Labour, Efficiency, Critique: writing the plantation into the technological present-future

In this commentary, we call upon critical labour scholars, including labour geographers, to feature what sociologist Palmer called the ‘thrust of efficiency’ more centrally in their work. We put forth that the push for efficiency, as made possible by digital technology, needs to be analysed in terms of its historical lineage as well as in terms of its geographical scope. Centreing efficiency in critical labour studies, necessitates three scholarly moves. These are particularly relevant for labour geography, a field that has so far tended to circumvent questions of coloniality/labour, digital Taylorism, and the politics of (re-)writing economic geographies, in by-passing the literatures that deal with them. The plantation, an analytical category and ontic reality that stretches across several yet often unconnected bodies of literature – literary studies, Black Geographies, Caribbean studies, and the Black Radical Tradition, as well as in Global History – is central to our effort. Eventually, writing the plantation into the technological present-future can be the starting point for a larger and historico-geographically informed critique, in economic geography and beyond, of efficiency, a mode of thinking-cum-praxis based on input–output calculations, objectifying practices, violent value extraction and the removal of undesired ‘social frictions’ for the sake of capital accumulation.

Financial geography III: Research strategies, designs, methods and data

I review research strategies, designs, methods and data in financial geography, by focussing on 449 articles published in 2001–2020. The analysis shows considerable methodological diversity and originality, contributing to geography and studies of finance. Over time, qualitative strategies, case study design and interviews as a method and data source are growing, while quantitative strategy, longitudinal design, regression methods and the use of government data are declining. The analysis helps identify gaps, opportunities and challenges, including the need for more methodological transparency, more in-depth qualitative and quantitative approaches supporting causal analysis, and a more ambitious historical and geographical scope.

Religion and Europe

This chapter introduces The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Europe: its rationale, timeline, geographical scope, approach, structure, and contents. The timeline—from Antiquity to the present day—is captured in a series of ‘portraits’ taken from European museums. The scope, methods, theories, and approaches are then outlined. No single theory or theoretical approach drives the volume as a whole, but particular attention is paid to the work of Max Weber, Jürgen Habermas, and David Martin. The structure (five parts) and contents (forty-five chapters and a statistical appendix) of the Handbook are carefully set out. A number of cross-cutting themes are then identified, including the role of religion in the circulation of knowledge and the tensions between Europe and its constituent states. The future is difficult to predict as Europe becomes not only more secular, but more religiously diverse.

CHOLERA EPIDEMIC AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC REASONS OF THEIR DISTRIBUTION IN THE XIX CENTURY ACCORDING TO TAMBOV PROVINCE

The article examines the poorly studied topic of the influence of socio-economic causes on the occurrence and spread of mass infectious diseases on the example of cholera epidemics. The geographical scope of the study is limited to the territory of the Tambov province, as a typically agrarian with a predominantly rural population. Statistical materials presented by various collections on public health and medical services, as well as reviews of the Tambov province and reports of the Tambov City Council were taken as the main sources. A comprehensive analysis of the sources was carried out using both traditional scientific methods of research (system analysis, retrospective method, method of historicism, etc.) and modern methods, for example, the method of mathematical statistics. In the course of the work, the characteristics of the healthcare system of the studied region were given and the main factors that negatively affected the spread of cholera epidemics during the study period were identified. The author established a connection between the sanitary and hygienic situation and the spread of infections in rural and urban settlements of the Tambov province. As the main conclusion of the study, the author points to a combination of two main factors that negatively affected the sanitary situation in the province. This is a low level of literacy and cultural evelopment of the population combined with economic insecurity. With a shortage of doctors and unsettled zemstvo medical care, these factors contributed to the rapid spread of epidemics in the region.

