Some insights on religion from public goods economics

This paper provides a theoretical discussion on what analytical insight is gained by viewing religion as both a pure and impure public good. It suggests that organized religion converts a public good into an excludable club good and can be viewed as providing both an access regime for this club good as well as acting as an intermediary. Interestingly, this drives a wedge between the ardent and moderate adherents of a religion. It also presents an analysis of trust in social relationships when organized religion works to provide a credible signal of trustworthiness.

O papel da ouvidoria em hospital público: um estudo a partir das manifestações dos usuários do Hospital “Ophir Loyola”

Esta dissertação versa sobre o papel da Ouvidoria no Hospital Ophir Loyola a partir das informações contidas nas manifestações dos usuários do serviço. Trata-se de uma pesquisa retrospectiva, realizada entre os anos de 2008 a 2010, de cunho exploratório-descritivo, baseada na análise de documentos oriundos do serviço. Tem por objetivo geral analisar em que medida a Ouvidoria cumpriu as suas atribuições quanto às manifestações dos usuários do HOL. Visa também identificar quais as principais manifestações de insatisfação apontadas pelos usuários da ouvidoria que prejudicam a dinâmica do atendimento, e, ainda, verificar como a gestão do HOL responde as manifestações dos usuários da ouvidoria, no sentido de atender individual ou coletivamente as suas necessidades. O instrumento utilizado foi um roteiro de coleta de dados, inspirado em um modelo desenvolvido por Falcão (2010) em pesquisa semelhante, dentro da seguinte composição: manifestações relacionadas à esfera da gestão hospitalar e manifestações relacionadas à esfera da gestão do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). Dentro da esfera da gestão hospitalar, as manifestações foram assim distribuídas: denúncia, reclamação, solicitação, informação, elogio e sugestão, para cada um dos eixos de composição. Para a esfera da gestão do SUS, foram adotadas apenas: a reclamação, a solicitação e a informação, devido não terem tido ocorrências nas demais categorias. A amostra selecionada foi de 398 registros do serviço de ouvidoria. Contudo, no decorrer da pesquisa identificou-se que um registro gerava manifestação nas duas esferas de gestão, hospitalar e do SUS, o que gerou um acréscimo de 46 ocorrências, passando para 444, destas 81% contempla a esfera da gestão hospitalar e apenas 19%, a gestão do SUS. Quanto aos resultados, o estudo constatou que 50% das manifestações não foram atendidas no seu pleito, dessas, 8% estão relacionadas às não respondidas e 42% refere-se às respostas não satisfatórias, no entanto, esse dado chama atenção para o fato de a ouvidoria dar respostas, mesmo que não alcance o pleito desejado, principalmente quando este se relaciona à gestão do SUS, pela ingerência da gestão nesse processo. Com relação aos 50% restantes, 188 equivalem às respostas satisfatórias do pleito, destes 94% contemplam a soluções individuais e somente 6% (11 manifestações), alcançaram a coletividade, e apenas duas destas provocaram mudança de ordem gerencial. Desta forma, conclui-se que a ouvidoria do HOL não conseguiu cumprir as sua atribuições institucionais devido ao comportamento da gestão frente às informações geradas no serviço de ouvidoria mostrar-se pontual, com resoluções individuais e não voltado para a coletividade, no sentido de realinhar os entraves que prejudicam o desenvolvimento da assistência, sinalizados pelo usuário e promover a aprendizagem. Nesse sentido, o objetivo geral de analisar em que medida a Ouvidoria cumpriu as suas atribuições quanto às manifestações dos usuários do HOL foi alcançado.

Liderança no futebol: uma relação entre técnico e atleta

The sports psychology today is increasingly inserted in the day-to-day of sports teams, and it happens because the technical, tactical and physical levels are too equal. Through sports psychology we try to understand the behavior of each athlete and the group itself to achieve a better performance in training and competition. Thus, within the sports psychology we have the leadership phenomenon that has been constantly studied in order to understand the relationship between coach and athlete in the sports context. The objective of this study is to verify in the literature issues related to leadership in sports groups, as well as analyze how leadership is treated by coaches and seen by the athletes and also see how the leadership is specifically manifested in the football environment. As a methodological procedure was performed an analytical research in which a bibliographic review was developed. We conclude that in sports in general, there is a preference by part of the athletes for coaches with a training-education behavior, in what he cares about the development of the technical and tactical aspects of your team or athlete. And in the context of football that the most dominant style of leadership behavior of coaches is the autocratic and by the athletes, they considered most important the education-training dimension as ideal behavior of their coaches leadership

