The perception of the African-American community through the eyes of the Hispanic media in the U.S.: a critical discourse analysis of the reporting of the death of Michael Brown

In this paper, 36 English and 38 Spanish news articles were selected from English and Spanish newspapers and magazines published in the U.S.A. from August 2014 to November 2014. All articles discuss the death of Michael Brown, the ensuing protests and police investigations. A discourse analysis shows that there are few differences between reporting by the mainstream and the Hispanic media. Like the mainstream media, the Hispanic media adopts a neutral point of view with regard to the African-American minority. However, it presents a negative opinion with regard to the police. It appears that the Hispanic media does not explicitly side with the African-American community, but rather agrees more with the mainstream media’s opinion and is substantially influenced by it.

Weaving Futures. Family Transnationalism in the migration from Dominican Republic and Brazil to Spain

This article explores forms of migrant families’ reorganization within a (new) global economic crisis and the hardening of migration control in Europe; based on the cases of Dominican and Brazilian migration to Spain.Our goal is not to characterize the wholeness of strategies from these collectives, instead visualize its heterogeneity. Displacement of Dominican and Brazilian population to Spain shares the role of women as the first link of migration chains. In both cases women are the economic support of transnational families and they lead reunification's processes. Nevertheless, differences in the time spent in the destination country, migratory status, origin (rural-urban), level of education, class and labor insertion in destination country, affect differently, the planning and start up of migration projects, the organization of care and family reunification strategies. These findings question the predominant place granted to national origin in the study of international migration.

Xanthoria parietina as a biomonitor of airborne heavy metal pollution in forest sites in the North East of Morocco

Xanthoria parietina, common foliose lichen, growing in its natural habitat, was analysed for the concentration of five heavy metals (Fe, Cr, Zn, Pb and Cu) from different forest sites of North East of Morocco (Kenitra, Sidi Boughaba, Mkhinza, Ceinture Verte near Temara city, Skhirate, Bouznika and Mohammedia). The quantification was carried out by inductively coupled plasma - atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Results were highly significant p<0,001. The concentration of metals is correlated with the vehicular activity and urbanization. The total metal concentration is highest at the Kenitra area, followed by Ceinture Verte site near Temara city, which experience heavy traffic throughout the year. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of particulate matter on lichen of Xanthoria parietina was assessed as a complementary technique to wet chemical analysis for source apportionment of airborne contaminant. Analysis revealed high level of Cu, Cr, Zn and Pb in samples near roads.