Genes mirror geography within Europe.

Understanding the genetic structure of human populations is of fundamental interest to medical, forensic and anthropological sciences. Advances in high-throughput genotyping technology have markedly improved our understanding of global patterns of human genetic variation and suggest the potential to use large samples to uncover variation among closely spaced populations. Here we characterize genetic variation in a sample of 3,000 European individuals genotyped at over half a million variable DNA sites in the human genome. Despite low average levels of genetic differentiation among Europeans, we find a close correspondence between genetic and geographic distances; indeed, a geographical map of Europe arises naturally as an efficient two-dimensional summary of genetic variation in Europeans. The results emphasize that when mapping the genetic basis of a disease phenotype, spurious associations can arise if genetic structure is not properly accounted for. In addition, the results are relevant to the prospects of genetic ancestry testing; an individual's DNA can be used to infer their geographic origin with surprising accuracy-often to within a few hundred kilometres.

Austerity and anarchy: Budget cuts and social unrest in Europe, 1919-2008

Does fiscal consolidation lead to social unrest? Using cross-country evidencefor the period 1919 to 2008, we examine the extent to which societies becomeunstable after budget cuts. The results show a clear correlation between fiscalretrenchment and instability. Expenditure cuts are particularly potent infueling protests; tax rises have only small and insignificant effects. We test ifthe relationship simply reflects economic downturns, using a recently-developedIMF dataset on exogenous expenditure shocks, and conclude that this is not thecase. While autocracies and democracies show broadly similar responses to budgetcuts, countries with more constraints on the executive are less likely to seeunrest after austerity measures. Growing media penetration does not strengthenthe effect of cut-backs on the level of unrest. We also find that austerity episodesthat result in unrest lead to quick reversals of fiscal policy.

Adopting a new religion: The case of Protestantism in 16th Century Germany

Using a rich dataset of territories and cities of the Holy Roman Empire in the16th century, this paper investigates the determinants of adoption and diffusion ofProtestantism as a state religion. A territory s distance to Wittenberg, the city whereMartin Luther taught, is a major determinant of adoption. This finding can be explainedthrough a theory of strategic neighbourhood interactions: in an uncertainlegal context, introducing the Reformation was a risky enterprise for territorial lords,and had higher prospects of success if powerful neighbouring states committed tothe new faith first. The model is tested in a panel dataset featuring the dates ofintroduction of the Reformation.

Instructions du ministre de l'éducation nationale relatives à l'application des arrêtés du 30 août 1937 et du 11 avril 1938 fixant les programmes de l'enseignement du second degré. Fascicule 1 / Direction générale de l'instruction publique, des beaux arts et des antiquités, au Maroc

Collection : Collection d'instructions et de manuels pédagogiques

Instructions du ministre de l'éducation nationale relatives à l'application des arrêtés du 30 août 1937 et du 11 avril 1938 fixant les programmes de l'enseignement du second degré. Fascicule 2 / Direction générale de l'instruction publique, des beaux arts et des antiquités, au Maroc

Collection : Collection d'instructions et de manuels pédagogiques

Instructions du ministre de l'éducation nationale relatives à l'application des arrêtés du 30 août 1937 et du 11 avril 1938 fixant les programmes de l'enseignement du second degré. Fascicule 3 / Direction générale de l'instruction publique, des beaux arts et des antiquités, au Maroc

Collection : Collection d'instructions et de manuels pédagogiques