The science of monetary policy: A new Keynesian perspective

This paper reviews the recent literature on monetary policy rules. We exposit the monetary policy design problem within a simple baselinetheoretical framework. We then consider the implications of adding various real world complications. Among other things, we show that the optimal policy implicitly incorporates inflation targeting. Wealso characterize the gains from making credible commitments to fightinflation. In contrast to conventional wisdom, we show that gains from commitment may emerge even in the central bank is not trying toinadvisedly push output above its natural level. We also consider theimplications of frictions such as imperfect information.

The pricing of academic journals: A two-sided market perspective

More and more academic journals adopt an open-access policy, by which articlesare accessible free of charge, while publication costs are recovered through authorfees. We study the consequences of this open access policy on a journal s qualitystandard. If the journal s objective was to maximize social welfare, open accesswould be optimal as long as the positive externalities generated by its diffusionexceed the marginal cost of distribution. However, we show that if an open accessjournal has a different objective (such as maximizing readers payoffs, the impactof the journal or its profit), it tends to choose a quality standard below the sociallyefficient level.

The role of Mexico in the first oil shortage: 1918-1922, an international perspective

In 1921 Mexico produced a quarter of world s petroleum, making the country the secondlargest producer in the world, but by 1930 it only accounted for 3 per cent of world sproduction. To date the discussion has mostly relied on events taking place in Mexico forexplaining the decline of the industry. Very little attention has been placed todevelopments in petroleum industry elsewhere, except Venezuela. Practically noattention has been paid to the reasons for the rise of oil output in Mexico. This neglectsthe massive changes taking place in the petroleum industry worldwide during the GreatWar years and its aftermath, and overall ignores the shortage of oil that occurred in theworld s markets between 1918-1921. These are crucial events in order to understand theearly rise of the Mexican oil industry and set the basis for a better understanding of thesubsequent sudden decline.

Image restoration in astronomy: a Bayesian perspective

When preparing an article on image restoration in astronomy, it is obvious that some topics have to be dropped to keep the work at reasonable length. We have decided to concentrate on image and noise models and on the algorithms to find the restoration. Topics like parameter estimation and stopping rules are also commented on. We start by describing the Bayesian paradigm and then proceed to study the noise and blur models used by the astronomical community. Then the prior models used to restore astronomical images are examined. We describe the algorithms used to find the restoration for the most common combinations of degradation and image models. Then we comment on important issues such as acceleration of algorithms, stopping rules, and parameter estimation. We also comment on the huge amount of information available to, and made available by, the astronomical community.

Why Italy and not Spain?: comparing two industrialization processes from a dissagregate time-series perspective

This study presents new evidence concerning the uneven processes of industrialization innineteenth century Spain and Italy based on a disaggregate analysis of the productivesectors from which the behaviour of the aggregate indices is comprised. The use of multivariate time-series analysis techniques can aid our understanding and characterization of these two processes of industrialization. The identification of those sectors with key rolesin leading industrial growth provides new evidence concerning the factors that governed thebehaviour of the aggregates in the two economies. In addition, the analysis of the existenceof interindustry linkages reveals the scale of the industrialization process, and wheresignificant differences exist, accounts for many of the divergences recorded in the historiography for the period 1850-1913.

Why Italy and not Spain?: comparing two industrialization processes from a dissagregate time-series perspective

This study presents new evidence concerning the uneven processes of industrialization innineteenth century Spain and Italy based on a disaggregate analysis of the productivesectors from which the behaviour of the aggregate indices is comprised. The use of multivariate time-series analysis techniques can aid our understanding and characterization of these two processes of industrialization. The identification of those sectors with key rolesin leading industrial growth provides new evidence concerning the factors that governed thebehaviour of the aggregates in the two economies. In addition, the analysis of the existenceof interindustry linkages reveals the scale of the industrialization process, and wheresignificant differences exist, accounts for many of the divergences recorded in the historiography for the period 1850-1913.

Dynamics of flow: a nonlinear perspective

The aims of this study are to consider the experience of flow from a nonlinear dynamics perspective. The processes and temporal nature of intrinsic motivation and flow, would suggest that flow experiences fluctuate over time in a dynamical fashion. Thus it can be argued that the potential for chaos is strong. The sample was composed of 20 employees (both full and part time) recruited from a number of different organizations and work backgrounds. The Experience Sampling Method (ESM) was used for data collection. Once obtained the temporal series, they were subjected to various analyses proper to the com- plexity theory (Visual Recurrence Analysis and Surrogate Data Analysis). Results showed that in 80% of the cases, flow presented a chaotic dynamic, in that, flow experiences delineated a complex dynamic whose patterns of change were not easy to predict. Implications of the study, its limitations and future research are discussed.