How to develop higher education curricula towards employability? A multi-stakeholder approach

PurposeThis paper aims to find out what conditions are needed to enhance higher education curricula towards employability from the perspective of different stakeholders in the graduate labour market.Design/methodology/approachAn empirical study was developed, using a qualitative approach, based on semi-structured interviews with higher education institutions (HEIs) and labour market players, in the north region of Portugal. The data were analysed through content and descrip\tive analysis with NVivo.FindingsThe results show a set of constraints that hinder the match of higher education curricula with employability, namely, (1) the weak connection between HEIs and employers and (2) the curricular structure, which is characterised by a heavy theoretical component and a weak approach to the soft skills required by the current labour market. Possible solutions, with implications for educational policy, are given throughout the study.Research limitations/implicationsThe geographical scope and the nature of the study suggest that some precautions are required when generalising results. However, the literature on other areas in Portugal strengthens the findings and compensates for the sample's limitations.Originality/valueThis study combines the perspectives of the different individual stakeholders involved which, when taken as a whole, provide some recommendations for tailored curricula towards employability. Other studies in Portugal address each of these issues individually, without a connection between all the different perspectives.

Climate Change Adaptation of Geo-Structures in Europe: Emerging Issues and Future Steps

Climate change is already being felt in Europe, unequivocally affecting the regions’ geo-structures. Concern over this is rising, as reflected in the increasing number of studies on the subject. However, the majority of these studies focused only on slopes and on a limited geographical scope. In this paper, we attempted to provide a broader picture of potential climate change impacts on the geo-structures in Europe by gathering the collective view of geo-engineers and geo-scientists in several countries, and by considering different geo-structure types. We also investigated how geo-structural concerns are being addressed in national adaptation plans. We found that specific provisions for geo-structural adaptation are generally lacking and mainly come in the form of strategies for specific problems. In this regard, two common strategies are hazard/risk assessment and monitoring, which are mainly implemented in relation to slope stability. We recommend that in future steps, other geo-structures are likewise given attention, particularly those assessed as also potentially significantly affected by climate change. Countries considered in this study are mainly the member countries of the European Large Geotechnical Institutes Platform (ELGIP).

Wandering wives or foreign fillies? The women of archaic Greek colonisation

<p>Greek colonisation in the archaic period encompassed an enormous geographical area. But for all its prevalence, the textual evidence is limited in both quantity and quality and the archaeological evidence goes only some way towards helping decipher social change and ethnicity. These issues become even more apparent when considering the position of women in the new city foundations. Did Greek colonists take their own wives with them to their new homes? Were Greek women sent out at a later date once the colony had become established? Did Greek colonists intermarry with indigenous women on arrival? Or did something else happen, including a mix of these options? The weight of scholarly opinion currently falls in favour of intermarriage, though frequently little evidence is proffered to support this view. This thesis focuses on this hypothesis and examines the evidence (or lack thereof) to support this conclusion. Chapter One examines the problems associated with archaic Greek colonisation generally, particularly those issues connected with the ‘language of colonisation’. The study of Greek colonisation has been complicated by imprecise and ambiguous terminology, which frequently draws comparison with more modern (although altogether different) instances of the phenomenon. A major repercussion of this is the tendency to overlook both women and any indigenous peoples. The opening chapter also examines the various reasons behind the foundation of colonies, as well as the different types of settlements, so that an assessment can be made as to whether Greek women might have been more likely to accompany colonising expeditions in some instances over others. Chapter Two looks at the concept of intermarriage more closely and assesses Greek attitudes towards foreign women. It also evaluates the evidence typically called upon by scholars to argue for and against intermarriage in Greek colonisation. Chapter Three assesses the evidence for the presence of women in ten different colonies. Presented roughly in chronological order, these colonies were selected for their geographical scope, covering different regions from the Western Mediterranean, Magna Graecia, North Africa, and the Black Sea. This discussion explores both the literary and archaeological evidence (where possible) for each of these colonies and assesses the potential for intermarriage. This thesis demonstrates that broad conclusions about intermarriage as a widespread practice are unsustainable and concludes that colonisation in the archaic period cannot be considered a uniform phenomenon.</p>

