scholarly journals Diversity, Biodiversity, Conservation, and Sustainability

2001 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 534-543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joao Carlos Marques
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Model ◽  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Active Expression ◽  
Sustainability Concept ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Cyclic Changes ◽  
External Intervention ◽  
The Way

The concepts of diversity and biodiversity are analysed regarding their historical emergence, and their intrinsic meaning and differences are discussed. Through a brief synopsis, difficulties usually experienced by statisticians in capturing the dynamics of diversity are analysed and main problems identified. The shift from diversity to the more holistic biodiversity as a working concept is appraised in terms of the novelty involved. Through a number of examples, the way the two concepts capture natural cyclic changes is analysed, and their reciprocal and complementary relations are approached theoretically. The way diversity could develop from the stores of biodiversity as its active expression through selective and evolutionary processes is described. Through the use of a very simple dynamic model, the concepts of diversity and biodiversity are analysed in extremely opposite hypothetical scenarios. Comparisons with natural situations are made and the theoretical implications from the conservation point of view are discussed. These support the opinion that conservation undertaken in restricted and protected areas is not self-sustainable, needing permanent external intervention to regulate internal processes, and in the long run will most probably lead in the direction of obsolescence and extinction. Finally, the relations between diversity, biodiversity, and sustainability are approached. The vagueness of the sustainability concept is discussed. Preservation of biodiversity is then defended as one of the best available indicators to assist us in fixing boundaries which may help to provide a more precise definition of sustainability.

Identitatea rromilor. Patrimoniul cultural material și imaterial al etniei rrome

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 ◽  
pp. 353-370
Author(s):  
Marius Lakatos Iancu
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Group ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Traditional Values ◽  
Economic Point ◽  
Cultural Patrimony ◽  
Cultural Elements ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Way

"The material and immaterial cultural patrimony of Rroma ethnicity This study aims to address a series of cultural values representative of the Rroma from the perspective of traditional trades, inherited or practiced and which define their ethnic identity. It is too unlikely to know exactly who and what the Rroma were due to the lack of sources and moreover, written studies about this ethnic group were based more on elements related to folklore or legends. Starting from the premise that, from a historical and conceptual point of view, the Rroma people have not yet defined themselves as identity anymore, for a long time the monopoly on the definition of Rroma belonged to the majority, the study aims to illustrate those cultural elements in within the community that were and are still in the contemporary period a landmark of unconditional self-definition of the Rroma. The indicators to which we refer as individuals in those situations in which we are exposed to name and qualify a group, are not only those of certified historical nature through writings, they are also established in the context of how the group expresses its material cultural heritage and immaterial that it represents. Although this concept promotes the need to know the identity of groups, the Rroma ethnic group has difficulties in terms of the identity culture displayed and the way it is perceived by society. The Rroma minority, indeed, encounters difficulties from a socio-economic point of view, the vast majority of society referring to this deficit in the situations of labeling and defining the Rroma identity. However, the Rroma ethnicity can also be defined on the basis of specific values attested by ethnicity, cultural values such as trades, crafts and customs, dress, spoken language and human values such as unity, solidarity, trust and faith. Thus, the study itself aims to illustrate those unknown or less known elements about the Rroma, exposing those cultural-traditional values that have the role of defining the identity of the Rroma not according to the socio-educational level (misery, poverty, deprived people of scruples, minority, etc.) but depending on the way in which the Rroma, both at individual and group level, relate to values of heritage elements when they define themselves. (trades practiced, Rroma peoples, elements specific to Rroma peoples) The aim of the study will most likely generate results in terms of reducing unfounded perceptions about Rroma tradition and identity and at the same time combating prejudices against this ethnic minority. Keywords: culture, Rroma, Rroma nations, identity, craftsmen "

scholarly journals Seismic risk communication: let’s students show their own way

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (Vol 63 (2020)) ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanna Piangiamore ◽  
Susanna Falsaperla ◽  
Elena Eva ◽  
Gemma Musacchio
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Risk Communication ◽  
Seismic Risk ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Communication Campaign ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Risk Education ◽  
The Way

