1811 research outputs found
Sort by
How Do the Richest 1% Owns 50% of Wealth in a Small-Open Growth Model with Endogenous Wealth and Human Capital
Get PDFThis paper extends the growth model for a closed national economy by Zhang (2015) to a small-open economy. We attempt to explain some economic mechanisms of how the richest one per cent of the population own 50% of national wealth. We consider endogenous wealth and human capital accumulation by heterogeneous households with different preferences and learning abilities as the main determinants of growth and inequality. We describe the production technologies and economic structure on the basis of the Uzawa two-sector model. By applying Zhang’s concept of disposable income and approach to household behavior, we describe consumers’ wealth accumulation and consumption behavior. We model human capital accumulation on the basis of Arrow’s learning by doing and Zhang’s creativity with leisure. We simulate the model with three groups of the population, the rich 1 %, the middle 69%, and the poor 20%. We demonstrate the existence of an equilibrium point at which the rich 1% own more than half of the national wealth and the poor 20% less than 10% of the national wealth. We show how the system moves to the equilibrium from an initial state and confirm that the equilibrium point is stable. We also conduct comparative dynamic analysis
Outside home. Notes on reflexivity
Get PDFThere is a wide spectrum of ways in managing subjectivity intrinsic in research. This paper goes through and “lives” (Gregorio Gil, 2014) some research experiences: one on prostitution of minors and another on trafficking in human beings. These two experiences reveal how some of the characteristics of my subjectivity – among which that of being a “young female foreigner and outsider” in academia and in fieldwork – and of my own researches, have impacted that reflexivity practice alongside access to related fields, types of relationships and shared information. The paper proffers the idea in which a “reflexive process” on subjectivity can involve and/or hopefully involve the entire experience of the researcher, going beyond the borders of a single research. In the process, unexpected elements of subjectivity can come into play; in other cases the meaning attributed to them can change in time or can have a role different from what had been expected. Some elements, objects of epistemological analyses, as imposed by a reflexive approach, can become objects of attention also on the phenomenological level
Gaming mirrors at play through ludic data-selves
Get PDFThe focus of the article is on data-self technology in digital entertainment - virtual entities that replicate and/or are influenced by players’ behaviors and actions, working as agential mirrors on the screen. Little efforts have been done in investigating their potential in social research and educational technology; however, data-selves can serve as promising self-revealing tools toward personal identities and narrations. In order to enlighten their effectiveness, a multidisciplinary framework led by the core concepts of “narrative identity” and “discursive-practical consciousness” is advanced. The proposal has been tested (pre-post interviews and play sessions) with an empirical exploration involving n:32 participants and the video games Black and White 2 and Forza: Motorsprint 5, which include data-self features. Results show that this technology can make a difference in engaging and stimulating subjects’ interest and feedback, but further researches are needed to deepen its scope and range of application
An Analysis of Expenditure and Satisfaction on Education
Get PDFThe purpose of this study is to explore the impact of education spending on personal income and satisfaction. Statistical data is obtained from Institute of statistics in Albania (INSTAT) to measure trends over years. In addition, survey is implemented. 612 surveys are collected from four different cities from youths and their parents (330 surveys for young’s and 280 from their parents). Descriptive analysis and ANOVA is conducted. The empirical results indicate that there exists a positive strong correlation between education level and income levels. The result has some implications to policy makers, individuals and investors
The Impact of Economic and Financial Integration on Economic Growth
Get PDFEuropean market is seen from non-members countries as opportunity to reinforce the various sectors of the economy, removing barriers for products, services, inputs, etc. allowing the introduction of new firms in international markets. This study examines the role of the economic and financial integration on economic growth. Data regarding nine developing European member countries is obtained from International Monetary Fund database for the period spans from 1990 to 2004 the period before membership and the period after membership 2005 to 2015. Gross Domestic Product Import, Export, Foreign Direct Investment, Consumer Price Index, Exchange rate are selected as proxies for economic growth. Empirical findings indicate that trade liberalization leads to the removal of barriers for products and factors of production and facilitates the introduction of new firms in various markets national, leading to an increase in competition that will lead to lower costs for consumers who will have more choice and will be able to consume more goods and higher quality. Also based in all the countries of this study, it is a good thing for Albania to join UE because there will be different profits for our country
BETWEEN PARENTHESES: THE POETICS OF IRRELEVANCE IN VIRGINIA WOOLF’S EXPERIMENTAL FICTION
No full textThe understanding and appreciation of Virginia Woolf’s modernist fiction demands careful attention, not only for the obvious complexity of its experimental form but also for the apparent simplicity of certain typographical and stylistic devices. Among these is the use of parenthetical expressions, consisting of explanatory or qualifying remarks inserted into a passage and usually marked off by brackets, dashes, or commas. Generally speaking, the main functions fulfilled by parentheticals have been examined and classified by Woolf scholars. What has received less critical attention, however, is the intrinsic nature of parenthetical constructions and the subtle, multifaceted implications of their actual functioning within the overall economy of every single novel.The purpose of this paper is to address a similar question, beginning with a preliminary delimitation of the scope of the analysis. Firstly, among the different types of the so-called ‘parenthetical expressions’ only the explicit use of parentheses (in the form of round or square brackets) will be assumed as a distinctive feature in order to identify a specific category of stylistic and narrative devices. Secondly, and quite obviously, the novel under consideration will be, in particular, To the Lighthouse (1927), inasmuch as it provides the most striking examples of the disruptive potential contained in Woolf’s parenthetical writing. A good point of departure for such an analysis, however, can be found in Jacob’s Room (1922), Woolf’s first experimental novel, which shows a long and compound sentence, inserted between brackets, significantly placed in the opening page of the book
