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What is the meaning of and difference between `～を中心に` and `～をめぐって`?

Space ALC defines
[`～を中心に`](http://eow.alc.co.jp/%E3%82%92%E4%B8%AD%E5%BF%83%E3%81%AB/UTF-8/) as
"with a focus on" and
[`～をめぐって`](http://eow.alc.co.jp/%E3%82%92%E3%82%81%E3%81%90%E3%81%A3%E3%81%A6/UTF-8/)
as "centering on", but I'm having trouble figuring out the meaning and
difference in usage of the two.

* * *

I saw the following example sentence for `～を中心に` in the (old) JLPT2 `完全マスター`,
which [JGram](http://jgram.org/pages/viewOne.php?tagE=wochuushinni)
interpreted slightly differently to me:

> 駅 **を中心に** 沢山の商店が集まっている。  
>
>
>   * My first interpretation: " _In_ the station there are lots of stores
> grouped together."  
>
>   * JGram's interpretation (which I now think is more accurate): " _Centered
> around_ the station there are many stores."
>

The way I now understand it is that `～を中心に` means more
"([focused/centered/revolving]) _around_ " rather than " _in_ the center of
something". Would this explanation be accurate?

* * *

I've also encountered `～をめぐって` a couple of times. The following example I read
today in the April 2012 edition of `中央公論`:

> 政党というものは、単に選挙 **をめぐって** 候補者をリクルートし、有権者へ働きかけて動員するための組織ではない。  
>  My attempted translation: "A political party isn't an organization which is
> simply about recruiting candidates _focusing on_ elections and encouraging
> mobilization of voters."

If I switched `をめぐって` with `を中心に`, would it have the same or similar meaning?
What would the differences in nuance be between the two?
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2012-05-24T03:31:59.020
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question
grammar word-choice jlpt
The meaning of and difference between ～を中心に and ～をめぐって
They have pretty much different meanings. `中心に` adds blur. It means `centered
around`. `めぐって` means 'regarding', and implies some kind of a debate. They are
in general not interchangable.

> 駅を中心に沢山の商店が集まっている  
>  'many stores are gathered around the the station'  
>  More literally: 'many stores are gathered with its center being the
> station'
>
> 駅をめぐって沢山の商店が集まっている  
>  'many store (owner)s are gathered {regarding, to talk about} the station'
>
> 選挙(の時期)を中心に候補者をリクルートする  
>  'hire candidates mostly at around the time of an election'  
>  More literally: 'hire candidates with its center being the time of an
> election'
>
> 選挙をめぐって候補者をリクルートする  
>  'hire candidates {regarding, for} an election'
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2012-05-24T03:48:24.570
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2012-05-24T03:58:42.367
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In additions to what @sawa said, I think it's easy to keep straight if you
remember the verb `めぐる` has the meanings of "going around" or "surrounding".
Thus, `～をめぐって／～をめぐり／～をめぐる` usually has at least a slight negative meaning (as
@sawa stated) usually about some debate, controversy, etc.

Here are a couple examples. (I'm going to expand on one of @sawa's because I
feel it's a little too vague to be helpful to you -- no offense to @sawa).

>   * 駅の改築 **をめぐって** 近くの店主がたくさん集まってデモる。 → Many of the nearby store owners will
> gather and protest the reconstruction of the station (protest surrounding
> the reconstruction of the station
>   * 大統領の経済政策 **をめぐり** 色々な対立する意見があります。 → There are many opposing opinions
> surrounding/concerning the President's economic policies.
>   * 資源の利用 **をめぐる** 争いがようやく解決に向かった。 → The dispute about/surrounding the
> resource usage is finally headed toward a solution.
>

As far as the sentence you provided, the controversy is that there are
obviously some people who hold the opinion that a political parties only exist
to get the upper hand in an election (by doing the things listed), instead of
focusing on meeting the peoples' needs.
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answer
を中心に: focusing primarily on

Example usage:

> we discussed life at school, the main point of the discussion being the
> well-being of students.
>

>> 生徒の福祉を中心に、学生の日常生活を議論した。

をめぐって: discussing something/about (often to show the motivation of the
debate/argument/fight)

Example usage:

> They fought with one another for this girl.
>

>> 彼女をめぐって喧嘩した。

If you remember that the fight for the girl (or boy, whatever) is a typical
use of めぐって, you should confidently be able to use/understand it properly.
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answer