Risk communication has been playing an increasing role in modern society and in our lives. Normally framed to prompt reduction of vulnerability to hazards, it tackles issues ranging from prevention to preparedness and addresses a variety of stakeholders, each with a specific role within a community. However, the way to have the most effective risk communication in the long run is to engage young people: they seed the roots that shape future, increase the potential impact of risk mitigation and help build community resilience. This is the vision that drives the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) intervention in the field of seismic risk education. The “Are you taking too many risks?” was a school contest that INGV carried out for the schools involved in the risk communication campaign “Know your school: be safe!” of the project KnowRISK (Know your city, Reduce seISmic risK through non-structural elements) funded by the European Commission DG-ECHO. Students, within a framework of cooperative learning, were asked to develop risk communication tools, being their peers the target public. It was an experiment of public engagement in risk communication that allowed young people to express their point of view and the way they would discuss and approach risks. Cartoons, animated drawings, interviews, and videos showed the way students see risk mitigation, in the age of parkour. The details of each students’ product are a lesson learned to shape risk communication campaigns in the future.

scholarly journals The Beginnings of Translation Studies

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 101-119
Author(s):  
Paul St-Pierre
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Literature ◽  
Reader Response ◽  
Translation Studies ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Theoretical Point ◽  
Reader Response Theory ◽  
Novel Approaches ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Object Of Study ◽  
The Way

It was in the 1970s that the object of study in literature departments began to change, under the impetus of novel approaches, some radically new and others renewed forms of older ones—structuralism, semiotics, intertextuality, psychoanalysis, pragmatics, deconstruction, reader-response theory, hermeneutics, discourse analysis, etc. Many (but not all) of these were French in origin, at least in part: the names of Lévi-Strauss, Barthes, Kristeva, Lacan, Derrida, Ricoeur, Foucault can be cited. And along with the change in the definition of the object of study came a change in the way literature departments defined themselves and their role. This is clear from the way department of literatures renamed themselves and introduced new programs. These changes came about at different times in different places, dependent in good part on the amount of access that existed to the publications—many of which were in French—but especially to the debates they gave rise to. It was in this context of expansion and of redefinition—presented here in terms of my own particular history—that an interest in translation, and later in Translation Studies, developed. Of course, translation was not an entirely new object of study; linguists and students of literature (especially of comparative literature) had on occasion acknowledged its existence, and even at times, its importance. However, it was only with the advent of the new approaches to texts, to reading, to interpretation, and to the context of the transmission of meaning(s) and of expression, that a conception of the importance of translation, and of its interest from a theoretical point of view, was able to develop. This led, in the 1980s, to the construction of a new discipline—Translation Studies.

Heathens in the chapel? Economics and the conservation of native biodiversity

2004 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 88 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J. Pannell
Keyword(s):  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Policy Instruments ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Human Behaviour ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Non Market Valuation ◽  
Selection Of

Biodiversity conservation is a human endeavour and economic drivers playa key role in shaping human behaviour. This is particularly true of human behaviour in management of businesses (such as farms) and in relation to the resources that underpin businesses (such as land and water). For this reason, the theories and models of economics have a lot to offer people concemed with biodiversity conservation. The paper outlines a number of theories and insights from economics that are relevant to biodiversity, particularly from the point of view of governments wishing to make efficient and cost-effective decisions about investment priorities for biodiversity. There is a need for better definition of biodiversity objectives, and for improved information about cause and effect relationships between interventions and outcomes. The importance of paying adequate attention to the farm-level economics of proposed changes in land management is emphasized. This is an important influence on farmers' responses, particularly if large-scale changes are sought. Non-market valuation studies to place monetary values on biodiversity outcomes have a potential role to play in evaluating policy options, although a measured approach to the use of these techniques seems warranted. There is a discussion about the limited role that economics can play in determining who should pay for biodiversity interventions. The selection of policy approaches and policy instruments for biodiversity needs to be sophisticated, based on science, and sensitive to different biodiversity-related problems and opportunities.

