perspective and applied to Southeast Asia. This article seeks to apply the model in Western Polynesia, where many islanders, after earning wages in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, or New Caledonia, return to open a small shop in their home village. Usually, after one or two years of generous sharing, such enterprises have to close down. Here, I analyze this phenomenon through case studies of successful indigenous entrepreneurs on Wallis (‘Uvea), with special attention to strategies they have used to cope with this dilemma

Reconsidering the Smallest of Artifacts: On the Origins of Philatelic Collecting

The realm of philately has its own laws, values and norms; conceptual apparatus; economics (both gift and barter as well as monetary economics); ideological conflicts (about the philatelic status of revenue stamps for example); its own history; and, a rich network of institutionalized and informal relationships. In this universe, which represents a subculture rather than a culture in anthropological terms, we encounter amateur collectors and professionals (usually dealers) as well as a clear overlap between these two categories. For most participants, however, philately is more or less a time, energy and money consuming activity — "pleasant sacrifices"1 — marginal to thet professional, familial or otherwise principal occupations. Through their collections, philatelists create thet own microcosms of elements originating from different periods and geographical regions. Thus, they construct their personal and personalized treasures. In dealing with the question about the cultural origins of philately, we link these to the development of postal services as well as the origins of collecting in general. Résumé Le monde de la philatélie a ses propres lois, valeurs et normes, son appareil conceptuel, sa structure économique (économie de don, de troc et d'échanges monétaires), ses conflits idéologiques (au sujet de la valeur philatélique de timbres fiscaux, par exemple), sa propre histoire ainsi qu'un riche réseau de relations institutionnalisées et informelles. Dans cet univers, qui représente une sous-culture plutôt qu'une culture sur le plan anthropologique, on retrouve des philatélistes amateurs et professionnels (généralement des marchands) ainsi qu 'un chevauchement évident de ces deux catégories. Toutefois, pour la majorité de ces personnes, la philatélie est plus ou moins une activité requérant du temps, des efforts et de l'argent-des « sacrifices plaisants » d'après Christian Bromberger1 -, en marge de leurs principales occupations professionnelles, familiales ou autres. Parleurs collections, les philatélistes créent leurs propres microcosmes d'éléments provenant de différentes périodes et régions géographiques. Ils constituent ainsi des trésors personnels et personnalisés. L'auteur relie l'origine culturelle de la philatélie au développement des services postaux et de l'activité générale de collection

Pesticide risk reduction and the dynamics of legal pluralism

This paper aims to determine the global pattern of pesticide risk regulation and its present reconfiguration from the perspective of legal pluralism. It furthermore aims to identify future options, taking into account the possible roles of state and non-state actors. Section 2 explains the challenge of pesticide risk reduction. Section 3 discusses the concept of legal pluralism and its global relevance. Section 4 examines the pattern of regulation and its reconfiguration focusing on distributive and normative aspects. Section 5 explores the way forward by outlining a blueprint for a global framework to achieve a progressive reduction of pesticide risks. Section 6 considers in retrospect the concept of legal pluralism and its application in research. Section 7 presents final observations. [author's abstract

The gift of Tsochen Mam: private donations to national museums in Taiwan

During the last century, the museumscape in Taiwan shifted from a Japanese- colonial via a sino-centric perspective to a Taiwanese one, the latter in combination with the rapid development of community-oriented local museums. By dealing with the rise and development of four of the most important public museums, this article defends the stance that private donations play a crucial role in the existence of public museums in Taiwan. The analysis focuses on the contemporary growth of the collections through donations. The theoretical perspective is informed by Krszysztof Pomian’s distinction of museum origins, Stuart Plattner’s analysis of private collectors’ motivations, and Susan Pearce’s idea about the transition of collectibles from the profane to the sacred realm

INVESTIGANDO LA HISTORIA DEL PROTESTANTISMO IBERICO

Motivos externos e internos explican por qué el protestantismo ibérico, en los primeros cien años de su existencia, en escasas ocasiones fue objeto de investigación histórica. En la década del 70 aparecen, con respecto a España, los primeros estudios de nivel académico (Van der Grijp, 1971; Vilar, 1979). La apertura de algunas facultades católicas de teología ante la investigación del protestantismo produjo resultados harto notables (Ojeda, 1988; García Ruiz, 1989). Con respecto a Portugal se observan rápidos progresos en los años 90 (coloquio Vila Nova de Gaia, 1994). Sucesivamente surge una variedad de estudios regionales, locales, biográficos y temáticos. El coloquio de Madrid, 2000, aspira a coordinar esfuerzos

Entrepreneurs des îles : développement des petites et moyennes entreprises à Wallis (Polynésie occidentale)

Récemment, le modèle du dilemme du marchand a été développé en tant que perspective analytique et appliqué à l’Asie du Sud-Est. Dans cet article, j’essaie de l’appliquer à la Polynésie occidentale où plusieurs insulaires qui, après avoir travaillé en Australie, en Nouvelle-Zélande, aux États-Unis ou en Nouvelle-Calédonie pour gagner un peu d’argent, ont plus tard ouvert une petite boutique dans leur village d’origine. En général, après un ou deux ans de partage généreux, de telles entreprises devaient fermer. J’analyse ce dilemme à travers des études de cas d’entrepreneurs indigènes appartenant à la société de Wallis (’Uvea) et créant des petites ou moyennes entreprises dans le commerce, l’agriculture ou la pêche sur leur île. On verra en particulier comment certains d’entre eux ont réussi à échapper à ce dilemme.Recently, the model of the trader’s dilemma was developed as an analytical perspective and applied to Southeast Asia. The present paper seeks to apply this model inWestern Polynesia, where many islanders, after earning wages in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, or New Caledonia, return to open a small shop in their home village. Usually, after one or two years of generous sharing, such enterprises have to close down. I analyze this phenomenon through case studies of successful indigenous entrepreneurs on Wallis (’Uvea), with special attention to strategies they have used to cope with this dilemma