Integration as a sociological concept and national model for immigrants: scope and limits

This article introduces the special issue on the contemporary validity of national models of immigrant integration in Europe. From a historical perspective, we address integration as a sociological concept for the social cohesion of European societies and for the integration of their immigrants; subsequently, we discuss the current ‘crisis’ facing both. We then outline seven country studies in order to compare the differences and similarities of their integration models. Although the importance of national integration has decreased with urban segregation, cultural pluralisation, European integration and globalisation for citizens and immigrants, most of the contributions in this issue show that national models of immigrant integration have not completely failed.     

Work–family attitudes and behaviours among newly immigrant Pakistani expatriates: the role of organizational family-friendly policies

The work–life interface literature is often criticized for its limited sample base, with the majority of research focusing on the experiences of white women living in nuclear family households in Western societies. This paper aims to address some of these criticisms by using a qualitative methodology to explore the impact of organizational family-friendly policies on the work–family attitudes and behaviours of 26 newly expatriate Pakistani employees in the UK. Individual, family and religious/cultural influences on these outcomes were also explored. Findings indicate that study participants undergo a shift of priorities that result from expatriation and the consequent attenuation of extended family and societal pressures to have children immediately after marriage; participants are delaying childbirth in order to gain educational qualifications and establish careers in a foreign country. A strong preference for familial childcare suggests that family-friendly policies such as part-time or flexible hours have the potential to significantly affect employment outcomes for Pakistani expatriate women, who, in the absence of extended family to provide care for children, might not otherwise return to work following childbirth. Other potential organizational interventions are also discussed.     

我国高级教育分流政策分析

教育分流是各国教育活动中的一种普遍现象,高中后的教育分流是三级分流体制中的最高级。通过对有关教育政策的回顾和剖析,探寻了教育分流及其政策背后的理论支撑,透析了高中后教育分流的成效及呈现的问题,提出了改变教育观念、革新分流方式、加强职普教育沟通,作好中高职衔接等系列措施,以应对当前分流体制的不足。     

农村干部对计划生育奖励扶助政策的认知与评价——基于对吉林省部分农村地区的调查

调查表明,农村基层干部普遍对计划生育奖励扶助政策的作用给予高度评价,对奖励扶助对象规定的合理性持基本肯定态度。大多数干部认为,奖励扶助政策在推动群众生育观念转变、纠正出生性别比失调、稳定人们政策生育行为和促进计划生育工作开展等方面不同程度地发挥了作用。奖励扶助政策对于一些农民家庭转变为城市户口的意愿产生微弱的抑制作用。提高奖励扶助标准、扩大奖励扶助对象范围、政策能够持续和降低享受奖励扶助政策的最低年龄等,是农村干部对改进完善计划生育奖励扶助制度的主要建议。     

Analysing the effect of public health campaigns on reducing excess weight: a modelling approach for the Spanish Autonomous Region of the Community of Valencia

Excess weight is fast becoming a serious health concern in the developed and developing world. The concern of the public health sector has lead to the development of public health campaigns, focusing on two-fold goals: to inform the public as to the health risks inherent in being overweight, and the benefits of a change in nutritional behaviour. Recent studies indicate that the effects of the average public health campaign on the target community is around 5%. In this study we aim to quantify the effect of different public health campaigns on lifestyle behaviour in the target populations in order to bring about weightloss in a significant number of people over the next few years.This study is based on recent works that consider excess weight as a consequence of the transmission of unhealthy lifestyles from one individual to another. Following this point of view, first a mathematical model is presented. Then, policies based on public health campaigns addressed to stop people gaining weight (prevention; this type of policy acts on individuals in order to maintain their weight and to stop an increase in weight) and, policies addressed to overweight individuals to reduce their weight (treatment; these campaigns act on overweight and/or obese individuals in order to reduce their weight) are simulated in order to evaluate their effectiveness. The study concludes that combination of preventive plus treatment campaigns are more effective than considering them separately.     

Colonial legacies, land policies and the millennium development goals: Lessons from Cameroon and Sierra Leone

This paper undertakes a comparative analysis of the land policies of Cameroon and Sierra Leone and arrives at the following conclusions: 1] the land policies of the two countries embody the politico-administrative philosophies of their erstwhile colonial master nations; 2] despite their marked differences, the policies share some features in common; and 3] land policies are critical in efforts to achieve the millennium development goals (MDGs). The analysis further shows that: 1] the land policy of Sierra appears better positioned than Cameroon’s to guarantee access to land for all as well as ensure environmental sustainability; and 2] Cameroon’s land policy appears to outperform Sierra Leone’s with respect to fulfilling the preconditions for eradicating extreme poverty and hunger by ensuring land tenure security, maintaining uniform land laws, and facilitating land markets.     

Migrants' entrepreneurship in transnational social fields: research in the Italian context

The aim of the article is to analyse the development of transnational economic activities run by migrants in Northern Italy. It is based on qualitative empirical research conducted in the three most important cities in northern Italy: Milan, Genoa, and Turin.

The article describes different kinds of transnational economic activity, identifying the subject of transnational transactions; the main clients (immigrant population or native population); the goods or services exchanged and their transnational impact; the expected social effects; and their positioning on a scale of transnational involvement.

The empirical cases considered are overland courier services on routes from Milan to Eastern Europe, shops owned by immigrants who offer ‘ethnic’ products in Milan and Genoa, and phone centres run by immigrants in Turin.

In the conclusion, the reactions of the receiving society and the question of public regulation are examined.     

The determinants of paternity establishment and child support award rates among unmarried women

This paper examines the relationships between several child support policies, paternity establishment, and child support award rates among never-married women. We use several state policies and practices in place throughout the 1980s to examine their effectiveness at increasing paternity establishment rates and at increasing the proportion of unmarried women who have child support awards. We also examine the direct relationship between paternity establishment rates and child support award rates. We estimate these relationships using a variety of specifications, using cross-state variation in child support enforcement to identify the effects of policies. To date, child support remains largely the province of state family law, and, although policies have changed dramatically in response to two decades of federal mandates, state laws and practices still vary.     

现代汉语中的情节理论研究及其意义

本文对情节理论研究进行了简单的回顾与梳理,并结合现代语境中叙事文本的发展变化分析了情节理论研究的视域及其意义,指出情节是一个具有丰富内涵与开放性的概念,情节分析仍然是当今叙事文本研究的一个重要方面。     

华语大片与中国电影工业

摘要： 大陆华语电影,尤其是华语大片存在的种种问题,都与中国电影工业的结构不合理分不开。而中国电影工业的结构不合理,则与中国电影人对中国电影工业的认识,以及决定中国电影工业发展的体制、机制乃至产业化政策分不开。因此,从电影工业角度重新梳理、阐释中国电影的发展,是摆在当今中国电影理论批评界的一个极其迫切的课题。通过从新中国电影事业体制与电影工业布局、新时期与中国电影工业、电影机制改革与中国电影工业、电影产业化推进与中国电影工业的变化、华语大片与中国电影工业、中国特色电影产业化与中国电影工业等方面梳理中国电影工业的发展变化,可以总结相关历史经验,并展望未来的发展。