Higher Education - Border or Boundary? Can Theatre in Education Help Promote a University Education?

With the expansion and increased availability of Higher Education the progression to study for an undergraduate degree has been viewed as a simple stepping stone with examination success a straight - forward border pass. Changes in the funding of degree courses has established a series of more challenging boundaries to entry which demand a rigorous assessment of the benefits of Higher Education. The Widening Participation Unit at The University of Worcester has sought to ease this border crossing for pupils whose parents have not been to university. Their experience from previous projects was that school pupils more easily relate to undergraduate students whose experience of Higher Education is recent and relevant. With this in mind they commissioned the Drama and Performance Department to create a Theatre in Education programme that introduced an awareness of post sixteen options and future choices to challenge Higher Education stereotypes. As a result of this collaboration Why Bother? was created, directed by myself and devised and researched with four students who were studying drama. Their own experiences were used to inform the character development and dealt with worrying as a mature student about integration into full – time education, loss of income after working, the pressures of emotional commitments to partners and being away from home. The programme toured to two thousand year 9 – 11 pupils in Worcestershire and Herefordshire schools in January and May 2011. Devising and touring Why Bother provided students with an opportunity to work as a professional paid TIE team that it is not possible for them to do as part of their undergraduate degree course. My initial research looks at the effectiveness and limitations of this project based on pupil questionnaires and the experiences of the team which are explored within the broader context of TIE and its potential for affecting attitudinal change. This has given rise to a number of questions that need consideration in the development of a new TIE programme aimed at raising the awareness of sixth form students who are about to make the decision whether to apply to university or not. Collaboration with university students in exploring the value of an education that they have subscribed to raises issues of bias and whether their powers of persuasion actually prevent pupils from making their own individual decision. The ethics of promoting a “free” university education seem much less complex than the decision required now which involves balancing the real value against the high financial cost suggested in the working title of Is it Worth it? This paper will present my first attempts to develop research methods and methodologies that will enable me to evaluate the success of this and future TIE.

"Bordados do Seridó" : uma experiência etnográfica com as bordadeiras do município de Caicó-RN

The narratives that circulate Caicó tell us that the activity of embroidery would have come to town by the eighteenth century, by the Portuguese colonizers. Initially, the embroidery worked as a constitutive element in the formation of women, especially in the construction of the role of "talented ladies", was later characterized in a income generating activity moving strongly the informal sector of the local economy. In addition to source of income, the practice of embroiderers is redefining the craft tradition, transforming the embroidery on one of the symbols of identity of the city as it reaches other markets, carrying the name "Caicó embroidery". The research aims to investigate the dynamics of artisanal embroidery production, within the family circle and its consequences after its entry in the commercial sphere. It also seeks to investigate how the activity operates within a context in which the subjects (embroiderers and intermediaries) and their distinct negotiations trigger certain discourses, particularly those related to identity and authenticity on behalf of economic, political and cultural purposes

A forma do privilégio: renda, acessibilidade e densidade em Natal-RN

The aim of this work is to understand the morphological expression of ground occupation by the higher income population, by focusing on population distribution in accordance with income layers and demographical density, as well as topological accessibility (HILLIER and HANSON, 1984) resulting from the urban grid structure. It endeavors to identify a functional organizing principle regarding the intra-urban space of Natal capital city of the state of Rio Grande do Norte, the research focus. In order to achieve this, census data as well as syntactic data were utilized for mapping and spatial analysis of income patterns, topological accessibility and demographical density using Geographical Information System GIS. The organizing principle was named as the Form of Privilege, a pattern that concentrates or tends to concentrate wealth, topological accessibility and low demographical density. Attempting to assess its extent, beyond Natal, this principle was applied to other Brazilian northeastern capitals such as: Fortaleza, CE; Teresina, PI; Aracaju, SE; Recife, PE; and João Pessoa, PB. Findings point out that although the urban structures of these cities are not immune to the Form of Privilege, Natal is emblematic of this phenomenon, a fact that demonstrates the perverse character of its spatial process, which historically creates privileged areas within the city, by means of the appropriation of accessibility as well as of the many urban benesses that are related to it by higher income groups at the expense of the major part of the population, which though being the people mostly in need of the benefits originating from the urban form are excluded from them

