Changing informal institutions via mimesis: Gender equality in marriage proposals

Marriage equality has exposed how the institution of marriage is changing, but less attention has been given to how informal institutions around heterosexual marriage rituals are affected by a growing demand for gender equality. By applying institutional theory and feminist institutionalism to the context of women proposing to their male partners, this paper observes how shifts in gender norms change heteronormative institutions. Drawing from interviews with women who proposed to men and a virtual ethnography, we describe how reverse proposals can set precedence for emulation of practices or mimetic isomorphism. We therewith contribute to institutional theory in threefold ways. First, we describe how mimetic isomorphism introduces new standards and norms into a highly traditional institution. Second, we show how this integration of new standards and norms serves this patriarchal institution to remain relevant and appear progressive. Finally, we contend that this tension of joining a patriarchal institution but doing so in a subversive manner represents a double bind for women who are encouraged by society to formalize their heteronormative relationships through marriage and yet chastised for initiating this themselves.     

Bayes Hilbert Spaces

A Bayes linear space is a linear space of equivalence classes of proportional σ‐finite measures, including probability measures. Measures are identified with their density functions. Addition is given by Bayes' rule and substraction by Radon–Nikodym derivatives. The present contribution shows the subspace of square‐log‐integrable densities to be a Hilbert space, which can include probability and infinite measures, measures on the whole real line or discrete measures. It extends the ideas from the Hilbert space of densities on a finite support towards Hilbert spaces on general measure spaces. It is also a generalisation of the Euclidean structure of the simplex, the sample space of random compositions. In this framework, basic notions of mathematical statistics get a simple algebraic interpretation. A key tool is the centred‐log‐ratio transformation, a generalization of that used in compositional data analysis, which maps the Hilbert space of measures into a subspace of square‐integrable functions. As a consequence of this structure, distances between densities, orthonormal bases, and Fourier series representing measures become available. As an application, Fourier series of normal distributions and distances between them are derived, and an example related to grain size distributions is presented. The geometry of the sample space of random compositions, known as Aitchison geometry of the simplex, is obtained as a particular case of the Hilbert space when the measures have discrete and finite support.     

Dynamic Pricing with Constant Demand Elasticity

The celebrated model of Gallego and van Ryzin is specialized to the case of constant elasticity of demand. A closed form is developed, which has an even simpler form than that arising with exponential demand and which possesses an excellent approximation. In this environment, monopoly is efficient, which means that all the behavior usually attributed to monopoly pricing is actually a consequence of efficient pricing and would arise even in a perfectly competitive environment. If the initial supply is not too large, consumers have no incentive to delay their purchases to get a lower price at the average inventory prevailing at any time.     

International conference on Jewish civilization in eastern and central Europe,Minsk, 24–26 January 2000

A Symposium on Soviet Jewry

The Jews in Soviet Russia, Since 1917, Lionel Kochan (ed.). London, Oxford University Press for Institute of Jewish Affairs. 1970. ix + 357 pp. Index. £2.50.

Wanted: a history of Soviet Jewry

The Silent Millions: A History of the Jews in the Soviet Union by Joel Cang. London, Rapp and Whiting. 1969. 246 pp. £2.10.

Red Rose

Rosa Luxemburg, Ich War — Ich Bin — Ich Werede Sein, by Harry Wilde. Wien‐Muenchen‐Zurich, Verlag Fritz Molden. 1970. 264 pp.

A Book on Georgian Jewry

Yehudey Gruzia: Ma'avak Al Ha'shiva Le‐tsion (The Jews of Eorgia: A Struggle for the Return to Zion), by Mordecai Neishtat. Tel‐Aviv, Am Oved Publishers, Ltd. 1970. 148 pp. (in Hebrew).

Menshevism and the Jewish question

Russian Social Democracy; the Menshevik Movement. A Bibliography, by Anna M. Bourgina. Hoover Institution Bibliographical Series: XXXVI, The Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace, Stanford University, Stanford, California. 1968. 392 pp. (no price listed), (in Russian; English introduction).

Jewish writers of Byelorussia

Pismienniki Savieckaj Bielarusi: Karotki Bijabiblijahraficny Davednik (Writers of Soviet Byelorussia: a short Biobibliography), A. Harodzicki et al (comp.). Minsk, Vydavectva ‘Bielarus’. 1970. 440 pp. 82 kopeks.     

Critical Literacy as a Lens for Students’ Evaluation of Sources in an AP World History Class

Abstract

Critical literacy is an appropriate learning outcome for social studies courses because it has the potential to teach students how to critically evaluate sources of information relevant to historical texts and current news media. The purpose of this qualitative case study is to examine the process through which students learned to apply critical literacy strategies while completing an end-of-unit research project in tenth grade AP world history. This study looks as student and teacher interviews to examine how students use critical literacy approaches and perspectives to analyze texts. As a result of this study it was determined that: (1) students at the elite private school had limited experience with source evaluation and critical literacy prior to this research project, (2) critical literacy served as an effective evaluation tool for reliability and bias for some students, (3) certain students experienced challenges in using critical literacy as an evaluation tool, and (4) students believed that critical literacy would benefit them personally and academically. Results include implications for instructors who wish to teach critical literacy and source evaluation in this information age.     

