Disinformation,performed: self-presentation of a Russian IRA account on Twitter

ABSTRACT

How disinformation campaigns operate and how they fit into the broader social communication environment – which has been described as a ‘disinformation order’ [Bennett & Livingston, (2018). The disinformation order: Disruptive communication and the decline of democratic institutions. European Journal of Communication, 33(2), 122–139] – represent critical, ongoing questions for political communication. We offer a thorough analysis of a highly successful disinformation account run by Russia’s Internet Research Agency: the so-called ‘Jenna Abrams’ account. We analyze Abrams’ tweets and other content such as blogposts with qualitative discourse analysis, assisted by quantitative content analysis and metadata analysis. This yields an in-depth understanding of how the IRA team behind the Abrams account presented this persona across multiple platforms and over time. Especially, we describe the techniques used to perform personal authenticity and cultural competence. The performance of personal authenticity was central to her persona building as a likeable American woman, whereas the performance of cultural competence enabled her to infiltrate American conservative communities with resonant messages. Implications for understanding disinformation processes, and how some aspects of the hybrid media system are especially vulnerable to hijacking by bad actors are discussed.     

Maternal Into‐The‐Face Behavior,Shared Attention,and Infant Distress During Face‐to‐Face Play at 12 Months: Bi‐directional Contingencies

We describe a new maternal intrusion behavior, moving a toy or hand “into‐the‐face” of the infant, and we investigate its bi‐directional associations with infant‐initiated shared attention, infant distress, and infant gaze, during mother–infant face‐to‐face play at 12 months. The play was videotaped split‐screen, with infants seated in a high chair. Videotapes were coded on a 1‐sec time base for mother and infant gaze (at partner, toy, both, or gaze away); infant distress; and maternal intrusion behavior, “into‐the‐face.” We defined “infant‐initiated shared attention” as mother and infant looking in the same second at a toy that the infant‐initiated interest in. We documented that maternal into‐the‐face behavior decreased the likelihood of infant‐initiated shared attention, increased the likelihood of infant distress, and decreased the likelihood of infant gazing away. Reciprocally, infant distress and gazing away increased the likelihood of mother into‐the‐face. In moments when the dyad was engaged in infant‐initiated shared attention, mother into‐the‐face was less likely. This work documents bi‐directional contingencies in the regulation of maternal intrusion and infant behavior during face‐to‐face play at 12 months. We suggest that mother into‐the‐face behavior disturbs an aspect of the infant's experience of recognition.     

The Reciprocal Relationship between Depressive Symptoms and Alcohol Consumption: Group Comparison by Employment Status

As most previous studies have focused on a unidirectional relationship between depression and alcohol use using cross-sectional data, not much is known about the reciprocal relationship between them. Using two waves of longitudinal data, this study examines their reciprocal relationship and whether it varies by employment status, using structural equation modeling (SEM). A theory-based SEM was developed based on the tension reduction hypothesis and the intoxication hypothesis. The reciprocal relationship between alcohol consumption and depressive symptoms was found to be statistically significant. However, the relationship between the two varied by employment status. For the unemployed, the effect of depressive symptoms on alcohol consumption was significant whereas the effect of alcohol consumption on depressive symptoms was significant among the employed. These findings suggest that alcohol and mental health prevention programs should be tailored in terms of the users' employment status.     

Impact of Childhood Socioeconomic Position on Self‐Rated Health Trajectories of South Korean Adults

The aim of this study was to examine the impact of childhood socioeconomic position (SEP) on adult health trajectory in South Korea. Seven waves of data from the Korea Welfare Panel Study (KOWEPS, 2007–2012; Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, 2014 ) were analyzed using latent growth curve analysis. Health condition was measured by self‐assessment. The major independent variables were indicators of childhood and adult SEP. The findings suggest that those who perceive their childhood economic condition to be more affluent are more likely to assess their health to be better at the intercept. The insignificant effect of childhood economic condition on the slope and the quadratic term suggest that the initial gap remains over time. On the other hand, a disruption in education as a result of poverty was significantly associated with the intercept, slope, and quadratic term. The results suggest that although the large gap at wave 1 somewhat decreases, the gap in health remains because of the significant quadratic term. Childhood SEP has a a lasting effect on adult health trajectories, after controlling for adult SEP. Significant findings support policies and programs that are targeted to reduce socioeconomic disparities in childhood to enhance equality and public health.     

次债危机对我国股市的跨国风险传染——美国、日本、中国香港与沪深A、B股的证据

本文应用VAR—BEEK—MVGARCH方法研究了次债危机对我国沪市、深市A、B股指的国际风险传染。VAR实证结果表明,次债危机对我国股市收益具有显著的影响,可以通过香港、日本股指收益,来预测沪、深两市股指收益。多元GARCH模型实证结果表明,次债危机对我国股市收益的波动风险也存在显著的影响,可以根据美国、日本、香港股市波动风险来预测次债危机对我国股市的进一步冲击。     

Why ‘Reunion in Democracy’ fails? – the past and the future of a colonial city

ABSTRACT

This paper addresses the current political predicament in Hong Kong. However, rather than offering a casual political commentary on the current state of identity politics of Hong Kong, it offers a critical and historical evaluation of the ideas and practices of ‘Reunion in Democracy’ in the past decades.     

Institutional foundations for a just society

The author distinguishes between fundamental justice and incremental justice and argues that the Harsanyian/Rawlsian, ex ante, concept of justice is the only concept of justice relevant to the design and evaluation of institutions. Unlike incremental justice for which a concensus as to what constitutes justice is generally not possible the conditions that satisfy the Harsanyian/Rawlsian concept of justice are derived from the assumptions of rationality and aversion to large risks, and the postulate of fairness. A concensus occurs not fortuitously but inevitably. The paper develops eight principles of institutional design that contribute towards a just society and that follow logically from these assumptions and postulates. The paper argues that these principles are by and large needed for social welfare maximization, so that justice is generally consistent with efficiency. The paper applies the theory to the concept of exploitation, crime and punishment, as well as labour market and social security, to illustrate the working of the principles developed.     

CASE-DDB的设计和不确定性问题的解决

分布式程序执行行为的不确定性导致其调试工作复杂化，以至于无法用传统的调试工具进行调试。ＣＡＳＥ－ＤＤＢ是一种基于事件的调试工具，用于调试用分布式Ｃ＋＋语言编写的分布式应用程序。文中介绍了ＣＡＳＥ－ＤＤＢ的设计思想和基本结构，提出了一种调试执行行为不确定的分布式应用程序的方法     

融资约束对公司现金持有政策的影响

以2003—2012年持续存在的314家制造业上市公司为研究样本,研究融资约束对企业现金持有政策的影响。研究结果显示:有融资约束企业的现金持有水平显著高于无融资约束企业;有融资约束企业的现金持有量的变化与公司经营现金流显著正相关,说明有融资约束的企业会为了把握未来的投资机会而从当前经营现金流中储备现金。无融资约束企业因其外部融资能力较强,其现金持有量的变化不受企业经营现金流的显著影响。     

莱布尼茨的保守主义政治哲学及其对中国文化的推崇

莱布尼茨继承了西方传统的政治哲学思想,反对近代政治哲学将政治与道德和宗教相割裂的倾向,认为人的正义源于神的正义,为神的理性本质所决定.莱布尼茨将正义定义为智慧者的博爱,认为只有有德者统治的社会才是正义的.由此出发,他高度评价了中国社会的道德与政治,认为中国的天理就是西方的自然法,并希望中国和西方能联合起来,取长补短,共同促进人类的福祉.