Interpretación metodológica de los precios de transferencia en Colombia

El concepto de precios de transferencia es un referente universal donde los países se han visto afectados por las malas prácticas comerciales que tiene las diferentes organizaciones en concentrar sus utilidades en aquellos lugares donde las cargas impositivas sean menores o tiendan a cero. Lo anterior implica que lo que dejo de pagar en una región por las bases tributarias determinadas lo estoy recibiendo como utilidad en otro país, generando índices de pobreza y de inequidad tributaria en los países de origen y riqueza a los países destino. Dentro de las directrices que tiene el Gobierno para evitar que se trasladen cargas tributarias entre países es definir unos criterios normativos vinculantes u obligatorios, que eviten que se tipifiquen estos focos de evasión y por el contrario generar una cultura empresarial donde se respete el principio de la plena competencia. Dentro de los criterios normativos están los criterios de vinculación, la información que se debe evidenciar como la comprobatoria y la informativa y las sanciones por incumplir los requisitos vinculantes antes mencionados lo cual nos obliga a profundizar en el mecanismo de control que ejerce el gobierno. De igual forma se establecieron destinos donde se tipifican los precios de transferencia como son los paraísos fiscales, las zonas francas y los vinculados del exterior, donde el destino más relevante donde el Gobierno ejerce control son los paraísos fiscales por sus características que las identifican como son las mínimas cargas tributarias y de igual forma la ausencia de información. Los contribuyentes del impuesto sobre la renta y complementarios que celebren operaciones con vinculados y/o estén obligados a la aplicación de las normas que regulen el régimen de precios de transferencia, deberán llevar acabo tales operaciones en cumplimiento del Principio de Plena Competencia, entendido como aquel en el cual las operaciones entre vinculados cumplen con las condiciones que se hubiesen observado en operaciones comparables con o entre partes independientes, lo anterior, a efectos de determinar sus ingresos ordinarios y extraordinarios, costos, deducciones, activos y pasivos para los fines del impuesto sobre la renta y complementarios. En el siguiente contenido el lector encontrara una metodología ilustrativa que le permita interpretar la normatividad contenida en el Estatuto Tributario (Ley 1607 de 2012 y Decreto 3030 de 2013 el cual reglamenta la norma la ley 1607) y su respectiva aplicación para dar cumplimiento a los requerimientos de la Administración de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales. Lo anterior significa que el contenido del texto es el contenido normativo el cual es detallado en su contenido en algunos aspectos gráfico, en otros casos numéricos y en los demás casos narrativos.

Extended formulations, nonnegative factorizations, and randomized communication protocols

An extended formulation of a polyhedron P is a linear description of a polyhedron Q together with a linear map π such that π(Q)=P. These objects are of fundamental importance in polyhedral combinatorics and optimization theory, and the subject of a number of studies. Yannakakis’ factorization theorem (Yannakakis in J Comput Syst Sci 43(3):441–466, 1991) provides a surprising connection between extended formulations and communication complexity, showing that the smallest size of an extended formulation of $$P$$P equals the nonnegative rank of its slack matrix S. Moreover, Yannakakis also shows that the nonnegative rank of S is at most 2^c, where c is the complexity of any deterministic protocol computing S. In this paper, we show that the latter result can be strengthened when we allow protocols to be randomized. In particular, we prove that the base-2 logarithm of the nonnegative rank of any nonnegative matrix equals the minimum complexity of a randomized communication protocol computing the matrix in expectation. Using Yannakakis’ factorization theorem, this implies that the base-2 logarithm of the smallest size of an extended formulation of a polytope P equals the minimum complexity of a randomized communication protocol computing the slack matrix of P in expectation. We show that allowing randomization in the protocol can be crucial for obtaining small extended formulations. Specifically, we prove that for the spanning tree and perfect matching polytopes, small variance in the protocol forces large size in the extended formulation.

