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This article conceptualises the EU approach to rule of law promotion outside of accession, taking Ukraine as a case study. Empirical evidence, collected through document analysis, expert interviews and participant observation, reveals that the rule of law as a legal and political category in EU external relations has little to do with the essentialist scholarly definitions of the concept. Instead, it constitutes an abstract ideal which frames bilateral cooperation at the political level and a banner under which the parties realise a variety of activities at the practical level. This EU approach is deliberate and meant to allow for defining the rule of law in harmony with the parties' integration ambitions, priorities and domestic institutional contexts. The article concludes with a discussion of the findings' implications for future policy and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces the close relationship between Jung and Chinese religions, compares Jung's psychological theories to Chinese religious thoughts taking Buddhism and Taoism as examples, and draws the following three conclusions. First, although Jung never went to China, Jung's interest and studies in Chinese religions continued throughout his life. Second, there are important similarities and differences between Jung's unity of opposites and Buddhism's 'Middle Way,' Jung's synchronicity and Karmic harmony, Jung's Self and Buddhism's Self, and Jung's individuation and Buddhism's meditation. Third, there are significant, close relationships between Jung's concepts of synchronicity, Self, and his three principles of psyche and parallel concepts in Chinese Taoism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates methodological issues in psychology of religion in Mainland China. Beginning with an overview of Western and Eastern scholars' representative views on methodological issues relative to psychology of religion, this essay then analyzes the distinctive Chinese cultural background in terms of influences exerted by mainstream ideology, opportunities provided by the goal of building a harmonious society, and the real demand for the development of psychology of religion. Finally, this study puts forward several methodological strategies for constructing a Chinese psychology of religion including advanced theoretical research to strengthen the basis of research methods in Chinese psychology of religion; understanding more precisely the basis of constructing localized methods with Chinese features; and encouraging exploration on diversification and promotion of methodological innovation for psychology of religion in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]