ON SOME PASSIONS OF THE CHARACTERS IN SHAKESPEARE’S “ROMEO AND JULIET” (A SEMIOTIC PROSPECTIVE)
No full textThe aim of the present paper shall be to analyze determined semantic taxonomies of the main characters in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”. The focus shall be on rendering characters’ actions passionate, due to a semiotics of action, as described in Greimas and Fontanille (1993). To my opinion, universal themes such as love, hatred, death, etc. can be subject to a passionate configuration of different characters perspective in action. This shall also be due to the recent definition of semiotics as a cognitive science on meaning interpretation. In conclusion, characters’ passions resulting as final semantic entities shall give this study an empirical account for at least two reasons: first to argument semiotics’ importance of artistic expressivity and second, to argument semiotics’ epistemological significance besides its ontological one. “The signs’ way” as Deely (2009) states, gives us the possibility of treating each character’s perspective separately, thus rendering the signification process for each sign taken as an example separately
PHILOSOPHICAL PROFILES IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION A COMPARISON BETWEEN ALBANIA AND ITALY
No full textCritical thinking and reflexivity are two important concepts through which Physical Education (PE) teachers can develop their abilities. Nowadays, there are a few possibilities for them to do so. The Philosophy of sport as an educational and sport science can be an important field whenever PE teachers want to develop the conceptual framework for sport pedagogy. The purpose of this study is to identify and compare the philosophical paradigms of PE teachers from two countries. The purpose of our study is to help PE teachers understand their world and seek the truth about facts and actions by asking themselves why and for what purpose they teach their subject. By starting from this point of view, we selected two groups of PE teachers, one from Tirana, Albania and one from Rome, Italy. We identified their educational orientations by a validated questionnaire aimed to detect their profiles on the basis of the five paradigms. The results of our study have shown that between the two groups of teachers there exist remarkable differences relating to so-called Socio-critical, Idealist and Positivist profile. The Albanian PE teachers are more Socio-critical (the highest score); instead, Italian teachers are more Pragmatistic, and the difference between the two groups can be related to many reasons, such as country development of, culture, lifestyle, etc. Albanian PE teachers are more devoted to the task and are educated through a curriculum focused on a more technical approach to the subject they teach. In our opinion, this does not allow them to develop a deeply critical view and perspective on their practice. Italian teachers are, instead, more focused on the theory of learning through practice and motivation
PROMOTING CRITICAL LITERACY IN THE EFL CONTEXT: IMPLEMENTING A PROJECT TO YOUNG LEARNERS
No full textIn response to the continually growing demands of this era, the society needs active members who are able to cooperate with each other and show a critical stance in what they read, see, touch, smell or come across. Thus, modern language education should aim at developing critical readers and writers. As a result, the critical literacy programs in which students are turned into active participants of their learning process and accept something after they have already remarked it, are more than necessary in the education of the 21st century.This paper outlines the rational for and the purpose of designing and implementing a thematic pilot project aiming at developing students’ critical literacy in an EFL (English as a foreign language) classroom. This pilot project was implemented to 20 Greek-speaking students of the 5th primary school class (aged 11 years old) who had been learning English for 4 four years. It was initiated with the purpose to provide insights into developing students’ critical literacy skills as well as their four language skills in the foreign language. The project was carried out in 25 two hour sessions focused on the thematic area of the “Sports”. This topic was selected because of the nature of the sports and their popularity among the teenagers. Moreover, sports are a ‘controversial’ subject/concept that students can express different opinions and examine it from different perspectives. Special emphasis was placed on the creation of an environment promoting critical thinking and critical stance. Moreover, an attempt was made for a pleasant and creative foreign language learning environment to be developed, where students actually could enhance personal and interpersonal skills.In order to estimate the feasibility of this project, we used three basic tools a) a pre- and a post- test about the language assessment, b) journals kept by the teacher/researcher throughout the intervention and c) structured interviews conducted by the researcher with students individually to record the students’ different perspectives based on a text. The findings showed a significant improvement of the students’ language skills in EFL, as well as their critical thinking and ability to examine a text from different perspectives
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE FAMILY TO IMPROVE THE FAITH FEELINGS AND KNOWLEDGE. (ALBANIA-AN EXAMPLE OF TIRANA)
No full textFamily is the first institution to be part of the socialization of the child. This process which starts since the child’s birth, will last until his last breath. That’s why we can say that family is the basic and the most important factor in children’s education. A child’s education is a multiple-ways responsibility. As we try to resolve physical needs, spiritual needs are one of the most sensitive things of this responsibility. Surely we give a big importance to fulfill the needs of wearing, eating, drinking, and such physical needs, but it is important as well to get him to know community values, to help him with the teen age, as well as to be introduced to religious knowledge and religious way of living.
In our study, we have taken in consideration how the families who live in Tirana and whose children go to religious schools, live religion within their families. In our research we have collected data especially from families who have religious knowledge and send their children to religious school being conscious about it and about the way how they live and understand this way of life. Throughout our research, in order to get information about how religion is lived within families, we have used the “Scale of religious activities within families” method. The scale was applied on the high school “Madrasa Haxhi Mahmud Dashi, Tirana, which is a religious institution. In the end of this study we came in the conclusion that after the high school students took this survey, the average was 27 for the frequency of the religious activities, and 28 for the importance of the religious activities