Wandering wives or foreign fillies? The women of archaic Greek colonisation

<p>Greek colonisation in the archaic period encompassed an enormous geographical area. But for all its prevalence, the textual evidence is limited in both quantity and quality and the archaeological evidence goes only some way towards helping decipher social change and ethnicity. These issues become even more apparent when considering the position of women in the new city foundations. Did Greek colonists take their own wives with them to their new homes? Were Greek women sent out at a later date once the colony had become established? Did Greek colonists intermarry with indigenous women on arrival? Or did something else happen, including a mix of these options? The weight of scholarly opinion currently falls in favour of intermarriage, though frequently little evidence is proffered to support this view. This thesis focuses on this hypothesis and examines the evidence (or lack thereof) to support this conclusion. Chapter One examines the problems associated with archaic Greek colonisation generally, particularly those issues connected with the ‘language of colonisation’. The study of Greek colonisation has been complicated by imprecise and ambiguous terminology, which frequently draws comparison with more modern (although altogether different) instances of the phenomenon. A major repercussion of this is the tendency to overlook both women and any indigenous peoples. The opening chapter also examines the various reasons behind the foundation of colonies, as well as the different types of settlements, so that an assessment can be made as to whether Greek women might have been more likely to accompany colonising expeditions in some instances over others. Chapter Two looks at the concept of intermarriage more closely and assesses Greek attitudes towards foreign women. It also evaluates the evidence typically called upon by scholars to argue for and against intermarriage in Greek colonisation. Chapter Three assesses the evidence for the presence of women in ten different colonies. Presented roughly in chronological order, these colonies were selected for their geographical scope, covering different regions from the Western Mediterranean, Magna Graecia, North Africa, and the Black Sea. This discussion explores both the literary and archaeological evidence (where possible) for each of these colonies and assesses the potential for intermarriage. This thesis demonstrates that broad conclusions about intermarriage as a widespread practice are unsustainable and concludes that colonisation in the archaic period cannot be considered a uniform phenomenon.</p>

Talent Development of Generation Y: Evidence from Sri Lanka

This study aims to understand the nature of Generation Y (Gen Y) and identify their understandings of talent development practices at the workplace. This research used open-ended interviews directed to 15 participants belonging to Gen Y in an automobile company in Sri Lanka. Job-hopping is an identifiable factor among the generation, as they continuously look for a change in their work and personal routines. The ‘Talk and chalk’ model is getting unpopular, whereas different approaches carrying new concepts have created a good impression among the Gen Y employees. Treasure hunts, talent shows, racing events, kaizen events, grooming and flexibility, were identified as non-traditional attractive talent development programmes. This research provided practical implications for employers to recognize how to Y-size their organizations by incorporating talent development as a critical strategy for retaining Gen Y. The present study has given attention to expanding the geographical scope of the literature on Gen Y.

Community Cooperative: A New Legal Form for Enhancing Social Capital for the Development of Renewable Energy Communities in Italy

This paper investigates the suitability of the community cooperatives (CC) model for the implementation of renewable energy communities (REC), as prescribed by art. 22 of EU Directive 2018/2001, and temporarily transposed into the Italian law by art. 42-bis of the Law Decree n. 162/2019. The hypothesis explored analyses the potential synergies between RECs and CC, based on their similarities. In particular, the article takes into consideration: the actors involved in both the RECs and the CCs; the geographical scope in which they develop, and the purposes that these two legal forms intended to achieve. Through a literature review and the analysis of EU, national and regional legislations, the paper aims at (1) clarifying the main features of RECs and the CCs in Italy; (2) exploring the main differences between CCs and the other legal forms of cooperative (e.g., mutual cooperative, cooperative benefit, etc.) and assessing the extent to which CCs are more suitable to implement renewable energy communities. As a result of the literature and regulatory review, several similarities between CCs and RECs can be detected, particularly, in reference to the strategic valorization of the cooperation between citizens and the local public entities. These similarities allow the authors to provisionally conclude that, in Italy, CCs may be adopted as a tool to implement RECs.