La restriction de l’usage du tabac en prison au Québec : effets sur le climat carcéral

L’objectif principal de cet article est de mieux connaître les perceptions de personnes détenues en ce qui a trait aux effets sur le climat carcéral d’un règlement qui vise à restreindre l’usage du tabac dans les établissements de détention québécois. Une méthodologie mixte a été employée afin de recueillir des données auprès de 113 personnes détenues dans trois établissements de détention du Québec. Les données quantitatives ont été analysées de manière descriptive et comparative, alors que les données qualitatives ont fait l’objet d’une analyse thématique. Les résultats de l’étude démontrent que les personnes détenues, en désaccord pour la majorité avec l’implantation du nouveau règlement, ont perçu que son implantation a contribué à une hausse des tensions, du trafic de cigarettes et de leur valeur sur le marché noir. Selon leur position ou leur pouvoir, cette situation peut s’avérer profitable pour certains détenus alors qu’elle accroît la vulnérabilité d’autres détenus. L’hypothèse de départ voulant que l’entrée en vigueur d’un nouveau règlement sur le tabagisme entraîne des perturbations du climat carcéral est soutenue par les résultats obtenus.

Gambling behind bars : does prison provide ideal conditions?

While studies exist on the gambling habits of the correctional population prior to incarceration, little information exists on gambling habits during imprisonment. This article aims to describe gambling practices in Quebec prisons. The impact of prison life on these activities and their meaning will be analyzed, relying on semistructured interviews with 51 men currently detained in three federal penitentiaries in Quebec. Contrary to our expectations, the regulations prohibiting gambling in Correctional Service of Canada institutions do not present a central obstacle to this practice. In fact, participation in gambling is limited more by elements connected to the detention institution and the sentence. The availability of certain games, more particularly card games such as poker, as well as the pleasure resulting from those games seem considerably limited in comparison with group bets like sports pools.

Écrire en prison. Le cas Sade

Conférence présentée au colloque « La rhétorique épistolaire sous l’Ancien Régime » (University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada), 4 avril 2003. Texte de 2006 destiné aux actes du colloque.Ces actes, qui devaient être publiés sous la direction de Claude La Charité, n’ont pas paru.

Econometrics as an Academic Discipline in Higher Education: An Exploratory Study of the Need, Relevance and Significance

Econometrics is a young science. It developed during the twentieth century in the mid-1930’s, primarily after the World War II. Econometrics is the unification of statistical analysis, economic theory and mathematics. The history of econometrics can be traced to the use of statistical and mathematics analysis in economics. The most prominent contributions during the initial period can be seen in the works of Tinbergen and Frisch, and also that of Haavelmo in the 1940's through the mid 1950's. Right from the rudimentary application of statistics to economic data, like the use of laws of error through the development of least squares by Legendre, Laplace, and Gauss, the discipline of econometrics has later on witnessed the applied works done by Edge worth and Mitchell. A very significant mile stone in its evolution has been the work of Tinbergen, Frisch, and Haavelmo in their development of multiple regression and correlation analysis. They used these techniques to test different economic theories using time series data. In spite of the fact that some predictions based on econometric methodology might have gone wrong, the sound scientific nature of the discipline cannot be ignored by anyone. This is reflected in the economic rationale underlying any econometric model, statistical and mathematical reasoning for the various inferences drawn etc. The relevance of econometrics as an academic discipline assumes high significance in the above context. Because of the inter-disciplinary nature of econometrics (which is a unification of Economics, Statistics and Mathematics), the subject can be taught at all these broad areas, not-withstanding the fact that most often Economics students alone are offered this subject as those of other disciplines might not have adequate Economics background to understand the subject. In fact, even for technical courses (like Engineering), business management courses (like MBA), professional accountancy courses etc. econometrics is quite relevant. More relevant is the case of research students of various social sciences, commerce and management. In the ongoing scenario of globalization and economic deregulation, there is the need to give added thrust to the academic discipline of econometrics in higher education, across various social science streams, commerce, management, professional accountancy etc. Accordingly, the analytical ability of the students can be sharpened and their ability to look into the socio-economic problems with a mathematical approach can be improved, and enabling them to derive scientific inferences and solutions to such problems. The utmost significance of hands-own practical training on the use of computer-based econometric packages, especially at the post-graduate and research levels need to be pointed out here. Mere learning of the econometric methodology or the underlying theories alone would not have much practical utility for the students in their future career, whether in academics, industry, or in practice This paper seeks to trace the historical development of econometrics and study the current status of econometrics as an academic discipline in higher education. Besides, the paper looks into the problems faced by the teachers in teaching econometrics, and those of students in learning the subject including effective application of the methodology in real life situations. Accordingly, the paper offers some meaningful suggestions for effective teaching of econometrics in higher education

