Worldly Saints : Social Interaction of Dominican Penitent Women in Italy, 1200-1500

Doctoral dissertation, University of Turku

Between Equity and Differentiation: An Analytical Schema of the Social Function of Education

The educational sphere has an internal function relatively agreed by social scientists. Nonetheless, the contribution that educational systems provide to the society (i.e., their social function) does not have the same degree of consensus. Taking into consideration such theoretical precedent, the current article raises an analytical schema to grasp the social function of education considering a sociological perspective. Starting from the assumption that there is an intrinsic relationship between the internal and social functions of social systems, we suggest there are particular stratification determinants modifying the internal pedagogical function of education, which impact on its social function by creating simultaneous conditions of equity and differentiation. Throughout the paper this social function is considered a paradoxical mechanism. We highlight how this paradoxical dynamic is deployed in different structural levels of the educational sphere. Additionally, we discuss eventual consequences of this paradoxical social function for the inclusion possibilities that educational systems offer to individuals.

The Social Value of Being Ambivalent: Self-Presentational Concerns in the Expression of Attitudinal Ambivalence

We tested whether individuals can exert control over the expression of attitudinal ambivalence and if this control is exerted with self-presentational concerns. Using the self-presentation paradigm, participants reported more ambivalence about Genetically Modified Organisms ("GMO") in a standard and a self-enhancement (present yourself positively) conditions than in a self-depreciation (present yourself negatively) condition, on both felt (Experiments 1a and 2a) and potential ambivalence, in its cognitive (Experiments 1b and 2b) and affective components (Experiments 1b and 2c). The role of ambivalent attitudes in conveying a positive social value was confirmed by the fact that the above effect was found on a controversial attitude object (GMOs) but the opposite appeared on a non-controversial one (e.g. tooth brushing, a truism; Experiment 3). Such a reversal was obtained by directly manipulating the perception of controversy on GMOs (Experiment 4). Attitudinal ambivalence may thus serve an adaptive function, i.e. achieving a positive social value.

Efectos de la presencia social de las lenguas escolares en el desarrollo lingüístico del alumnado extranjero. Un estudio empírico en Cataluña = The Social Presence of School Languages and Their Effects on the Development of Immigrant Students’ Linguistic Proficiency. An Empirical Study in Catalonia

El estudio de las variables relacionadas con la adquisición de las lenguas escolares en contextos bilingües y multilingües ha resurgido a raíz de la incorporación de alumnado extranjero al sistema educativo español. En este sentido, y gracias a su peculiar situación sociolingüística, Cataluña se ha convertido en un observatorio perfecto para estudiar el proceso de adquisición de lenguas del alumnado extranjero. En este artículo presentamos una parte de los datos obtenidos en la evaluación del conocimiento de catalán y del castellano de 668 alumnos extranjeros de sexto de Primaria escolarizados en 57 centros de Cataluña. Con ello pretendemos estudiar los efectos de la presencia y del uso social de las lenguas escolares en el conocimiento lingüístico de este alumnado. La hipótesis principal es que el desarrollo de buenos niveles de conocimiento escrito de las lenguas escolares por parte de los alumnos extranjeros depende, en buena medida, de las oportunidades que haya en el entorno social para que ellos puedan utilizar estas lenguas en los intercambios comunicativos informales con sus compañeros o con otros adultos. Las conclusiones del trabajo señalan las relaciones existentes entre el desarrollo de habilidades lingüísticas conversacionales y el de habilidades lingüísticas cognitivo-académicas (Cummins, 1979b), en el sentido de que tanto el conocimiento escrito de catalán como el de castellano que tiene el alumnado extranjero están condicionados por el nivel de desarrollo conversacional previo en ambas lenguas. Además, apuntan a que la transferencia de habilidades lingüísticas cognitivo-académicas no se produce directamente entre el catalán y el castellano, sino que depende fundamentalmente de la presencia social que tengan estas lenguas y de sus usos informales. Así, en la medida en que un buen número de estudiantes extranjeros no desarrolla suficiente competencia lingüística conversacional ni en catalán ni en castellano, el proceso de adquisición de las lenguas escolares se alarga más allá de los seis años

Age and gender differences in the social patterning of cardiovascular risk factors in Switzerland: the CoLaus study.