Autorenwerkzeuge für digitale, multimediale und interaktive Lernbausteine im Web 2.0

Die vorliegende Forschungsarbeit siedelt sich im Dreieck der Erziehungswissenschaften, der Informatik und der Schulpraxis an und besitzt somit einen starken interdisziplinären Charakter. Aus Sicht der Erziehungswissenschaften handelt es sich um ein Forschungsprojekt aus den Bereichen E-Learning und Multimedia Learning und der Fragestellung nach geeigneten Informatiksystemen für die Herstellung und den Austausch von digitalen, multimedialen und interaktiven Lernbausteinen. Dazu wurden zunächst methodisch-didaktische Vorteile digitaler Lerninhalte gegenüber klassischen Medien wie Buch und Papier zusammengetragen und mögliche Potentiale im Zusammenhang mit neuen Web 2.0-Technologien aufgezeigt. Darauf aufbauend wurde für existierende Autorenwerkzeuge zur Herstellung digitaler Lernbausteine und bestehende Austauschplattformen analysiert, inwieweit diese bereits Web 2.0-Technologien unterstützen und nutzen. Aus Sicht der Informatik ergab sich aus der Analyse bestehender Systeme ein Anforderungsprofil für ein neues Autorenwerkzeug und eine neue Austauschplattform für digitale Lernbausteine. Das neue System wurde nach dem Ansatz des Design Science Research in einem iterativen Entwicklungsprozess in Form der Webapplikation LearningApps.org realisiert und stetig mit Lehrpersonen aus der Schulpraxis evaluiert. Bei der Entwicklung kamen aktuelle Web-Technologien zur Anwendung. Das Ergebnis der Forschungsarbeit ist ein produktives Informatiksystem, welches bereits von tausenden Nutzern in verschiedenen Ländern sowohl in Schulen als auch in der Wirtschaft eingesetzt wird. In einer empirischen Studie konnte das mit der Systementwicklung angestrebte Ziel, die Herstellung und den Austausch von digitalen Lernbausteinen zu vereinfachen, bestätigt werden. Aus Sicht der Schulpraxis liefert LearningApps.org einen Beitrag zur Methodenvielfalt und zur Nutzung von ICT im Unterricht. Die Ausrichtung des Werkzeugs auf mobile Endgeräte und 1:1-Computing entspricht dem allgemeinen Trend im Bildungswesen. Durch die Verknüpfung des Werkzeugs mit aktuellen Software-Entwicklungen zur Herstellung von digitalen Schulbüchern werden auch Lehrmittelverlage als Zielgruppe angesprochen.

Was hat Max Weber mit Kātib Čelebi zu tun? Ein Annäherungsversuch an Gottfried Hagen

This article responds to Gottfried Hagen’s extensive review (see Der Islam 2/2013) of my book Islamische Verantwortungsethik im 17. Jahrhundert. Ein weberianisches Verständnis der Handlungsvorstellungen Kātib Čelebis (1609– 1657). Whilst I benefitted greatly from some of Hagen’s critical remarks and his- torical elucidations, his review not only misstates crucial passages of my book but also largely disregards its main objective, which is to develop a systematic model for understanding Kātib Čelebi’s ethical stance. Besides reiterating cru- cial arguments ignored and rectifying central aspects misrepresented in Hagen’s review, I here ask how the more fundamental misunderstandings – exceeding differences in theoretical positions or empirical observations – between the au- thor’s intentions and the reviewer’s reception may be explained. Gottfried Hagen’s historiographical perspective on Kātib Čelebi diverges from my sociological take on the same subject matter to the extent that both perspectives are struggling to enter into dialogue. Such dialogue, however, remains highly desirable so as to complement a historical reconstruction of Kātib Čelebi’s life and times with a systematic, theoretically grounded understanding of his views.