Animación sociocultural, educación y educación no formal

El objeto central de este artículo es presentar y debatir algunos aspectos conceptuales de la relación entre la animación sociocultural y la educación. Para ello, en primer lugar se polemiza con algunos posicionamientos reticentes o tibios en cuanto a la vinculación pedagógica de la animación sociocultural. Después, el discurso se torna positivo para presentar algunos aspectos relevantes de la relación entre ambos conceptos. Finalmente, se analiza el lugar que le correspondería a la ASC en un universo educativo sectorializado en ámbitos formales, no formales e informales. Antes que nada, sin embargo, a modo de paréntesis introductorio, se esboza una relación de los distintos niveles de elaboración teórica de la ASC, para situar el que correspondería al tema de este trabajo y explicitar asi algunas de sus limitaciones.

Sobre las inferencias en ELE y L2

El objetivo del trabajo es analizar el artículo 'Las inferencias en la comprensión lectora: una ventana hacia los procesos cognitivos en segundas lenguas' de Inmaculada Escudero desde la perspectiva de un enfoque sociocultural.

The Coverage of the European independence movements from a Canadian perspective: Comparisons of the francophone online press in Quebec with the English Canadian press on the independence movements in Scotland and Catalonia

This research paper provides the basis of a future doctoral thesison the construction of foreign news. We aim to highlight similarities and differences in the online news coverage of the nationalist movments in Scotland and Catalonia in the Canadian Anglophone and Francophone press. Through a qualitative and quantitative content analysis of The Montreal Gazette, The National Post, The Globe and Mail, Le Devoir and La Presse, we attempt to show the frames used in the coverage of the political developments in both “stateless regions” from January 2011 to September 2014, when a referendum on the constitutional status of Scotland has beenagreed on. In parallel to the analysis of daily online newspapers, we will use semi-structured interviews of journalists from each news organization to obtain more in-depth knowledge of the factors influencing the construction of news. Lastly, we want to find out to the extent to which the coverage on the nationalist movements in Scotland and Catalonia serve to revive the debate on the independence question of Québec

Territorios baldíos: identidades juveniles indígenas y rurales en América Latina

Las teorías sobre la invención histórica de la infancia y la adolescencia se han basado casi exclusivamente en fuentes occidentales (más exactamente centroeuropeas y anglosajonas), por lo que es urgente una reconceptualización en una óptica diacrónica y transcultural. Una de las conclusiones del encuentro «A criança e o jovem na America Latina», que tuvo lugar en Marilia (Brasil) en noviembre del 2001, organizado por la International Sociological Association, fue la necesidad de reconceptualizar la infancia y la juventud desde una perspectiva latinoamericana (como ámbito geográfico, académico y cultural). En este artículo proponemos retomar, en una perspectiva comparativa y como ejemplo de la riqueza y complejidad de las tareas pendientes, dos casos documentales y etnográficos recabados en nuestras propias indagaciones en México (Feixa, 1998b) y Chile (González, 2004a, 2004b), en la idea de comenzar a cursar esta «asignatura pendiente».

Minories ètniques, associacionisme i integració sociocultural

Les associacions, enteses com una forma de vertebrar la minoria i defensar-ne els interessos, és a dir, com a base per a l’acció col·lectiva, poden actuar com a catalitzador del procés d’integració social i de la seva negociació, com també de la seva participació política. Des d’aquest plantejament es presenta la síntesi d’un estudi de les associacions d’africans i gitanos de dues províncies (una de la comunitat autònoma d’Aragó i una altra de Catalunya) destacant-ne els objectius, el funcionament, els membres, les dificultats i els problemes i si tenen un paper important en el procés d’integració sociocultural dels seus «representats». Al mateix temps, utilitzant una enquesta i entrevistes en profunditat a individus d’aquests col·lectius, ens aproximarem al coneixement, a l’acceptació, a la participació... en aquestes associacions.

Frecuencias de conductas sexuales en mujeres de nivel sociocultural medio-alto

El presente estudio, realizado mediante una versión adaptada del Woman Sexuality Questionnaire, permite conocer la frecuencia de conductas sexuales en mujeres de nivel cultural medio-alto. Se estudian once las diferentes variables sexuales en función de si se dispone de pareja estable (cohabitando y no cohabitando), o no. Los datos apuntan que la mujer con pareja estable, y que cohabita, tiende a presentar una mayor responsabilidad sexual frente a los demás grupos.