原始宗教对达斡尔族风俗习惯的影响

本文在田野作业和文献资料的基础上,运用民俗学的理论知识,主要从达斡尔族信仰习俗、礼仪习俗、丧葬习俗、禁忌习俗、原始医术这五个方面着手分析研究,探讨达斡尔族原始宗教思想对达斡尔族的风俗习惯的影响。可以说在达斡尔族的许多风俗习惯中体现出其原始宗教的印迹,达斡尔族原始宗教对当时的达斡尔族民众的生活产生了深远影响。此论题的研究,对于我们进一步认识、研究达斡尔族历史文化有积极意义,并能为此研究提供一个新的研究视角。     

WOMEN PREFER LARGER GOVERNMENTS: GROWTH,STRUCTURAL TRANSFORMATION,AND GOVERNMENT SIZE

The increase in income per capita is accompanied, in virtually all countries, by two changes in economic structure: the increase in the share of government spending in gross domestic product (GDP), and the increase in female labor force participation. We argue that these two changes are causally related. We develop a growth model based on Galor and Weil (1996) where female participation in market activities, fertility, and government size, in addition to consumption and saving, is endogenously determined. Rising incomes lead to a rise in female labor force participation as the opportunity cost of staying at home and caring for the children increases. In our model, higher government spending decreases the cost of performing household chores, including, but not limited to, child rearing and child care, as in Rosen (1996) . We also use a wide cross‐section of data for developed and developing countries and show that higher market participation by women is positively and robustly associated with government size. We then investigate the causal link between participation and government size using a novel unique data set that allows the use of the relative price of productive home appliances as an instrumental variable. We find strong evidence of a causal link between female market participation and government size. This effect is robust to the country sample, time period, and a set of controls in the spirit of Rodrik (1998) . (JEL O4, E62, H11)     

Ideology and the Tax Revolt: Florida's Amendment 1

A number of researchers have concluded that the tax revolt ismotivated by an antigovernment ideology which is distributeddiffusely in the mass public. However, public opinion on Florida'sAmendment 1 was fragmented into a number of separate issue publics,with different sets of voters expressing different concerns.The implication of this finding is that prevailing interpretationsof the tax revolt have overestimated the role of ideology.     

Réglementation et avenir du travail: la relation de travail facilite l'innovation

La transformation numérique et la réorganisation des entreprises font apparaître de nouvelles modalités de travail fort éloignées de la relation de travail typique. Selon les partisans de la rupture numérique, le cadre juridique actuel n'est pas adapté aux formes de travail et modèles d'entreprises «innovants». Pourtant, la réglementation du travail peut faciliter l'innovation et la flexibilité, comme l'emploi typique peut être un moyen d'améliorer l'efficacité et de réduire les coûts. En effet, la relation de travail permet le plein exercice des prérogatives de l'employeur et le déploiement interne de la main-d'œuvre; c'est aussi un bon moyen d'assurer formation et montée des compétences.     

Semiparametric Regression with Kernel Error Model

Abstract.  We propose and study a class of regression models, in which the mean function is specified parametrically as in the existing regression methods, but the residual distribution is modelled non-parametrically by a kernel estimator, without imposing any assumption on its distribution. This specification is different from the existing semiparametric regression models. The asymptotic properties of such likelihood and the maximum likelihood estimate (MLE) under this semiparametric model are studied. We show that under some regularity conditions, the MLE under this model is consistent (when compared with the possibly pseudo-consistency of the parameter estimation under the existing parametric regression model), is asymptotically normal with rate and efficient. The non-parametric pseudo-likelihood ratio has the Wilks property as the true likelihood ratio does. Simulated examples are presented to evaluate the accuracy of the proposed semiparametric MLE method.     

RISK PREFERENCES AND EXPECTED UTILITY: EVIDENCE FROM LABOR SUPPLY DATA

This paper adds to the growing body of evidence that observed risk preferences are not consistent with expected‐utility theory. Using the link between labor supply decisions and utility as outlined by Chetty (“A Bound on Risk Aversion Using Labor Supply Elasticities.” The American Economic Review, 96(5), 2006, 1821–34), I compute the curvature of utility over wealth for 3,900 individuals in the 1996 Panel Study of Income Dynamics. I then compare this estimate to a measure of relative risk aversion based on the respondents' answers to hypothetical gambling questions and find virtually zero correlation. Finally, I investigate how the two measures and their correlations change by demographic groups and risky behavior. (JEL C81, D80, J22)     

Can one TV show make a difference? Will & Grace and the Parasocial Contact Hypothesis

Television has an opportunity to influence beliefs about groups with which individuals typically may have little direct social contact. This study describes a synthesis of the Contact Hypothesis and the concept of Parasocial Interaction to pose what we call the Parasocial Contact Hypothesis to test whether exposure to gay men on Will & Grace can influence attitudes toward gay men in general. Based on a study of 245 university students, this study examines the relationships among number and intimacy of gay social contacts, parasocial interaction, viewing frequency of Will & Grace, and scores on Herek's Attitudes Toward Gay Men and Lesbians scale. Increased viewing frequency and parasocial interaction were found to correlate with lower levels of sexual prejudice-a relationship that was most pronounced for those with the least amount of social contact with lesbians and gay men.