Efeitos da composição domiciliar e da escala equivalente sobre as medidas de desigualdade de renda e pobreza no Brasil

MARIANO, J. L. ; FIGUEIREDO, ERIK A. . Efeitos da composição domiciliar e da escala equivalente sobre as medidas de desigualdade de renda e pobreza no Brasil. In: XXXVI Encontro Nacional de Economia,Salvador 2008.

Renda e Pobreza entre Famílias no meio Rural do Nordeste

MARIANO, J. L. ; NEDER, H. D. . Renda e Pobreza entre Famílias no meio Rural do Nordeste. In: CONGRESSO DA SOCIEDADE BRASILEIRA DE ECONOMIA E SOCIOLGOGIA RURAL, 42., 2004, Cuiabá - MT. Anais... Cuiabá, 2004. Dinâmicas Setoriais e Desenvolvimento Regional.

Seleção de jabuticabeiras juvenis considerando o vigor, o potencial antioxidante e a tolerância a geadas

The jabuticaba tree has great potential for commercial exploitation. However, its is very little used. This fact shows to be necessary to do studies that allow understand their growth behavior during the year and, if it is tolerant to frost. So that it can establish management strategies for cultivation in orchard. Other point, it is the fact that the long juvenile period of jabuticaba tree limits its use. However, many species have compound leaves that characterize them as functional compounds, what to posible its commercialization. If the leaf jabuticaba tree also present such nutraceutical compounds, this it may become an alternative source of income until the plant to start its yield. The objectives of this study were to analyze the growth behavior, the occurrence of flowering and fruit set, and the frost tolerance of jabuticaba tree genotypes present in the collection of Native Fruit from UTFPR – Câmpus Dois Vizinhos. Associated growth analysis was made evaluation of genetic divergence among these genotypes, checking the adaptive behavior in orchard condition through adaptability and stability analysis based on growth measures to stem and shoots; estimating the repeatability coefficient of stem length of characters and primary shoots, and determine the minimum number of evaluations able to provide certain levels of prediction of the actual value of these individuals. Also determined the genetic divergence among genotypes as the leaves of antioxidant activity by DPPH and ABTS methods, as well as the determination of total phenolics. The genotypes studied were put in orchard in 2009. The growth response in the three cycles was variable between months and genotypes, what it can be difficult the practices in the orchard if it do not use clones. Genotypes 'Silvestre' and 'Açú' showed greater width and leaf area compared with other genotypes, but such behavior is not favored for increased stem growth and primary shoots. Foliar increments in most genotypes occurred in the fall for leaf width, spring for length and leaf area, despite the winter also arise with genotypes, it showed superiority to width and leaf area. Most jabuticabas trees were juvenile stage with only four starting at its transition between the vegetative and reproductive phase. Tolerance to frost was observed in 26 families jabuticabeira of the 29 present in the collection. The diversity among the genotypes was to change with the time, already in each cycle, there was the formation of different groups by the methods used. The methods tested for adaptability and stability of the jabuticaba tree growth behavior did not show the same pattern in the results. The number of measurements needed to predict the actual value of genotypes based on variables evaluated was approximately one to the stem length and four for the shoots based on the method of main components of covariance with 90% probability. he antioxidant activity of the extracts of leaves of jabuticaba tree genotypes were demonstrated high when compared to other species by methods DPPH and ABTS, as well as the amount of phenolic compounds. Genotype 'Silvestre' and 'IAPAR' showed the highest antioxidant activity in the leaves. However, the genetic divergence among genotypes jabuticaba tree from collection of Native Fruit trees at UTFPR - Câmpus Dois Vizinhos for antioxidant activity leaves showed that they have great homogeneity among them and the low divergence. However, it is recommended as possible hybridization the use as parents, José 4, IAPAR 4 and Fernando Xavier genotypes.

