The internal economy of Cuban tobacco slavery

The independent production by slaves of subsistence and surplus food, as well as material goods holding economic value, is a critical component in understanding the complexities of slavery as an institution. However, in the context of Cuba, scholars have either ignored or undervalued this practice – a result of the long-standing attention paid to slaves laboring in sugar production at the expense of scholarship on other slave-based agricultural economies. In an effort to highlight the existence of an internal, material economy within Cuba's slave community, this article analyzes Cuban tobacco slavery through a structural argument emphasizing how tobacco's unique labor arrangements facilitated the existence of an internal economy. As a result, within this specific community, tens of thousands of slaves had the potential to become autonomous economic actors whose independent activities fundamentally transformed the very nature of enslavement, most notably through the opportunity of self-purchase.     

Paris COP 21: Power that Speaks the Truth?

Abstract

In this paper, I set out some of the key aspects of the Paris COP 21 Climate Change Agreement. The Paris Agreement was initially reported as a major success. However, this was in so far as many thought any kind of agreement at all was unlikely, and because the Agreement includes Article 2: an aspiration to maintain average global temperature increases to significantly less than 2°C. I then ask the question: if the Paris Agreement is a success of sorts, has anything fundamental changed in order to translate the conditional success of achieving an agreement into an actual success that will realise the goals of the Agreement? I address this in terms of early assessment of trends and the Nationally Determined Contributions, how responsibility is positioned in the Agreement, and the political economy context, which has called forth the need for an agreement.     

Nation,state and identity in international sport

The question of eligibility for international sporting representation (ISR) has become increasingly contentious. In this paper we argue that the current ISR regulations are outdated and problematic. Sporting governing bodies ought to ignore citizenship as a criterion for ISR, and instead ISR should be based on a normative account of national belonging which would operate primarily on grounds of early socialisation and long-term residency. This approach would avoid many of the pragmatic and moral pathologies of ISR, and would utilise sports potential in promoting a liberal and progressive understanding of national ties.     

The monitoring of simple linear regression profiles with two observations per sample

We evaluate and compare the performance of Phase II simple linear regression profile approaches when only two observations are used to establish each profile. We propose an EWMA control chart based on average squared deviations from the in-control line, to be used in conjunction with two EWMA control charts based on the slope and Y-intercept estimators, to monitor changes in the three regression model parameters, i.e., the slope, intercept and variance. Simulations establish that the performance of the proposed technique is generally better than that of other approaches in detecting parameter shifts.     

Children in Poverty: Do State Policies Matter?

Objective . Variations in childhood poverty are primarily responsive to changes in family structure and economic conditions. Some research also suggests that federal and state programs may help alleviate poverty among children. This research incorporates measures of family characteristics, economic conditions, and policy variables in estimating changes in childhood poverty among the U.S. states. Methods . The research design is a pooled time series for all 50 states for the years 1987–1996. Results . Economic and family circumstances indeed are the major forces affecting children in poverty among the states. The unemployment rate for females, the percentage births to unmarried mothers, and the percentage of single-parent families are especially useful estimators. Public policies are important as well: the state or federal minimum wage, Aid to Families with Dependent Children/food stamp payments, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and two measures of state child support effort. Conclusions . Although at times controversial, actions by the states and federal government can help reduce childhood poverty among U.S. states.     

WILLINGNESS TOUPEE

In this paper we tackle the hairy problem of male pattern baldness. We survey balding men and elicit their willingness to pay to move from their current situation to a more plentiful one. Then we comb‐over the results. What's the average willingness to pay to move from a glistening cue ball to a luscious mane? About $30,000. (JEL B12)     

Using arts-based materials to explore the complexities of clinical decision- making in a social work methods course

High-impact educational practices through use of arts-based materials (ABM) enrich student learning by deepening emotional and cognitive understanding of others, providing new perspectives on issues, and engaging students in critical reflection. As a form of multimodal learning, using ABM in the classroom engages students in visual, verbal, nonverbal, and experiential learning, which has been shown to contribute to improved learning outcomes. This article describes a high-impact, whole-minded, project in an MSW clinical practice course that involved ABM. The authors provide recommendations for others who are interested in incorporating high-impact ABM projects into their teaching.