No description available.

M.Com. (Economics) / The main purpose of the study was to investigate the role of economic integration in the economic development of the member states of an envisaged economically integrated Southern African bloc, that would include South Africa. The study contends that economic development will be aided, if economic integration were implemented correctly. Economic integration will influence both the allocation and distribution elements of the involved countries' wealth. Since economic development is inextricably entwined with the distribution of wealth, economic integration would have to give special attention to its effect on the distribution of wealth between countries. The mainstream theory of economic integration, however, places much more emphasis on the allocation aspect of integration than the distribution aspect. This imbalance means that economic integration, implemented according to the guidelines of the mainstream theory, will be detrimental to the economic development of especially the less developed countries. The orthodox approach to economic integration should therefore be adapted to the circumstances of developing countries. A suitable economic integration approach should comprise two steps. The first step involves the identification of areas for profitable specialisation, and the second the formulation of an economic integration strategy within the framework of a dirigiste approach to economic development. Porter's theory of the competitive advantage of nations served as the foundation for the formulation of the approaches to both economic development and economic integration in Southern Africa. Industry segments in which profitable specialisation could take place, were identified for South Africa, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe by means of Porter's statistical method, and afterwards classified in clusters. The development and integration approaches will be centred around the various identified clusters with competitive advantage.

Data collection included the following primary data streams: large group and small group class discussions, electronic submissions of personal reflections, answers to teacherresearcher- generated questions and questions and answers to student-generated questions posted to a Yahoo Discussion Group, a Character Analysis document using Powerpoint, and an audiotape of a whole class discussion. Also included in the data streams was an excerpt of an audiotaped session of a whole class discussion of a segment of the novel. All of the above activities were based on the novel, Life is So Good, by George Dawson and Richard Glaubman. Data collection also included audio-tapes of interviews of the focal students. Preliminary analysis of data streams for the focal students revealed the emergence of six themes based on participants' perceptions of the impact of technology integration in a Developmental Reading Course: participants perceived the advantages of using technology to enhance learning in, and beyond, their Developmental Reading Course; participants perceived the difficulties/disadvantages regarding the use of technology in the course; students expressed a gradual development or increase in competence and comfort with the use of technology through the course; students expressed a general preference for the use of computers rather than pen and paper in completion of course assignments; students valued their technology experience enough to express a need for extending policy throughout the University; and, students expressed increased motivation regarding completion of course assignments when using technology. Moreover, two meta-themes emerged based on a re-analysis of the data: technology motivated participants to perform in ways that they never had before; and technology engaged participants through computer-based assignments to the extent that they exhibited characteristics associated with active learning styles. Results showed that participants generally exhibited limited participation in regular classroom discussions and activities, but exhibited active and engaged participation in completing computer-based, content-driven course assignments and activities throughout the course of the study.

The aim of this bachelor thesis is to find how multilingual activities placed in public libraries are described in journals that are addressed to professionals in the library field. Questions posed in this study are: - What opportunities multilingual activities in public libraries are considered to have in a multicultural society?- Which problems in the society these activities are considered to be able to solve? Integration theory of Hans Ingvar Roth (2005) and his concepts of positive and negative distance and proximity is used as a theoretical background for this study. A qualitative content analysis is used as a method for analysis of the empirical material that consist of articles published in two library journals Biblioteksbladet and Bibliotek i samhälle. Results of the study indicate that according to the journals public libraries are seen as places that have benefits for supporting creation of positive distance and proximity between different groups in the society. Multilingual activities at the library are therefore about on the one hand integration promotion and support of learning of the Swedish language and on the other hand, the preservation of different native languages and the linguistic and cultural heritage.

A sense of social belonging is an important factor for integration. The different experiences that immigrants face towards social integration were of major interest to the authors. The authors conducted a qualitative study based on the experiences that immigrants went through as well as their perceptions of social integration. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four immigrants, ranging between 31- 42 years of age. The themes found during the analytic process were: Swedish language, social networks and information, identifying yourself and culture. The most important findings were that social workers and other persons in authorities were important for establishing contacts with native-born, as they introduced them to activities that led to interaction with native Swedish. Social activities, in particular, seemed to play an important role in establishing contact with native-born and creating a social network.