Violent Dissent and Rebellion in Africa

This article analyzes how the selection process for the executive affects the risk of rebellion and insurgencies in sub-Saharan Africa between 1971 and 1995. Four executive recruitment processes are distinguished, which are characteristic for the African context: (1) a process without elections, (2) single candidate elections, (3) single party, multiple candidate elections, and (4) multiparty executive elections. The results suggest that single candidate elections and multiparty elections substantially reduce the risk of insurgencies compared to systems without any kind of executive elections. They further show that during times of political instability the risk of large-scale violent dissent increases substantially. The article supports findings of the civil war literature that higher levels of income are associated with a lower risk of intrastate violence, while oil-exporting countries are at a higher risk of rebellion. In short, this article further strengthens the need to use more specific measures of elements of political regimes, which also take into account regional particularities, in order to paint a more informative picture of how political structures influence the risk of internal violence.

The Scottish Parliament in the 15th and 16th centuries

Earlier histories of the Scottish parliament have been somewhat constitutional in emphasis and have been exceedingly critical of what was understood to be parliament's subservience to the crown. Estimates by constitutional historians of the extreme weakness of parliament rested on an assessment of the constitutional system. The argument was that many of its features were not consistent with a reasonably strong parliament. Because the 'constitution' is apparently fragmented, with active roles played by bodies such as the lords of articles, the general council and the convention of estates, each apparently suggesting that parliament was inadequate, historians have sometimes failed to appreciate the positive role played by the estates in the conduct of national affairs. The thesis begins with a discussion of the reliability of the printed text of APS and proceeds to an examination of selected aspects of the work of parliament in a period from c 1424-c 1625. The belief of constitutional historians such as Rait that conditions In Scotland proved unfavourable to the interests and. effectiveness of parliament in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, is also examined. Chapter 1 concludes that APS is a less than reliable text, particularly for the reign of James I. Numerous statutes were excluded from the printed text and they are offered below for the first time. These statutes have been a useful addition to our understanding of the reign of James I. Chapter 2 analyses the motives behind the schemes for shire representation and concludes that neither constitutional theory nor political opportunism explains the support which James I and James VI gave to these measures. Both these monarchs were motivated by the realisation that their particular ambitions were dependent on winning the support of the estates whose ranks should include representatives from the shires. Chapter 3 examines the method of electing the lords of articles, the composition of this committee, and some aspects of its operation. The conclusion is that in the main the estates were the deciding force in the choice of the lords of articles. The committee's composition was more a reflection of a desire for a balance between representatives from north and south of the Forth and for the most important burghs and clergy to be selected than an attempt at electing government favourites. The articles did exercise a significant control over the items which came before parliament but this control was not absolute and applied to government as well as private legislation. Chapter 4 questions the traditional view that the general council and convention of estates were the same body. It is argued that they were two different institutions with different powers, but that they nevertheless worked within certain limits and were careful not to usurp the authority of parliament. Chapter 5 concedes that taxation was sometimes decided outside parliament; that the irregularity of taxation certainly weakened the bargaining power of the estates and that the latter did not appear to capitalise on these occasions when taxation was an issue. But the tendency was to ensure that, whether in or out of parliament, the decision to impose taxation was taken by a large number of each estate. The infrequency of taxation was a direct consequence of an unwillingness among the estates to agree to a regular taxation and their preference to ensure for the crown an alternative source of income. Moreover taxation was one issue, which more than any other, would be subject to contentious opposition by the estates, and could lead to the crown's defeat. Chapter 6 is concerned with ecclesiastical representation after the Reformation and the church's attitudes to the possibility of ministerial representation. Some ministers had doctrinal misgivings but the majority came to believe that the church's absence from parliament bad severely reduced. the influence of the church. That no agreement was forthcoming on a system of ministerial representation, particularly after 1597, is attributable to the estates' unwillingness to compromise and, not to the strength of opposition in the church. Chapter 7 examines the institutions which are sometime seen as 'rivals' of parliament and concludes that institutions such as the privy council were generally very careful in matters which needed the approval of parliament, and seemed aware of the greater authority of parliament. Chapter 8 which illustrates how parliament had the right to be consulted in all important matters of state, brings together the main points of the earlier chapters and offers further illustrations of the essential role which parliament played in the conduct of national affairs. Whether or not the system can be regarded as constitutionally sound, the estates in Scotland could observe parliament's day-to-day operation with some satisfaction. All in all, there is little convincing evidence that parliament was as weak as some historians would have us believe.