Indicators and Measures of E-Government

2011 ◽  
pp. 1923-1929 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Amoretti ◽  
Fortunato Musella
Keyword(s):  
Public Administration ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Public Services ◽  
New Public Management ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
The Public ◽  
Analytical Point ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Way

Although the question of measurement is crucial when defining any concept, little attention has been devoted to a comprehensive view of information and communication technologies (ICTs) applications, spanning qualitative and quantitative assessments. Due to the lack of a clear definition of e-government, many differences can be noted in the way in which digital policies have been interpreted by academics and practitioners. Coined by the U.S. programme for reinventing government under the Clinton administration (National Performance Review), the term e-government refers to a public sector reorganisation which aims at increasing the efficiency of the public administration and reducing its budget through the use of new technologies. In the words of Douglas Holmes (2001), e-government is “the use of information technology, in particular the Internet, to deliver public services in a much more convenient, customer oriented, cost effective and altogether different and better way. It affects an agency’s dealing with citizens, business and other public agencies as well as its internal business processes and employees” (p. 2). Yet many definitions go beyond the role of e-government in improving the provision of public services. Indeed, the label e-government supports other definitions, not necessarily limited to the computerisation of the public administration (Osborne & Gaebler, 1992). The concept of e-government seems to contain both the redesigning of public services system and a wider transformation of the relationship between private and public actors, so that the restructuring of public administration–influenced by the ideal of a new public management–is combined with the renewal of the democratic decision-making process. Digital policies are presumed to be a key element in improving online service quality and other factors, casting a new role for the citizen-costumer. At the same time, although e-government is becoming a catch-all concept, from an analytical point of view, official reports produced by international actors show a significant convergence in the way in which this is evaluated and measured. Diffusion of e-government practices are often closely related, and limited, to features of public administration Web sites, with reference to dimensions of openness and interactivity (La Porte, Demchak, & De Jong, 2002). Other studies focus exclusively on how citizens and businesses perceive the quality of public e-service, with reference to customer satisfaction, benefits conceived in terms of value and utility of services offered and opportunity of use as strategic factors for performance efficacy and efficiency (Graafland-Essers & Ettedgui, 2003; Stowers, 2004). Only recently a new approach has taken shape, which concentrates more attention on socio-political aspects of the intensive use of new technologies.

Animal Welfare: The Science and Its Words

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
Marian Stamp Dawkins
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Public Concern ◽  
Core Concept ◽  
Proper Definition ◽  
The Many ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Agreed Definition ◽  
The Way

Despite growing public concern over the way humans treat animals, there is still no agreed definition of what ‘animal welfare’ is. This lack of a proper definition has been detrimental to animals themselves and has made the whole subject of animal welfare look vague, unscientific and unclear about its core concept. Real improvements in the lives of animals would be greatly helped by a definition of welfare that can be agreed to by everyone, scientists and non-scientists alike, and that could bring together the many different ways in which ‘welfare’ is now measured. The aim of this book is to give such a definition and to make the case that any attempt to definition should be animal-centred and take into account the animals’ own point of view.

scholarly journals Literatura negra e/ou afro-brasileira: uma tentativa de conceituação

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 31-44
Author(s):  
Magdalena Walczuk
Keyword(s):  
Black Population ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Literary Canon ◽  
Brazilian Literature ◽  
Thematic Content ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Way ◽  
Afro Brazilian

The article aims to discuss the concept of black and/or Afro-Brazilian literature. It summarizes different approaches to the definition of Afro-Brazilian literature elaborated both by critics and its authors, taking in consideration the elements such as authorship, point of view, thematic content, language / aesthetic or target reader. Presenting briefly the presence (as object and subject) and the image of the black population in the Brazilian literary canon, the article discusses the way it has been deconstructed and transgressed by Afro-Brazilian authors.

Understanding functional illiteracy from a policy, adult education, and cognition point of view: Towards a joint referent framework

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-122
Author(s):  
Aleksandar Bulajić ◽  
Miomir Despotović ◽  
Thomas Lachmann
Keyword(s):  
Adult Education ◽  
Operational Definition ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Industrialized Countries ◽  
Functional Illiteracy ◽  
Scale Levels ◽  
Components Of Reading ◽  
The One ◽  
Definition Of