Integration är ett aktuellt ämne både inom politiska debatter och civilsamhället som stort. Enligt Dahlstedt & Neergaard (2013) handlar diskussionen om Europa och Europeiska unionen i dagsläget på ett eller annat sätt om just flyktingar och migranter, samt framväxten av och framgångar för högerextrema partier. En problematik är att "invandrare" ofta blir samhällets syndabockar, där olika aktörer använder sig av invandringsfrågor i syfte att få folkligt stöd eller legitimering genom att göra "de Andra" till ett "samhällsproblem" (Dahlstedt & Neergaard, 2013). Språk är därmed av stor betydelse, eftersom det konstruerar uppfattningar om hur "saker är" och därtill uppfattningar om vad som "bör göras", vilket har stora konsekvenser för individer och samhället i stort. Begreppet integration är både mångtydigt och innefattar olika områden, samt kan framställas på olika sätt beroende på sammanhang men också utifrån aktörers olika perspektiv, uppfattningar och intentioner. Denna uppsats har som syfte att undersöka olika kommunala aktörers perspektiv på begreppet integration och hur de fyller begreppet med mening. Därtill kommer studien att ställa perspektiven mot varandra, samt i relation till tidigare forskning. Ytterligare tar studien stöd och inspiration från den kritiska diskursanalysen som teoretiskt ramverk, som bidrar till en förståelse om språkets roll i hur det skapar föreställningar, legitimerar handlingar och har ett tydligt maktelement inbäddat i sig. Genom att kombinera olika kunskapskällor (empiri, tidigare forskning, teori), och ställa perspektiv jämte varandra, illustreras på så vis dynamiken och komplexiteten i begreppet "integration" där förhoppningen är att generera nya insikter, då olika perspektiv ger olika former av insikt som tillsammans skapar en djupare förståelse.

Thesis advisor: Jonathan Laurence / The purpose of this thesis is to identify the political, institutional and economic obstacles to achieving economic integration and stability in the euro area while finding a solution to those obstacles by examining the economics and political dynamics of the currency union. The benchmarks of the Maastricht Treaty and the Stability and Growth Pact encouraged cosmetic reforms that did little to alter the structural problems of the Eurozone's economic periphery. Therefore, the best political and economic solution to the problem of integration is to allow for fiscal federalism within the union whereby Member States take full ownership of their economic policies. Although decentralizing fiscal policy is an essential part of fostering integration, harmonizing banking regulation throughout the Eurozone is also necessary course of action. The guarantee of emergency funds for Eurozone states at the precipice of default will only breed a moral hazard for more rule-breaking. The conditionality of tough austerity measures of the emergency programs also breeds popular animosity against the euro and outsources the moral and political responsibility of unpopular structural reform to forces outside of the country. Member States should allow heavily indebted states to default and allow banks that made investments in those countries' debts to incur losses. Through enforcement of the no-bailout clauses of Eurozone agreements, domestic political actors will be unable to issue more debt and thus have the political cover to impose the necessary structural reforms to improve the economic sustainability of their respective countries. Since an exit from the currency union would aggravate the debt problems of a peripheral Member State, the rest of the euro area is unlikely to suffer the loss of membership by refusing to transfer funds to its insolvent members. / Thesis (MA) — Boston College, 2011. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Political Science.

