Re-branding the NHL: Building the league through the “My NHL” integrated marketing campaign

This article is a case study examining promotional efforts undertaken by the National Hockey League (NHL) via integrated marketing initiatives launched during the 2005–2006 season. Following the 2004–2005 season player lockout², the NHL worked to promote itself to both fervent and casual fans. By briefly assessing past marketing efforts and the dwindling popularity of the league in recent years, the article provides a fuller picture of how professional hockey was marketed in North America when the NHL returned to play. The focus is on “My NHL” and the league's re-branding efforts as part of its new integrated communications plan. This research reveals that in its attempts to revive the sport the NHL has done a better job than with past efforts, however the current campaign must be aggressively maintained in order to successfully re-brand the league.     

作为空间理论家的葛兰西

对分析性的范畴加以空间化和历史化,是安东尼奥.葛兰西实践哲学的基本特征。这些理论运作深深地交织在他的“绝对历史主义”之中。对葛兰西哲学中空间性的强调,不仅有助于我们发现其著作中的诸多地理学主题,而且有助于纠正过分强调其历史主义维度的偏颇。葛兰西对空间隐喻的使用和他对南方问题的讨论,表明应当从空间—时间的视角去阐释他的许多关键性概念,而不仅仅是从社会的、物质的视角去阐释。葛兰西的空间、场所和等级等概念与他对语言、天主教会的意义、知识分子的作用、世界主义、阶级和阶级斗争、美国主义和福特主义、意大利国家的性质、国家权力的社会基础、雅各宾派、消极革命和领导权等问题的分析密切相关。葛兰西对空间、场所和等级的兴趣不仅仅是学术的,也跟他对革命形势的分析不无瓜葛。     

Kinship care for children in the UK: messages from research,lessons for policy and practice1

This article presents a comprehensive overview of kinship care, or as it is also known, family and friends care, paying particular attention to the UK child welfare, legal, policy/practice contexts. The aim of the article is to raise awareness, and provide information, about a hitherto largely invisible, yet expanding placement option being widely used in child welfare systems in the UK, in Europe and elsewhere. The article places kinship care within a UK and European child welfare legal context, including the European Convention on Human Rights 1998 [Articles 8 and 14] and European kinship care developments are also highlighted. It contains the main findings of a kinship care research study conducted by the author, based on interviews with children and young people living with kinship carers, as well as with the kinship carers. Following an examination of theoretical and policy issues, the article examines ways forward for developing and supporting kinship care. In the final section, and based on the research findings and literature review, a new paradigm for child welfare is introduced. It is argued that this new paradigm is necessary in order for kinship care practice and policy to develop within a supported and sustainable family support framework.