An examination of spirituality, self efficacy, and smoking cessation among adults in Houston, Texas

Over the past decade there has been a growing interest in the association between spirituality and health outcomes. Little is known about the role of spirituality among adult smokers who are motivated to stop smoking. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the relations among immutable individual differences, spirituality, and self efficacy among adults motivated to stop smoking. The first paper of this dissertation systematically reviewed literature to measure the concordance between spirituality and smoking status among adults in the United States. The second paper of this dissertation explored the association between spirituality and smoking cessation. We hypothesized that higher levels of spirituality were positively associated with smoking cessation. The third paper of this dissertation examined the association between perceived self efficacy and spirituality. We hypothesized that both high levels of self efficacy and spirituality were positively associated with smoking cessation.^ A total of 152 citations were identified based on the preliminary search of databases and reference lists. After a preliminary title- and abstract-based review, 17 full text articles were retrieved for further assessment. Of these, eight met the criteria for inclusion. Results of the systematic review suggest that there is inconsistent evidence to support or refute an association between spirituality and smoking status among adults.^ Smokers (N = 200) at least 18 years of age enrolled in a minimal contact smoking cessation intervention in Houston, Texas completed questionnaires. To examine our hypotheses we conducted cross-sectional analyses of responses to questions included in selected baseline questions and the final in-person visit three weeks post-quit day. Results of the logistic regression analyses indicated that individuals with higher levels of spirituality and self efficacy were significantly more likely to abstain from smoking. The positive association is also evident when controlling for employment, income, race, education, and nicotine dependence. The interaction between self efficacy and spirituality was not statistically significant in predicting smoking abstinence.^ Recommendations for future research and implications for smoking cessation interventions are discussed. Further research in this area would benefit from using standard measures of abstinence, recruiting larger and more diverse populations, and using longitudinal study designs.^

Follow up report : status of recommendations from the 2007 performance audit of the mass transit agencies of Northeastern Illinois.

"December 2009."

Management audit : Department of Transportation's Aeronautics Operations.

"This is our report of the Management Audit of the Illinois Department of Transportation's aeronautics operations. The audit was conducted pursuant to Legislative Audit Commission Resolution Number 135, which was adopted August 10, 2005. This audit was conducted in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards and the audit standards promulgated by the Office of the Auditor General at 74 Ill. Adm. Code 420.310. The audit report is transmitted in conformance with Section 3/14 of the Illinois State Auditing Act."--p. i.

Management audit of the flu vaccine procurement and the I-Save Rx Program /

This audit concluded that Illinois' preocurement of flu vaccine was not adequately planned or monitored and led to financial liability for vaccine that the state did not receive. The I-Save Rx Program, which imports prescription drugs into the United States from other countries, and was found to be in violation of federal law is also covered in this report.

Cognitive dissonance and the effect of acceptance of methodology, beliefs about religion, religious orientation, and dogmatism on the success of university students in a religious studies course

The problem investigated was negative effects on the ability of a university student to successfully complete a course in religious studies resulting from conflict between the methodologies and objectives of religious studies and the student's system of beliefs. Using Festinger's theory of cognitive dissonance as a theoretical framework, it was hypothesized that completing a course with a high level of success would be negatively affected by (1) failure to accept the methodologies and objectives of religious studies (methodology), (2) holding beliefs about religion that had potential conflicts with the methodologies and objectives (beliefs), (3) extrinsic religiousness, and (4) dogmatism. The causal comparative method was used. The independent variables were measured with four scales employing Likert-type items. An 8-item scale to measure acceptance of the methodologies and objectives of religious studies and a 16-item scale to measure holding of beliefs about religion having potential conflict with the methodologies were developed for this study. These scales together with a 20-item form of Rokeach's Dogmatism Scale and Feagin's 12-item Religious Orientation Scale to measure extrinsic religiousness were administered to 144 undergraduate students enrolled in randomly selected religious studies courses at Florida International University. Level of success was determined by course grade with the 27% of students receiving the highest grades classified as highly successful and the 27% receiving the lowest grades classified as not highly successful. A stepwise discriminant analysis produced a single significant function with methodology and dogmatism as the discriminants. Methodology was the principal discriminating variable. Beliefs and extrinsic religiousness failed to discriminate significantly. It was concluded that failing to accept the methodologies and objectives of religious studies and being highly dogmatic have significant negative effects on a student's success in a religious studies course. Recommendations were made for teaching to diminish these negative effects.

