Environmental hazard and migration intentions in a coastal area in Ghana: a case of sea flooding

Recently, there has been significant debate about whether ‘environmental migration’ can constitute a form of adaptation to environmental change, as opposed to forced or flight migration. The Foresight Report on Migration and Environmental Change (2011) suggested environmental factors are one driver of migration, as well as political, social, economic and demographic drivers, and that—under the right conditions—migration can be a form of adaptation to changing climatic conditions. However, this is dependent on migrants having adequate social and financial capital to undertake beneficial types of migration; it further argues that environmental change may result in ‘trapped populations’ whereby people who lack the necessary resources to re-establish livelihoods elsewhere may be left exposed to increasingly severe environmental shocks and stresses in situ. Research on the climate-migration nexus in West Africa has largely focused on out-migration from the semi-arid Sahel with more limited evidence about how sea flooding interacts with migration flows. This paper attempts to help fill this knowledge gap. Using data from a representative survey of households across three coastal communities in Ghana’s Volta River Delta, this paper concludes that exposure to sea flooding may not be a primary cause of out-migration as other community, economic and political factors influence migration intentions and decisions. Thus, it is important for planned adaptation interventions to be strengthened in situ to enable households, particularly farming households, sustain their livelihoods.     

Prejudices against immigrants in secondary school

This paper presents the results of a study of prejudice against immigrants in secondary schools in the Basque Country, in Spain. We carried out a review of the best-known questionnaires and catalogues on prejudices regarding immigration and we drew up a new questionnaire, with positive and negative scales of prejudices, in order to apply them to secondary school students in Euskadi (the Basque Country). We analysed the responses of almost 1500 students and thus obtained results for the main types of prejudice that exists amongst the students. We subsequently examined these prejudices and compared them with the scientific data, reports and other research that have generated much debate. As a result of this research, we have made available to educators, both inside and outside the classroom, the basis for drawing up strategies and plans for educational interventions with secondary school students. We propose a solid foundation for undertaking an educational programme that will be useful for combating prejudices and xenophobia in schools.     

Age Segregation and the Quality of Life of the Elderly People in Studio Apartments

ABSTRACT

The paper attempts to ascertain the impact of age-segregation on the quality of life of elderly people who are living in studio apartments in Singapore. After a review of the relevant literature and statistical analysis of a survey data for 390 elderly respondents in studio apartments, it was found that age-segregation have a deleterious impact on the quality of life of the elderly people. Furthermore, it was found that the perception of the elderly in relation to factors that are most significant to their quality of life is at variance with that of the policy makers. This implies that there is a need for policy makers and service providers to review their existing policies, products and services so as to be more effective in providing housing options for the rapidly aging population of Singapore.     

Die Bewertung von Verlustvorträgen und Tax Shields auf arbitragefreien Märkten

In this paper, the value of tax loss carryforwards is calculated using a modified arithmetic brownian motion for the taxable base. A formula for valuing tax loss carryforwards within a one period context is derived. A Monte-Carlos Simulation based on our findings leads to a valuation of tax loss carryforwards in a multiperiod setting and yields reasonable results. The methodology can also be used to value tax shields in a situation with an interest barrier as it is the case in the German tax system.     

Capacity rationing in rental systems with two customer classes and batch arrivals

Service differentiation is an emerging method to improve profit and to better serve high-priority customers. Such an approach has recently been introduced by one of Europe's leading rail cargo companies. Under this approach, customers can choose between classic and premium services. Premium service is priced above classic service and premium customers receive a service guarantee which classic customers do not receive. The company has to decide under which conditions it should ration its fleet capacity to classic customers in order to increase service of premium customers. We model such a situation as a batch-arrival queuing loss system. We describe the model, solve it optimally, and derive quantities of interest such as service probabilities. We further analyze it by performing numerical experiments based on the data from the company that motivated our research. We show that the potential of capacity rationing can be substantial in situations like the one we analyzed. We also derive conditions under which rationing is especially beneficial, such as under high unit fleet holding costs or in the presence of batch arrivals compared to single arrivals.     

Social capital and the impact of the recent economic crisis: Comparing the effects of economic and fiscal policy developments

In this contribution, we offer an analysis that evaluates the impact of the recent financial and economic crisis on social capital. An economic crisis offers a unique chance to study people's associational lives, volunteering, network-making, and trust-building under duress. Theoretical perspectives on the relationship between social capital and economic development emphasize a reciprocal relationship between the two. Therefore, we hypothesize that if economic performance is compromised, this might lead to an erosion of social capital. More importantly, however, we also argue that states can actively intervene by means of fiscal policy measures. We will illustrate our approach by comparing 29 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries before and after the crisis. Using qualitative comparative analysis, we demonstrate that imperatives related to fiscal policy stimuli provide leverage on social capital development.     

Welfare Systems,Support Networks and Subjective Well-Being Among Retired Persons

In this article welfare systems and support networks are empirically analyzed to determine which generate the highest level of subjective well-being among retired persons. Propositions derived from support network theories and national welfare system typologies have been analyzed using causal models that indicate the influence of the various welfare systems and support networks on subjective well-being. The data was taken from the Social Relations and Social Support Systems module of the 2001 International Social Survey Program. The results indicate that liberal welfare systems generate the highest level of subjective well-being. This correlates with a lower degree of confidence in the welfare state, greater interpersonal trust and greater belief in individuals and their capacity to secure their own well-being. In the sphere of material well-being the subjective well-being of individuals is affected by a greater trust in people than in the state.     

Preliminary evidence regarding the hypothesis that the sex ratio at sexual maturity may affect longevity in men

In human populations, variation in mate availability has been linked to various biological and social outcomes, but the possible effect of mate availability on health or survival has not been studied. Unbalanced sex ratios are a concern in many parts of the world, and their implications for the health and survival of the constituent individuals warrant careful investigation. We indexed mate availability with contextual sex ratios and investigated the hypothesis that the sex ratio at sexual maturity might be associated with long-term survival for men. Using two unique data sets of 7,683,462 and 4,183 men who were followed for more than 50 years, we found that men who reached their sexual maturity in an environment with higher sex ratios (i. e., higher proportions ofreproductively ready men) appeared to suffer higher long-term mortality risks than those in an environment with lower sex ratios. Mate availability at sexual maturity may be linked via several biological and social mechanisms to long-term survival in men.