No processo de integração da América Latina, a integração do CONE SUL tem importância básica. Dentro deste contexto, insere-se a proposta do presente trabalho, a integração energética através de projetos multilaterais, particularmente a interconexão elétrica entre o Brasil e a Argentina. O exemplo que deu certo foi o da Integração Energética da Europa, que teve seu início na década de 50. Consideradas as características próprias de nossa região tais como a complementaridade de regimes hidrológicos e a predominância da energia gerada via base térmica da Argentina, o trabalho elabora um levantamento cadastral da região, discute sua proposta com entidades governamentais de ambos os países, obtendo significativa receptividade. O intercâmbio de energia elétrica foi, assim, associado às relações de troca do comércio bilateral, objetivando intensificar esta atividade entre nações irmãs e sobretudo contribuir da melhor forma para a consolidação do MERCOSUL. Seu resultado concreto será a possibilidade de intercâmbio entre Argentina e Brasil, do equivalente a 1000 MW médios ou 450 milhões de dólares/ano, contribuindo de forma expressiva para o equilíbrio da balança comercial, num determinado cenário e atenuando o risco de déficit de energia elétrica. Do Brasil, quando da ocorrência de excedente hidráulico, ao invés de simples vertimento, este poderia ser exportado para a Argentina, poupando seu parque térmico para eventuais paradas de manutenção e reduzindo o consumo de óleo combustível. Da Argentina, sua energia de base térmica, aliada a excedente proporcionado por hidrologia complementar, poderia ser transferida para o Brasil. A viabilização desta integração propicia vantagens econômicas e estratégicas, como a independência energética desta região geopolítica. Assegura um desenvolvimento equilibrado e auto sustentável, permitindo aguardar a vinda de novas fontes. Contribui para o objetivo maior das nações deste continente, o desenvolvimento humano, com justiça social e preservação do meio ambiente. / In the process of integration of Latin America, Southern Cone integration is of paramount importance. Within this context, the proposal is part of this work, the energy integration through multilateral projects, particularly the electrical interconnection between Brazil and Argentina. The example that worked was the Energy Integration of Europe, which started in the 50s. Given the characteristics of our region such as the complementarity of hydrological regimes and the predominance of thermal energy generated via the base of Argentina, the work produces a cadastral survey of the region, discusses his proposal with government in both countries, obtaining significant receptivity. The exchange of power was thus associated with the exchange relations of bilateral trade, aiming to intensify this activity between sister nations and above all best contribute to the consolidation of MERCOSUR. Your results will be the possibility of exchanges between Argentina and Brazil, the equivalent of 1000 MW or 450 million dollars / year, contributing significantly to the balance of trade in a given scenario and reducing the risk of energy deficits . From Brazil, upon the occurrence of surplus hydraulic, rather than simple vertimento, this could be exported to Argentina, saving you park for possible thermal maintenance downtime and reducing consumption of fuel oil. From Argentina, its basic thermal energy, combined with additional surplus provided by hydrology, could be transferred to Brazil. The feasibility of this integration provides economic and strategic advantages, such as energy independence of this geopolitical region. Ensures a balanced and self-sustaining, allowing await the coming of new sources. Contributes to the ultimate goal of the nations of this continent, human development, social justice and environmental preservation.

Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

The visual system integrates information over space to see surfaces, contours and edges. This integration can be described by a divisive normalization framework in which surrounding contextual information normalizes response to a central target. We ran a set of studies examining perceptual illusions with the intention of better understanding the neural mechanisms responsible for how the visual system integrates information over space. We measured surround integration using the Simultaneous Tilt Illusion. In the first study, we determined the extent to which the probability that different surround regions were co-assigned to the same object as the center impacts how much they are integrated. We found that the magnitude of the illusion was a sum of regional surround effects weighted by their dependency to the center. These results are consistent with a system that uses prior experience with natural scene statistics to integrate regions of space. In the second study, we measured the relationship between individual differences in spatial integration and autistic traits. We found no evidence for reduced normalization in people who score high on autistic traits. In the third study, we determined the extent to which arousal modulates spatial integration. Although we did not observe an effect of natural fluctuations in arousal, as indexed by pupil diameter, we observed a reduction in the magnitude of the illusion following an alerting tone. While more work is still needed to verify this effect, it suggests that we context information less under moderately alert states. We interpret these results in the context of the neural and perceptual mechanisms underlying spatial integration. Specifically, these results seem to indicate that the normalization process is gated by our expectancies about the structure of a scene and by our internal brain state. These results are consistent with a system that uses prior experience with scene statistics to represent patterns more efficiently.