Influence of religious coping on the substance use and HIV risk behaviors of recent Latino immigrants

This study examines the influence of acculturative stress on substance use and HIV risk behaviors among recent Latino immigrants. The central hypothesis of the study is that specific religious coping mechanisms influence the relationship that acculturative stress has on the substance use and HIV-risk behaviors of recent Latino immigrants. Within the Latino culture religiosity is a pervasive force, guiding attitudes, behaviors, and even social interactions. When controlling for education and socioeconomic status, Latinos have been found to use religious coping mechanisms more frequently than their Non-Latino White counterparts. In addition, less acculturated Latinos use religious coping strategies more frequently than those with higher levels of acculturation. Given its prominent role in Latino culture, it appears probable that this mechanism may prove to be influential during difficult life transitions, such as those experienced during the immigration process. This study examines the moderating influence of specific religious coping mechanisms on the relationship between acculturative stress and substance use/HIV risk behaviors of recent Latino immigrants. Analyses for the present study were conducted with wave 2 data from an ongoing longitudinal study investigating associations between pre-immigration factors and health behavior trajectories of recent Latino immigrants. Structural equation and zero-inflated Poisson modeling were implemented to test the specified models and examine the nature of the relationship among the variables. Moderating effects were found for negative religious coping. Higher levels of negative religious coping strengthened an inverse relationship between acculturative stress and substance use. Results also indicated direct relationships between religious coping mechanisms and substance use. External and positive religious coping were inversely related to substance use. Negative religious coping was positively related to substance use. This study aims to contribute knowledge of how religious coping influence's the adaptation process of recent Latino immigrants. Expanding scientific understanding as to the function and effect of these coping mechanisms could lead to enhanced culturally relevant approaches in service delivery among Latino populations. Furthermore this knowledge could inform research about specific cognitions and behaviors that need to be targeted in prevention and treatment programs with this population.

Autoritarismes étatiques et régulation religieuse du politique en République démocratique du Congo : analyse discursive de la parole épiscopale catholique sur les élections (1990-2015)

Centrée essentiellement autour de la parole épiscopale congolaise, la présente recherche porte sur les articulations de la religion et du politique dans une perspective limitée au catholicisme en RDC. En prenant pour base empirique la ville de Kinshasa, elle thématise les effets des dynamiques religieuses sur les fermentations sociales et les changements politiques dans un contexte d’autoritarisme. Celui-ci est, dans ce travail, problématisé comme le fait conjoint de l’institution étatique et de l’organisation religieuse catholique. Le choix de cette approche relationnelle basée sur les interactions entre religion et politique, permet d’inscrire ce travail dans le champ d’études des sciences des religions. L’approche retenue s’appuie également sur les avancées de la sociologie politique et éclaire la régulation religieuse du politique, rarement étudiée par les sciences humaines. Cette recherche s’inscrit donc à l’intersection entre l’histoire, la sociologie, les sciences politiques, l’anthropologie, l’analyse du discours, la philosophie et la théologie. Sa thèse centrale est organisée autour d’une question principale : comment la religion participe-t-elle à la régulation du politique dans le contexte d’autoritarisme caractéristique de la RDC ? La réponse à cette question croise l’approche fonctionnelle de la religion et l’analyse des déclarations institutionnelles de l’épiscopat congolais. Elle esquisse les relations entre, d’une part, contextes et événements sociopolitiques et d’autre part, discours et pratiques religieuses. Elle construit la scène religieuse à partir de la trajectoire sociopolitique, économique et culturelle de la RDC entre 1990 et 2015, sous les Présidents J.-D. Mobutu, L.-D. Kabila et J. Kabila. Elle étudie l'offre normative de sens de leurs éminences J.-A. Malula, F. Etsou et L. Monsengwo. L’analyse de la rhétorique de l’épiscopat sur les élections vérifie la plausibilité sociale et l’efficience politique de la parole épiscopale congolaise. Elle se ressource dans la pragmatique de la communication telle que mise en œuvre dans l’analyse argumentative du discours de R. Amossy et dans celle du discours politique de P. Charaudeau. En mettant la focale sur l’objet linguistique « vérité des urnes », la recherche pose au niveau normatif, juridique et éthique, le problème de l’institutionnalisation d’un État de droit en RDC. Les élaborations sur ce dernier niveau s’articulent autour de l’inscription de l’éthique dans l’agir politique. L’examen des modes conventionnels d’action des chrétiens (élections de 2006 et 2011) et non conventionnels (marche des chrétiens de 1992 et 2012) conduit à éclairer les modes de reproduction ou de contestation de l’autoritarisme étatique par l’organisation religieuse. Il permet de promouvoir une démocratie des valeurs et d’action adossée à la parrhêsia. L’introduction de l’aléthique dans la vie publique donne à voir la parole épiscopale congolaise comme un discours ethopoïétique. C’est sur ce point précis que les élaborations de M. Foucault sur la parrhêsia aident à thématiser la capacité de la religion à informer et à influencer la démocratisation de la RDC. De là, la requête formulée pour un nouveau système d’action institutionnelle de l’organisation religieuse, susceptible de promouvoir le courage de la vérité en situation autoritaire. Cette innovation permet de tenir ensemble les valeurs démocratiques et les valeurs de l’Évangile, en les corrélant à la cohérence axiologique, à la probité morale et à l’intégrité existentielle des protagonistes de la démocratisation de la RDC.

