Caribbean Exchanges: Slavery and the Transformation of English Society, 1640–1700

This article argues that the terms of identity claimed by and ascribed to Africans and their descendants in the Americas during the era of the trans-Atlantic slave trade functioned less as claims of provenance than as complicated, shifting and highly contested languages of political logic. Focusing on the ‘Kromanti’ identity associated with all major acts of resistance and maroonage in the eighteenth-century British- and Dutch-colonized Caribbean, this article connects a strategy developed by the Asante state for coping with a particular moment of beheading of the body politic in 1717 to oath-taking strategies employed by maroons of diverse origins to reconstitute viable communities. Examining the ways in which political claims were made through a language of Obeah, or social health and healing, this article argues that ritual practices comprised the discursive field of political action for eighteenth-century Africans and their descendants in Jamaica and beyond.     

A Comparative Evaluation of Error and Bias in Census Tract-Level Age/Sex-Specific Population Estimates: Component I (Net-Migration) vs Component III (Hamilton–Perry)

While the housing-unit method continues to be the preferred method nationwide for producing small-area population estimates, this procedures lacks a method for making age/sex-specific estimates. This paper reports evaluation research on implementation of component-based methods for estimating census tract populations with age/sex detail. Two alternatives are explored: (1) the Component I method relying upon estimates of births, deaths, and net-migration and (2) the Component III method relying solely upon 1990 and 2000 Census counts. From an April 1, 2000 base, each method is used to make estimates moving forward to an April 1, 2010 estimate that is compared to the results of the 2010 Census. The two methods are compared in terms of accuracy and bias using both absolute and algebraic mean and median percentage errors. Results are reviewed and discussed in light of their implications for applied demographers tasked with making small-area demographic estimates.     

Estimating the number of clusters in a data set via the gap statistic

We propose a method (the 'gap statistic') for estimating the number of clusters (groups) in a set of data. The technique uses the output of any clustering algorithm (e.g. K -means or hierarchical), comparing the change in within-cluster dispersion with that expected under an appropriate reference null distribution. Some theory is developed for the proposal and a simulation study shows that the gap statistic usually outperforms other methods that have been proposed in the literature.     

The journey effect: how travel affects the experiences of mental health in-patient service-users and their families

The qualitative study presented in this paper explored the perspectives of service-users, family members and staff about the impact of travel issues on the lives of mental health in-patients and carers. This topic was chosen because it was prioritised by members of Xplore, a service-user and carer research group, and has received little research attention. Travel problems were a significant issue for many service-users and carers, bound-up with mental health issues and the recovery experience. Travel facilitation through the funding of taxis and the provision of guides was appreciated. A few service-users and carers positively valued distancing from their previous home environment. The meaning of travel issues could only be understood in the context of individuals’ wider lives and relationships. The significance of the findings is discussed in relation to the social model of disability.     

Social Work Students as Market Consumers: Faculty Perceptions of Customer Service Expectations

Social work education has become a consumers market, and social work faculty are increasingly expected to fill certain customer service roles in order to retain students as customers. Using the Academic Entitlement Questionnaire, this study sought to examine social work faculty in the USA (N = 57) who are members of the Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors listserv perceptions of student customer service expectations. Findings were that these social work faculty are under increased pressure to fill certain customer service roles, and that they feel conflict about doing so. Implications for the delivery of social work education and practice are explored.     

读中国文学还是读中国——兼论对外汉语教学中的跨文化主题阅读法

对外汉语教学中的外国留学生（outsider／‘局外人’）与中国学生（insider／‘局内人’）是两个不同的读者群体。然而，两个不同读者群体的文学课程却存在很大的相似性。这些相似性体现出对外汉语文学课程受到中文作为母语教育传统和实践的深刘影响。局内人课程传统和实践影响到对外汉语教学作为第二语言教学的特点在课程设置和教学层面上的实现。同时，也有违对外汉语教学‘学生中心’的原则。本文在此基础上，尝试性地提出针对留学生特点和需要的文化阅读的概念一以提高跨文化交际能力为目的的跨文化主题阅读法。其目的在于探讨通过创新性的阅读方法更有效地进行文化传播和文化教学。     

Multidimensional scaling used in multivariate statistical process control

This paper considers the use of multidimensional scaling techniques in multivariate statistical process control. Principal components analysis, multiple principal components analysis, partial least squares and PARAFAC models have already been established as useful methods for such, but it should be possible to widen the portfolio of techniques to include others that come under the multidimensional scaling class. Some of these are briefly described-namely classical scaling, non-metric scaling, biplots, Procrustes analysis-and are then used on some gas transportation data provided by Transco.