Abstract. The article discusses the emergence of a functional literacy construct and the rediscovery of illiteracy in industrialized countries during the second half of the 20th century. It offers a short explanation of how the construct evolved over time. In addition, it explores how functional (il)literacy is conceived differently by research discourses of cognitive and neural studies, on the one hand, and by prescriptive and normative international policy documents and adult education, on the other hand. Furthermore, it analyses how literacy skills surveys such as the Level One Study (leo.) or the PIAAC may help to bridge the gap between cognitive and more practical and educational approaches to literacy, the goal being to place the functional illiteracy (FI) construct within its existing scale levels. It also sheds more light on the way in which FI can be perceived in terms of different cognitive processes and underlying components of reading. By building on the previous work of other authors and previous definitions, the article brings together different views of FI and offers a perspective for a needed operational definition of the concept, which would be an appropriate reference point for future educational, political, and scientific utilization.

Dosimetry and optimization in digital radiography based on the contrast-detail resolution

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilson Otto Gomes Batista ◽  
Alexandre Gomes De Carvalho
Keyword(s):  
Image Quality ◽  
Inverse Image ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Complete Analysis ◽  
Portable Devices ◽  
Evaluation Tool ◽  
Air Kerma ◽  
Direct Radiography ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Entrance Surface Air Kerma

Contrast-detail (C-D) curves are useful in evaluating the radiographic image quality in a global way. The objective of the present study was to obtain the C-D curves and the inverse image quality figure. Both of these parameters were used as an evaluation tool for abdominal and chest imaging protocols. The C-D curves were obtained with the phantom CDRAD 2.0 in computerized radiography and the direct radiography systems (including portable devices). The protocols were 90 and 102 kV in the range of 2 to 20 mAs for the chest and 80 kV in the range of 10 to 80 mAs for the abdomen. The incident air kerma values were evaluated with a solid state sensor. The analysis of these C-D curves help to identify which technique would allow a lower value of the entrance surface air kerma, Ke, while maintaining the image quality from the point of view of C-D detectability. The results showed that the inverse image quality figure, IQFinv, varied little throughout the range of mAs, while the value of Ke varied linearly directly with the mAs values. Also, the complete analysis of the curves indicated that there was an increase in the definition of the details with increasing mAs. It can be concluded that, in the transition phase for the use of the new receptors, it is necessary to evaluate and adjust the practised protocols to ensure, at a minimum, the same levels of the image quality, taking into account the aspects of the radiation protection of the patient.

DIRECTIONS OF ASSOCIATIVE IDENTIFICATION OF PERSONAL NAMES

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (28) ◽  
pp. 118-128
Author(s):  
Olena Karpenko ◽  
Tetiana Stoianova
Keyword(s):  
Proper Names ◽  
Mental Lexicon ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Sound Symbolism ◽  
Personal Names ◽  
Communicative Process ◽  
Proper Name ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Scientific Value ◽  
The Brain

The article is devoted to the study of personal names from a cognitive point of view. The study is based on the cognitive concept that speech actually exists not in the speech, not in linguistic writings and dictionaries, but in consciousness, in the mental lexicon, in the language of the brain. The conditions for identifying personal names can encompass not only the context, encyclopedias, and reference books, but also the sound form of the word. In the communicative process, during a free associative experiment, which included a name and a recipient’s mental lexicon. The recipient was assigned a task to quickly give some association to the name. The aggregate of a certain number of reactions of different recipients forms the associative field of a proper name. The associative experiment creates the best conditions for identifying the lexeme. The definition of a monosemantic personal name primarily includes the search of what it denotes, while during the process of identifying a polysemantic personal name recipients tend have different reactions. Scientific value is posed by the effect of the choice of letters for the name, sound symbolism, etc. The following belong to the generalized forms of identification: usage of a hyperonym; synonyms and periphrases or simple descriptions; associations denoting the whole (name stimulus) by reference to its part (associatives); cognitive structures such as “stimulus — association” and “whole (stimulus) — part (associative)”; lack of adjacency; mysterious associations. The topicality of the study is determined by its perspective to identify the directions of associative identification of proper names, which is one of the branches of cognitive onomastics. The purpose of the study is to identify, review, and highlight the directions of associative identification of proper names; the object of the research is the names in their entirety and variety; its subject is the existence of names in the mental lexicon, which determines the need for singling out the directions for the associative identification of the personal names.

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