A sexualidade nos idosos. Contributo para a avaliação das atitudes face à sexualidade nos idosos e a sua relação com a religião e nível cognitivo

O presente estudo teve como objectivo principal conhecer melhor aspectos relacionados com a sexualidade na 3ª idade. A escala utilizada foi construída por nós, tornando-se num elemento chave para esta pesquisa. A escala de atitudes face à sexualidade no idoso foi relacionada com algumas características sociodemográficas: género, idade, estado civil, escolaridade e religião. Da análise realizada ressaltam evidências de uma atitude conservadora face às questões da sexualidade na 3ª idade. Através de uma amostra de 120 idosos com idades compreendidas entre os 60 e os 97 anos de idade, constatámos que os homens e as mulheres distinguem-se significativamente no que respeita às atitudes face à sexualidade, exibindo os homens uma atitude global mais positiva e liberal (M = 25.82). Os resultados evidenciaram um efeito significativo da variável escolaridade sobre o nível cognitivo, revelando que quanto maior a escolaridade do idoso na nossa amostra, maior é o nível cognitivo. Relativamente ao estado civil, os casados revelaram uma atitude global mais positiva perante a sua sexualidade (M = 31.98) comparativamente aos viúvos (M = 27.26) e aos divorciados (M = 23.67). A religião apenas se mostrou associada com a escala de atitudes face ao cristianismo, evidenciando aqueles que são praticantes, uma atitude mais positiva em relação ao cristianismo. Na nossa amostra, também podémos constatar que quanto maior é o nível cognitivo, mais positiva é a atitude face à sexualidade. Com base nos pontos de corte do MMSE verificou-se que 75% dos idosos da nossa amostra não apresentava qualquer défice cognitivo. Comparados os grupos, sem e com défice cognitivo, constatou-se que o grupo de idosos sem défice cognitivo exibe uma atitude mais positiva face à sexualidade que o grupo com défice cognitivo. Pretendemos que de alguma forma este estudo contribua para dar a conhecer as atitudes dos idosos face à sua sexualidade bem como esperamos que os nossos resultados permitam uma reflexão sobre possíveis estratégias de intervenção no sentido de promover uma sexualidade bem vivida por esta faixa etária. / The present study aimed to better understand the main aspects related to sexuality in the 3rd age. The scale used was built by us, becoming a key element in this research. The scale of attitudes towards sexuality in the elderly was related to sociodemographic characteristics: gender, age, marital status, education and religion. From the analysis point out evidence of a conservative approach in relation to issues of sexuality in the 3rd age. Using a sample of 120 elderly aged 60 and 97 years old, found that men and women differ significantly with regard to attitudes towards sexuality, men showing a more positive overall attitude and liberal (M = 25.82). The results showed a significant effect on the education variable cognitive level, revealing that the higher the education of the elderly in our sample, the higher the cognitive level. With regard to marital status, married people showed a more positive overall attitude towards their sexuality (M = 31.98) compared to widowed (M = 27.26) and divorced (M = 23.67). The only religion was associated with the scale of attitudes to Christianity, showing those who are practitioners, a more positive attitude toward Christianity. In our sample, we can also see that the higher the cognitive level, the more positive attitude towards sexuality. Based on the MMSE cutoffs found that 75% of older people in our sample did not show any cognitive deficit. Comparing the groups with and without cognitive impairment, it was found that the group of elderly people without cognitive impairment display a more positive attitude towards sexuality that the group with cognitive impairment. We intend that somehow this study contributes to publicize the attitudes of the elderly compared to their sexuality and we expect our results allow a discussion on possible intervention strategies to promote a sexuality lived well by this age group.