Eficácia de um programa de formulação de objectivos no basquetebol, efeitos no rendimento e nas competências psicológicas. Turnover, uma consequência presente, uma realidade inalterável?

Dissertação de Mestrado apresentada no Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada para obtenção de grau de Mestre na especialidade de Psicologia Social e das Organizações

Uzasadnienie szczególnej ochrony ubezpieczonych na gruncie III filaru emerytalnego

Reforma systemu emerytalnego polegająca na zmianie systemu zdefiniowanego świadczenia na system zdefiniowanej składki spowodowała zmniejszenie wysokości otrzymywanych świadczeń przez przyszłych emerytów. Działania takie zmusiły zainteresowanych do poszukiwania dodatkowych źródeł utrzymania. Jednym z takich źródeł może być uzupełniający system emerytalny, określany mianem trzeciego filaru emerytalnego. Jego cechą charakterystyczną jest dobrowolność. Dla jego rozwoju niezbędne jest zapewnienie wzmożonego poziomu ochrony ubezpieczonych. Środki te dotyczą zarówno ogólnej polityki konsumenckiej, jak i regulacji cywilnoprawnych oraz administracyjnoprawnych. W praktyce można wyróżnić dwa poziomy ochrony ubezpieczonych w ramach trzeciego filaru. Poziom pierwszy jest właściwy dla wszystkich ubezpieczonych, natomiast drugi poziom zawiera regulacje ograniczone do uzupełniającego systemu emerytalnego.

La reagrupación familiar de africanos y latinoamericanos en la España mediterránea: dinámicas y estructuras sociodemográficas

Los extranjeros autorizados en 2006-2009 a residir en España por motivos de reagrupación familiar, muestran la importancia que ha alcanzado esta forma de inmigración en el total de nuevos extranjeros empadronados. La investigación se basa en una encuesta específica a reagrupantes africanos y latinoamericanos, que también informan sobre sus familiares reagrupados, hayan utilizado, o no, las leyes de reagrupación. Africanos y latinoamericanos ofrecen dinámicas y estructuras sociodemográficas muy diferentes, a resultas, entre otras causas, de la antigüedad de sus flujos, su fecundidad, su dominio del idioma español, su nivel de instrucción, sus posibilidades de ingresos, su estructura por sexo y edad, tamaño de las familias reagrupadas, etc. Se ofrece información para los dos colectivos continentales y para los subgrupos familiares —reagrupantes, cónyuges, hijos, progenitores y otros familiares—, y se utilizan escalas del conjunto estudiado y de ámbitos territoriales —Cataluña litoral, Comunidad Valenciana, Murcia-Almería—. Los africanos concentran los aspectos estructurales más negativos —idioma español, instrucción, ingresos,…—, pero también son los que declaran intenciones más firmes y generalizadas de permanencia en España. Las conclusiones orientan sobre el futuro de estos flujos.

