Communist and non-communist Europe: Functional differentiation, 1970–1985

Examining four variables related to quality of life in the respective societies — the value of international trade in U.S. dollars, air passenger mileage, total school enrollments and life expectancy — this study distinguishes several Communist Eastern European states from several Non-Communist Western European states over four time intervals: 1970, 1975, 1980 and 1985. The method employed is discriminant analysis. The degree of distinction achieved with the four variables is remarkably clearcut and does not appear to be the simple consequence of different levels of economic development.     

Stages of change in batterers and their response to treatment

One important dimension of individual differences among batterers is their readiness to change. According to the transtheoretical model (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1984), all individuals go through precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance before a change in behavior is accomplished. The applicability of this model to intimate partner violence was assessed by administering the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA) scales (with reference to their domestic violent behavior) to 210 court-ordered male batterers. Their responses were clustered, and two clusters were derived and then compared on other measures. As hypothesized, cluster 2 individuals (characterized by a profile of URICA scale scores suggesting an earlier stage of change) self-reported less initial distress (depression, anxiety, and alcohol abuse), less violence, and fewer problems with anger than cluster 1 individuals (characterized by URICA scale sores suggesting a later stage of change), although partners reported no difference in violence perpetrated by the two clusters. Cluster 1 individuals evidenced greater improvement in self-reported depression, anxiety, and anger control. Strategies to engage the more resistant cluster 2 individuals as well as suggestions for future research are considered.     

Talking War: How Elite U.S. Newspaper Editorials and Opinion Pieces Debated the Attack on Iraq

Abstract

This paper examines how elite newspaper editorials and opinion pieces (hereafter collectively called op-eds) debated the attack on Iraq. The period examined was the two months preceding Congress's October 2002 authorization of the use of force against Iraq. The 292 op-ed pieces examined represent one of the most extensive looks at such op-ed activity in the United States.

There were several major findings. First, contrary to some liberal charges, the commentary overall was more critical than supportive of the administration. On the other side, however, if the elite press was not slavishly supportive of U.S. foreign policy, its criticisms were also rather muted. Supported therefore is the view that the elite media keep respectable opinion on foreign policy within a narrow range that excludes the most damaging criticism. Most notably missing from the print debate on Iraq in this period was much objection to the attack on specifically legal or moral grounds. The avoidance by the elite press of legal and moral language arguably helped convey the general impression that no legal or moral considerations were at stake. At the very least, it is shown, this sector of the public sphere did little to help the nation as a whole to deliberate morally about war.     

A Program for the Improvement of Instruction in American History

Although much energy has been spent designing children's books and curriculum to bring issues of diversity and acceptance into classrooms, perhaps the most meaningful and relevant curricular materials only require a digital camera and a space for students to talk about photos of their own classroom community, creating an organic and everyday curriculum. From over three years of research in a preschool classroom, the researcher-author tells how she uses digital photography to allow students to examine and reimagine their own social community. She revives the pedagogies of seminal social educators like Vivian Paley and Fannie Shaftel while offering a photo methodology for researchers of children who are interested in better understanding children's peer culture. As play is perhaps the most important vehicle of social education, carving out a time and space in the school day for a reflective component with digital photography can be an interesting and empowering way for children to examine social dilemmas and confront inequities.     

Promoting Resilient Livelihoods through Adaptive Social Protection: Lessons from 124 programmes in South Asia

Adaptive Social Protection refers to efforts to integrate social protection (SP), disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA), the need for which is increasingly recognised by practitioners and academics. Relying on 124 agricultural programmes implemented in five countries in Asia, this article considers how these elements are being brought together, and explores the potential gains of these linkages. It shows that full integration is still relatively limited but that, when it occurs, it helps to shift the time horizon beyond short‐term interventions aimed at supporting peoples' coping strategies and/or graduation objectives, towards longer‐term interventions that can help promote transformation towards climate and disaster resilient livelihood options.     

Transaction fee economics in the Ethereum blockchain

We study the economic determinants of transaction fees in the Ethereum blockchain. We estimate an empirical model based on queueing theory and analyze the factors determining the “gas price” (transaction cost per unit of service, “gas”). Using block- and transaction-level data from the Ethereum blockchain, we show that changes in service demand significantly affect the gas price—when there is high block utilization, per-unit fees increase on average, with strong nonlinear effect above 90% utilization. The transaction type is another important factor—larger fraction of regular transactions (direct transfers between users) is associated with higher gas price.     

Vegetation management and benthic macroinvertebrate communities in urban stormwater ponds: implications for regional biodiversity

Urban Ecosystems - Designed ecosystems (e.g., gardens or engineered ponds) are increasingly common components of urban landscapes and contribute valuable ecosystem services. However, management of...