Autoritarismes étatiques et régulation religieuse du politique en République démocratique du Congo : analyse discursive de la parole épiscopale catholique sur les élections (1990-2015)

Centrée essentiellement autour de la parole épiscopale congolaise, la présente recherche porte sur les articulations de la religion et du politique dans une perspective limitée au catholicisme en RDC. En prenant pour base empirique la ville de Kinshasa, elle thématise les effets des dynamiques religieuses sur les fermentations sociales et les changements politiques dans un contexte d’autoritarisme. Celui-ci est, dans ce travail, problématisé comme le fait conjoint de l’institution étatique et de l’organisation religieuse catholique. Le choix de cette approche relationnelle basée sur les interactions entre religion et politique, permet d’inscrire ce travail dans le champ d’études des sciences des religions. L’approche retenue s’appuie également sur les avancées de la sociologie politique et éclaire la régulation religieuse du politique, rarement étudiée par les sciences humaines. Cette recherche s’inscrit donc à l’intersection entre l’histoire, la sociologie, les sciences politiques, l’anthropologie, l’analyse du discours, la philosophie et la théologie. Sa thèse centrale est organisée autour d’une question principale : comment la religion participe-t-elle à la régulation du politique dans le contexte d’autoritarisme caractéristique de la RDC ? La réponse à cette question croise l’approche fonctionnelle de la religion et l’analyse des déclarations institutionnelles de l’épiscopat congolais. Elle esquisse les relations entre, d’une part, contextes et événements sociopolitiques et d’autre part, discours et pratiques religieuses. Elle construit la scène religieuse à partir de la trajectoire sociopolitique, économique et culturelle de la RDC entre 1990 et 2015, sous les Présidents J.-D. Mobutu, L.-D. Kabila et J. Kabila. Elle étudie l'offre normative de sens de leurs éminences J.-A. Malula, F. Etsou et L. Monsengwo. L’analyse de la rhétorique de l’épiscopat sur les élections vérifie la plausibilité sociale et l’efficience politique de la parole épiscopale congolaise. Elle se ressource dans la pragmatique de la communication telle que mise en œuvre dans l’analyse argumentative du discours de R. Amossy et dans celle du discours politique de P. Charaudeau. En mettant la focale sur l’objet linguistique « vérité des urnes », la recherche pose au niveau normatif, juridique et éthique, le problème de l’institutionnalisation d’un État de droit en RDC. Les élaborations sur ce dernier niveau s’articulent autour de l’inscription de l’éthique dans l’agir politique. L’examen des modes conventionnels d’action des chrétiens (élections de 2006 et 2011) et non conventionnels (marche des chrétiens de 1992 et 2012) conduit à éclairer les modes de reproduction ou de contestation de l’autoritarisme étatique par l’organisation religieuse. Il permet de promouvoir une démocratie des valeurs et d’action adossée à la parrhêsia. L’introduction de l’aléthique dans la vie publique donne à voir la parole épiscopale congolaise comme un discours ethopoïétique. C’est sur ce point précis que les élaborations de M. Foucault sur la parrhêsia aident à thématiser la capacité de la religion à informer et à influencer la démocratisation de la RDC. De là, la requête formulée pour un nouveau système d’action institutionnelle de l’organisation religieuse, susceptible de promouvoir le courage de la vérité en situation autoritaire. Cette innovation permet de tenir ensemble les valeurs démocratiques et les valeurs de l’Évangile, en les corrélant à la cohérence axiologique, à la probité morale et à l’intégrité existentielle des protagonistes de la démocratisation de la RDC.