Análisis del sistema de administración de penas y castigos en Colombia. Un estudio del establecimiento carcelario Modelo de Bogotá. Desde la obra Vigilar y Castigar. 2000-2005

El interés del presente estudio consiste en analizar el tema del sistema de administración de penas y castigos colombiano, entre 2000 y 2005; a la luz de los planteamientos de Michel Foucault, en su obra Vigilar y Castigar; en lo concerniente al encierro como castigo y los elementos que se pueden desprenden: saber, disciplina, resistencia. Mediante una conjunta contextualización histórica y conceptual; se va haciendo una caracterización del funcionamiento, estructura, misión, objetivo etc.; de la prisión que en términos generales es similar; es decir, aunque haya avances teóricos, tecnológicos y científicos, a través del tiempo emergerán saberes sometidos que se instauran muchas veces, como medio de sobrevivencia. Comprobando que efectivamente sí, se fundamentan saberes locales, en una sociedad de control tan reprimida como la Cárcel Modelo de Bogotá.

Aprende física con Prison Break

Resumen tomado de la publicación

A new model of school discipline : engaging students and preventing behavior problems.

Las políticas restrictivas, de tolerancia cero y suspensión en los colegios de Estados Unidos no han conseguido mejorar su seguridad ni el comportamiento de los estudiantes, y está creciendo el riesgo de abandono. El autor presenta un nuevo modelo de disciplina transformador que es preventivo, proactivo y basado en la construcción de relaciones y en la consolidación de las habilidades sociales de los estudiantes que les permitirán mejorar su conexión con el colegio. El autor guía a los profesores y administradores para identificar sus necesidades particulares y para seleccionar las estrategias más apropiadas a aplicar en cada nivel de conflicto.

Qu’est-ce qui caractérise une pratique innovante pour l'apprentissage de l'histoire? Quelques réflexions à partir d’expériences de formation initiale en didactique de la discipline

Le rapport entre la recherche en didactique des disciplines scolaires et la notion d’innovation mérite d’être interrogé. Quelles sont en effet les finalités de ladite recherche? Visent-elles en priorité une mise en perspective analytique des programmes et des ressources scolaires? Une meilleure connaissance des pratiques effectives au sein de la classe? Ou bien une meilleure perception des processus qui aboutissent aux apprentissages des élèves? Cherchent-elles à produire des états des lieux substantiels ou à encourager l’innovation et l’évolution des pratiques? Et si c’était le cas, dans quelles perspectives et selon quels critères? En effet, comment définir et identifier une pratique innovante dans la classe? Répondre à ces différentes questions conduit le chercheur, et le praticienchercheur qui intervient dans la formation des enseignants, à orienter ses travaux dans une direction donnée, mais aussi à les situer par rapport à des questions vives qui touchent sa discipline et qui impliquent l’exercice d’une responsabilité sociale au coeur de son expertise, loin de toute velléité de s’enfermer dans une tour d’ivoire

Dilettantes, discipline and discourse: requirements management for construction

Requirements management (RM), as practised in the aerospace and defence sectors, attracts interest from construction researchers in response to longstanding problems of project definition. Doubts are expressed whether RM offers a new discipline for construction practitioners or whether it repeats previous exhortations to adopt a more disciplined way of working. Whilst systems engineering has an established track record of addressing complex technical problems, its extension to socially complex problems has been challenged. The dominant storyline of RM is one of procedural rationality and RM is commonly presented as a means of controlling dilettante behaviour. Interviews with RM practitioners suggest a considerable gulf between the dominant storyline in the literature and how practitioners operate in practice. The paper challenges construction researchers interested in RM to reflect more upon the theoretical debates that underpin current equivalent practices in construction and the disparity between espoused and enacted practice.