Zu den Auswirkungen von Arbeitszeitmodellen im ärztlichen Dienst von Krankenhäusern

In 2004 a new working time law for physicians in hospitals was introduced, which has up until now been rarely researched in theory and is implemented in practice partially in form of new working time models, partially by relying on allowed variation rules within the law. Meanwhile, there are new discussions about changes of working time directives on the European level. This article aims to analyze the desired effects of the new working time law to decrease the workload, improve the possibilities of patient care and increase the working time satisfaction of physicians. To this end, a primary data collection is conducted in 15 hospitals and 35 hospital departments, generating 261 questionnaires, in order to empirically assess the theoretical model with the constructs working time model, workload, working time satisfaction, and possibilities of patient care using regression analyses. It can be shown that the new working time models decrease workload and enhance working time satisfaction of hospital physicians, but have no significant influence on the possibilities of patient care. These results are consistent for different ownerships and sizes of hospitals as well as for most services. No significant differences in the answers between various physician groups exist either.     

Are diamonds a safe haven?

The diamond market has recently experienced important structural changes moving from a monopolistic market to a more liberalised and competitive one. As a result, diamonds are being discussed as a new investment asset class, with possible valuable portfolio contributions. The aim of this paper is to analyse their potential role within an investment framework, using previously unpublished data. We use the GemShares and NASDAQ OMX patented license and Polished Prices proprietary Price Reporting Agency (PRA) database to build our own standardized financial polished diamond basket indices (DBIs), using actual reported data of traded prices, adjusted for liquidity by traded volume. The impact of adjusting for traded volume of investment grade (only) diamonds is sufficient to develop a unique subset different to that captured and reported by the PRA. We first construct an index for High-Quality (HQ) and a second one for Medium-Quality (MQ) diamonds so we can study both of their dynamics and investment features. We further analyse the relationship the two indices have with major macroeconomic and financial variables, as well as other precious commodities to investigate their role as safe haven or hedge. We find that the DBI_HQ Index returns are, on average, positively correlated with major macroeconomic variables—in particular with the Euro and Chinese Interest rates. The DBI_MQ Index returns are largely uncorrelated with the same macroeconomic variables—with the exception of Euro Interest rates and the Israeli Exchange rate. When we compare our Diamond Indices returns with major financial variables and other precious commodities, we find a broad lack of correlation between their returns, and significant difference between the DBI_HQ and DBI_MQ Indices. We may conclude that diamonds are broadly a poor hedge for any of the portfolios we considered, with a few important exceptions—especially gold. Using Bauer and Lucey’s (Financ Rev 45(2):217–229. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.952289, 2010) approach we further tested the “safe haven value” and “hedging usefulness” of the two Indices. In contrast with previous studies we believe the unique data we accessed allowed us to demonstrate that diamonds represent a strong hedge for gold investors, and in addition exhibit features of a safe haven for stock markets during periods of financial stress.     

Approximate confidence intervals for a linear combination of binomial proportions: A new variant

We propose a new adjustment for constructing an improved version of the Wald interval for linear combinations of binomial proportions, which addresses the presence of extremal samples. A comparative simulation study was carried out to investigate the performance of this new variant with respect to the exact coverage probability, expected interval length, and mesial and distal noncoverage probabilities. Additionally, we discuss the application of a criterion for interpreting interval location in the case of small samples and/or in situations in which extremal observations exist. The confidence intervals obtained from the new variant performed better for some evaluation measures.     

Intergenerational Care Perceptions of Older Women and Middle Adolescents in a Resource-Constrained Community in South Africa

ABSTRACT

This study describes intergenerational care perceptions in a resource-challenged community. Ten women (aged 60+) and eight middle adolescents (3 boys and 5 girls) participated in the Mmogo-method®, a visual data-collection method. Textual data were analysed thematically, and visual data by applying Roos and Redelinghuys (2016) proposed steps. Both groups provided physical and instrumental care to the other. Older women cared for adolescents by teaching and disciplining them, while the adolescents cared for them by obtaining an education and by showing respect. Older women felt being cared for when adolescents helped them, obeyed and complied with instructions and discipline, while the youngsters expressed it when their basic needs were addressed and school attendance was enabled. Older women’s expressions of caring about were vague, while the younger people detected, act and elicited reactions from the elders. The adopted care approach informed care perceptions. Joint intergenerational activities are proposed to discover care currencies and contributions of generational members.