OBJECTIVES: We examined the social distribution of a comprehensive range of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) in a Swiss population and assessed whether socioeconomic differences varied by age and gender. METHODS: Participants were 2960 men and 3343 women aged 35-75 years from a population-based survey conducted in Lausanne, Switzerland (CoLaus study). Educational level was the indicator of socioeconomic status used in this study. Analyses were stratified by gender and age group (35-54 years; 55-75 years). RESULTS: There were large educational differences in the prevalence of CVRF such as current smoking (Δ = absolute difference in prevalence between highest and lowest educational group:15.1%/12.6% in men/women aged 35-54 years), physical inactivity (Δ = 25.3%/22.7% in men/women aged 35-54 years), overweight and obesity (Δ = 14.6%/14.8% in men/women aged 55-75 years for obesity), hypertension (Δ = 16.7%/11.4% in men/women aged 55-75 years), dyslipidemia (Δ = 2.8%/6.2% in men/women aged 35-54 years for high LDL-cholesterol) and diabetes (Δ = 6.0%/2.6% in men/women aged 55-75 years). Educational inequalities in the distribution of CVRF were larger in women than in men for alcohol consumption, obesity, hypertension and dyslipidemia (p<0.05). Relative educational inequalities in CVRF tended to be greater among the younger (35-54 years) than among the older age group (55-75 years), particularly for behavioral CVRF and abdominal obesity among men and for physiological CVRF among women (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Large absolute differences in the prevalence of CVRF according to education categories were observed in this Swiss population. The socioeconomic gradient in CVRF tended to be larger in women and in younger persons.

Pedological and isotopic relations of a highland tropical peatland, Mountain Range of the Espinhaço Meridional (Brazil)

The evolution of organic matter sources in soil is related to climate and vegetation dynamics in the past recorded in paleoenvironmental Quaternary deposits such as peatlands. For this reason, a Histosol of the mineralotrophic peatland from the Pau-de-Fruta Special Protection Area - SPA, Espinhaço Meridional, State of Minas Gerais, was described and characterized to evidence the soil constituent materials and properties as related to changes in environmental conditions, supported by the isotopic and elementary characterization of soil C and N and 14C ages. Samples were collected in a depression at 1,350 m asl, where Histosols are possibly more developed due to the great thickness (505 cm). Nowadays, the area is colonized by vegetation physiognomies of the Cerrado Biome, mainly rocky and wet fields (Campo Rupestre and Campo Úmido), aside from fragments of Semidecidual Seasonal Forest, called Capões forests. The results this study showed that early the genesis of the analyzed soil profile showed a high initial contribution of mostly herbaceous organic matter before 8,090 ± 30 years BP (14C age). In the lower-mid Holocene, between 8,090 ± 30 years AP (14C age) to ± 4,100 years BP (interpolated age), the vegetation gradually became more woody, with forest expansion, possibly due to increased humidity, suggesting the existence of a more woody Cerrado in the past than at present. Drier climate conditions than the current were concluded ± 2,500 years BP (interpolated age) and that after 430 years BP (14C age) the forest gave way to grassland, predominantly. After the dry season, humidity increased to the current conditions. Due to these climate fluctuations during the Holocene, three decomposition stages of organic matter were observed in the Histosols of this study, with prevalence of the most advanced (sapric), typical of a deposit in a highly advanced stage of pedogenetic evolution.

Spatio-temporal population genetic structure of the parasitic mite Spinturnix bechsteini is shaped by its own demography and the social system of its bat host.

Information about the population genetic structures of parasites is important for an understanding of parasite transmission pathways and ultimately the co-evolution with their hosts. If parasites cannot disperse independently of their hosts, a parasite's population structure will depend upon the host's spatial distribution. Geographical barriers affecting host dispersal can therefore lead to structured parasite populations. However, how the host's social system affects the genetic structure of parasite populations is largely unknown. We used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to describe the spatio-temporal population structure of a contact-transmitted parasitic wing mite (Spinturnix bechsteini) and compared it to that of its social host, the Bechstein's bat (Myotis bechsteinii). We observed no genetic differentiation between mites living on different bats within a colony. This suggests that mites can move freely among bats of the same colony. As expected in case of restricted inter-colony dispersal, we observed a strong genetic differentiation of mites among demographically isolated bat colonies. In contrast, we found a strong genetic turnover between years when we investigated the temporal variation of mite haplotypes within colonies. This can be explained with mite dispersal occuring between colonies and bottlenecks of mite populations within colonies. The observed absence of isolation by distance could be the result from genetic drift and/or from mites dispersing even between remote bat colonies, whose members may meet at mating sites in autumn or in hibernacula in winter. Our data show that the population structure of this parasitic wing mite is influenced by its own demography and the peculiar social system of its bat host.

