An insight into the actual socio-economic situation of Romania

Approximately half of the population experiences some degree of poverty while 10% live in extreme poverty (according to a report made by the Ministry of Labor, Social Solidarity and Family - MLSSF). This poverty has grown rapidly over the transition decade. Real wages, already amongst the lowest in Europe (including Central and Eastern Europe) in 1990, have since declined by approximately half. A high proportion of households, mostly those in rural areas, are engaged in informal economic activity such as small-scale farming, and it is estimated that at least one third of household incomes are in kind. High levels of poverty in the country tend to be associated with families of more than three children. The only ethnic group with a markedly distinct level of poverty is the Roma, who collectively experience 3.5 times the average poverty rate. Poverty appears to be up to half as prevalent again in rural areas (where over 45 % of the population live) compared to the urban areas, as there is also some regional concentration, often associated with declining of industrial activity.

Umbruch oder Abbruch? Beobachtungen zur Situation der EDV-gestützten Dokumentation in den Museen

In den letzten zehn Jahren ist das Wissen um die Entscheidungsgrundlagen und das Verständnis für die notwendigen Rahmenbedingungen beim EDV-Einsatz im Museum nicht wesentlich gestiegen. Im Gegenteil: die Macht des Faktischen verändert die Rahmenbedingungen dergestalt, dass die EDV-gestützte, wissenschaftliche Dokumentation ins existenzgefährdende Abseits rutscht: Immer häufiger wird der - verwaltungstechnisch notwendigen - Inventarisation der Vorzug vor der wissenschaftlichen Dokumentation gegeben. Das Hauptmerkmal der Verwaltungsarbeit ist jedoch Quantität - die Kunstgeschichte ist dagegen eine qualitative Wissenschaft: Hauptmethode ist das Beurteilen und Vergleichen. Es ist möglich, Datenbanken mit ihren Regelwerken so offen zu halten, dass sie eine Erweiterung der Datentiefe jederzeit ermöglichen, und Software so auszustatten, dass Verwaltungsarbeit mit wissenschaftlichen Ansprüchen genügenden Daten durchgeführt werden kann. Eine Offenheit der Systeme und eine unideologische Sicht der Entwicklungsmöglichkeiten kann den vermeintlichen Gegensatz von Inventarisation und Dokumentation lösen. Unerlässlich hierfür ist jedoch eine kritische Kompetenz der Datenbanknutzer, die dringend durch eine verstärkte Thematisierung der wissenschaftsmethodischen Konsequenzen des EDV-Einsatzes in der universitären Lehre gefördert werden muss.

The Implementation of Full-time Schools: The Situation in the Federal State of Sao Paulo (Brazil)

During the past years, Brazil has been mentioned internationally as a one of the so-called BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China). These countries have been taking increasing space in the economical and political global scenarios in the XXI century. The facts that they possess a vast territory and stand among the highest populated countries increase their relevance within the United Nations. Besides, three of them constitute nuclear powers and two of them belong to the United Nations Security Council. Brazil has significantly participated in forums such as WTO and UNO, representing central political articulation and stability to Latin America and in the structuring and growth of MERCOSUL (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Venezuela). Once again among the ten greatest economies of the world, the country has launched ambitious poverty-fighting programs helping more than 20 million people in the last years, such as the “Bolsa Família” (Familienstipendium) Program or and its complements). Nevertheless, Latin American countries are far from generating structural funds as the “European Social Fund” to assist specific demands of big cities as Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires. The commitments are restricted to commercial areas and bring nothing but slow and scarce advances to education or infra-structure and to the integration of systems related to these areas.

The sociolinguistic situation of ǂHoan, a moribund 'Khoisan' language of Botswana

In 2010, we conducted a sociolinguistic survey on the moribund 'Khoisan' language ǂHoan (Ju-ǂHoan), spoken in Botswana at the fringe of the Kalahari Desert. The survey aimed at investigating language use, degrees of multilingualism and language attitude among the ǂHoan speakers. Data collection was done on the basis of a questionnaire. We found that the positive language attitude of individuals towards ǂHoan often conflicts with the community's attitude towards this language, resulting in a split of actual language use between the family and more formal situations. All ǂHoan speakers are at least bilingual speaking the local lingua franca Kgalagadi (Bantu) besides ǂHoan. Most of them are in fact even trilingual, speaking Gǀui (Khoe-Kwadi) in addition to ǂHoan and Kgalagadi. Most of our results stand in line with an earlier sociolinguistic survey on ǂHoan by Batibo (2005a) which was carried out in 2003. In comparing Batibo's results to ours, changes in the sociolinguistic situation of ǂHoan as well as differences between the different villages will be pointed out.