Obésité abdominale et autres déterminants du risque cardiométabolique dans deux populations urbaines noires apparentées : Port-au-Prince (Haïti) et Cotonou (Bénin)

L’obésité est un problème de santé publique reconnu. Dans la dernière décennie l’obésité abdominale (OA) a été considérée comme une maladie métabolique qui contribue davantage au risque de diabète et de maladies cardiovasculaires que l’obésité générale définie par l’indice de masse corporelle. Toutefois, dans les populations d’origine africaine, la relation entre l’OA et les autres biomarqueurs de risque cardiométabolique (RCM) demeure obscure à cause du manque d’études chez ces populations et de l’absence de valeurs-seuils spécifiques pour juger d’une OA. Cette étude visait à comparer la prévalence des biomarqueurs de RCM (OA, hypertension artérielle, hyperglycémie, dyslipidémie, résistance à l'insuline et inflammation pré-clinique) chez les Béninois de Cotonou et les Haïtiens de Port-au-Prince (PAP), à étudier l’association de l’OA avec les autres biomarqueurs de RCM, à documenter le rôle du niveau socio-économique (NSE) et du mode de vie dans cette association et à ’identifier les indicateurs anthropométriques de l’OA -tour de taille (TT) et le ratio TT/hauteur (TT/H)- et les seuils qui prédisent le mieux le RCM à Cotonou et à PAP. Il s’est agi d’une analyse de données transversales chez 452 adultes (52 % hommes) apparemment en bonne santé, âgés de 25 à 60 ans, avec 200 sujets vivant à Cotonou (Bénin) et 252 sujets à PAP (Haïti). Les biomarqueurs de RCM considérés étaient : le syndrome métabolique (SMet) d’après les critères harmonisés de 2009 et ses composantes individuelles - une OA à partir d’un TT ≥ 94cm chez les hommes et ≥ 80cm chez les femmes, une hypertension, une dyslipidémie et une hyperglycémie; la résistance à l’insuline définie chez l’ensemble des sujets de l’étude à partir du 75e centile de l’Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA-IR); un ratio d’athérogénicité élevé (Cholestérol sérique total/HDL-Cholestérol); et l’inflammation pré-clinique mesurée à partir d’un niveau de protéine C-réactive ultrasensible (PCRus) entre 3 et 10 mg/l. Le ratio TT/H était aussi considéré pour définir l’OA à partir d’un seuil de 0,5. Les données sur les habitudes alimentaires, la consommation d’alcool, le tabagisme, les caractéristiques sociodémographiques et les conditions socio-économiques incluant le niveau d’éducation et un proxy du revenu (basé sur l’analyse par composante principale des biens et des possessions) ont été recueillies au moyen d’un questionnaire. Sur la base de données de fréquence de consommation d’aliments occidentaux, urbains et traditionnels, des schémas alimentaires des sujets de chaque ville ont été identifiés par analyse typologique. La validité et les valeurs-seuils de TT et du ratio TT/H prédictives du RCM ont été définies à partir des courbes ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristics). Le SMet était présent chez 21,5 % et 16,1 % des participants, respectivement à Cotonou et à PAP. La prévalence d’OA était élevée à Cotonou (52,5 %) qu’à PAP (36%), avec une prévalence plus élevée chez les femmes que chez les hommes. Le profil lipidique sérique était plus athérogène à PAP avec 89,3 % d’HDL-c bas à PAP contre 79,7 % à Cotonou et un ratio CT/HDL-c élevé de 73,4 % à PAP contre 42 % à Cotonou. Les valeurs-seuils spécifiques de TT et du TT/H étaient respectivement 94 cm et 0,59 chez les femmes et 80 cm et 0,50 chez les hommes. Les analyses multivariées de l’OA avec les biomarqueurs de RCM les plus fortement prévalents dans ces deux populations montraient que l’OA était associée à un risque accru de résistance à l’insuline, d’athérogénicité et de tension artérielle élevée et ceci, indépendamment des facteurs socio-économiques et du mode de vie. Deux schémas alimentaires ont émergé, transitionnel et traditionnel, dans chaque ville, mais ceux-ci ne se révélaient pas associés aux biomarqueurs de RCM bien qu’ils soient en lien avec les variables socio-économiques. La présente étude confirme la présence de plusieurs biomarqueurs de RCM chez des sujets apparemment sains. En outre, l’OA est un élément clé du RCM dans ces deux populations. Les seuils actuels de TT devraient être reconsidérés éventuellement à la lumière d’études de plus grande envergure, afin de mieux définir l’OA chez les Noirs africains ou d’origine africaine, ce qui permettra une surveillance épidémiologique plus adéquate des biomarqueurs de RCM.