The social disembedding of business theory and practice. A (neo-)institutional analysis of the homo economicus and corporate social responsibility, and the inherent responsibility of business scholars

Aim Structure of the Thesis In the first article, I focus on the context in which the Homo Economicus was constructed - i.e., the conception of economic actors as fully rational, informed, egocentric, and profit-maximizing. I argue that the Homo Economicus theory was developed in a specific societal context with specific (partly tacit) values and norms. These norms have implicitly influenced the behavior of economic actors and have framed the interpretation of the Homo Economicus. Different factors however have weakened this implicit influence of the broader societal values and norms on economic actors. The result is an unbridled interpretation and application of the values and norms of the Homo Economicus in the business environment, and perhaps also in the broader society. In the second article, I show that the morality of many economic actors relies on isomorphism, i.e., the attempt to fit into the group by adopting the moral norms surrounding them. In consequence, if the norms prevailing in a specific group or context (such as a specific region or a specific industry) change, it can be expected that actors with an 'isomorphism morality' will also adapt their ethical thinking and their behavior -for the 'better' or for the 'worse'. The article further describes the process through which corporations could emancipate from the ethical norms prevailing in the broader society, and therefore develop an institution with specific norms and values. These norms mainly rely on mainstream business theories praising the economic actor's self-interest and neglecting moral reasoning. Moreover, because of isomorphism morality, many economic actors have changed their perception of ethics, and have abandoned the values prevailing in the broader society in order to adopt those of the economic theory. Finally, isomorphism morality also implies that these economic actors will change their morality again if the institutional context changes. The third article highlights the role and responsibility of business scholars in promoting a systematic reflection and self-critique of the business system and develops alternative models to fill the moral void of the business institution and its inherent legitimacy crisis. Indeed, the current business institution relies on assumptions such as scientific neutrality and specialization, which seem at least partly challenged by two factors. First, self-fulfilling prophecy provides scholars with an important (even if sometimes undesired) normative influence over practical life. Second, the increasing complexity of today's (socio-political) world and interactions between the different elements constituting our society question the strong specialization of science. For instance, economic theories are not unrelated to psychology or sociology, and economic actors influence socio-political structures and processes, e.g., through lobbying (Dobbs, 2006; Rondinelli, 2002), or through marketing which changes not only the way we consume, but more generally tries to instill a specific lifestyle (Cova, 2004; M. K. Hogg & Michell, 1996; McCracken, 1988; Muniz & O'Guinn, 2001). In consequence, business scholars are key actors in shaping both tomorrow's economic world and its broader context. A greater awareness of this influence might be a first step toward an increased feeling of civic responsibility and accountability for the models and theories developed or taught in business schools.

Un "régime méditerranéen" bon à penser : la lisibilité sociale et médicale des pratiques alimentaires des migrants italiens aux Etats-Unis et en Suisse (20e siècle) = The good "Mediterranean diet" : medical and social readability of food practices among Italian migrants in the United-States and Switzerland (20th century)

[Ressource électronique] : open access journal

H2O-δD-Fe-III relations of dehydrogenation and dehydration processes in magmatic amphiboles

Stable isotope compositions of a suite of magmatic amphiboles from alkaline basalts and andesitic rocks were examined to constrain the effects of degassing processes on the hydrogen isotope compositions. The Fe3+ (as Fe3+/Fe-total) and H2O contents, as well as the H isotope compositions of the amphiboles, differ markedly (27-58%, 0.5-2.2 wt%, -107 to -15 parts per thousand, respectively) but indicate systematic variations. The observed trends can be explained either as dehydrogenation or dehydration processes, both of which are coupled to oxidation processes, the latter most probably related to O2- substitution within amphiboles. The dehydrogenation-dehydration models can be used to assess the primary compositions of the magmas. As an important example, delta D values of amphiboles of Martian meteorites are discussed in a similar context. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.