Ciríaco de Cardoso e O burro do Sr. Alcaide : percursos de formação de um compositor de comédia musical no Portugal finissecular

O principal objetivo deste estudo foi compreender as etapas do percurso artístico do compositor portuense Ciríaco de Cardoso (1846 – 1900) e os discursos em torno de uma das suas obras mais célebres: O burro do Sr. Alcaide (1891). No primeiro capítulo procurou-se identificar e discutir os critérios que estiveram na base das opções profissionais tomadas por Ciríaco. O decurso da sua carreira leva a crer que possuía uma noção profunda das atividades que, no espaço lusófono, apresentavam maior potencial de aquisição quer de capital económico, quer de capital simbólico. É por isso que, mobilizando recursos das suas redes de sociabilidade, circula por instituições no Porto e em Lisboa mas, também, pelo lucrativo mercado teatral do Rio de Janeiro, assim como em Paris. Concentra-se no popular teatro musical – principal fonte de sustento – em paralelo com a atividade concertística e operática – forma de distinção atendendo à competitividade no mercado musico-teatral. Percebe também que a maximização do seu poder simbólico depende da legitimação alcançada pela sua associação às elites socioculturais locais, pelo que fomenta o estabelecimento de sociabilidades que se estendem inclusive às casas reais portuguesa e brasileira. Paradoxalmente, as edes mais próximas de Ciríaco estavam vinculadas a um idealismo republicano, relacionamento que exponencial proliferação de discursos dessa índole pelos media lusófonos (sobretudo a partir do tricentenário camoniano de 1880) e, por outro, pela aparente inexistência de registos que associem inequivocamente o artista ao ativismo republicano. Não obstante, é provável que Ciríaco de Cardoso tenha explorado o filão antimonárquico na programação da temporada de 1891 do Teatro da Avenida. O segundo capítulo explora a produção de O burro do Sr. Alcaide, através da análise da sua estrutura e das relações da obra com a realidade portuguesa da última década do século XIX. Embora respeite o modelo da opereta francesa, apresenta também características que poderão levar a que seja interpretada como transmissora de uma portugalidade idealizada, em linha com o nacionalismo português do último quartel do século. A ação decorre em Lisboa, cenário de interação entre personagens-tipo e caricaturas de personalidades concretas da elite sociopolítica portuguesa. Através de referências ao sebastianismo, satiriza-se o comportamento dessas elites, assim como as instituições da monarquia constitucional e a prevalência de uma visão messiânica dos governantes por parte da sociedade em geral. Faz-se a apologia da ruralidade através de tópicos musicais e de quadros onde se constrói uma imagem da música tradicional, correspondendo a uma idealização da nação – notada e enfatizada na receção pela crítica. Utiliza também outros tópicos pertencentes à paisagem sonora do público burguês, completando a expressão da urbanidade de um país onde essas duas realidades não eram ainda completamente dissociáveis. Contudo, ao não propor alterações efetivas à hierarquia da sociedade portuguesa finissecular, o desfecho da obra leva a concluir que esta terá consistido numa forma de propaganda o que, por um lado, explica o seu mediatismo e, por outro, vincula os seus autores – mais ou menos conscientes disso – às lutas políticas em curso aquando do ano da sua estreia.