1,721,019 research outputs found
Computer programs for performing iterative partitioning cluster analysis
No full textEight programs which perform iterative partitioning
cluster analysis are analyzed; they are discussed
in terms of versatility of options, accuracy, and
cost. These eight programs contain very different
heuristic approaches to finding the optimal
partition of a data set; the different heuristic
approaches are shown to affect both accuracy and
cost of clustering solutions. It was not possible to
recommend any one program as generally being
preferable, however, because of the striking
variability in these programs and the lack of
knowledge about iterative partitioning methods.Blashfield, Roger K.; Aldenderfer, Mark S.. (1978). Computer programs for performing iterative partitioning cluster analysis. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/99450
The peer-Review process for Amercan Antiquity and Latin American Antiquity
No full textFar from being perfect, the peer-review process is nevertheless the most effective way to assure the quality of a publication. Because they have used peer review from their very beginnings, American Antiquity (AAQ) and Latin American Antiquity (LAQ) are journals of high academic impact with strong reputations in the world academic community. The peer-review process seeks not only to identify the highest-quality manuscripts, but also works to improve the clarity of presentation of any author. The process is based on four fundamental principles: the importance of the diffusion of knowledge, the assurance of the preservation of knowledge in different media, the maintenance of control over the quality of knowledge that is disseminated, and the proper crediting to investigators and their discoveries and scientific contributions. Taken together, these principles maintain the excellence of scientific knowledge in any field (Meadows 1974; Ravetz 1973; Ziman 1968).American Antiquity (AAQ) and Latin American Antiquity (LAQ) are journals of high academic impact with strong reputations in the world academic community. The peer-review process seeks not only to identify the highest-quality manuscripts, but also works to improve the clarity of presentation of any author. The process is based on four fundamental principles: the importance of the diffusion of knowledge, the assurance of the preservation of knowledge in different media, the maintenance of control over the quality of knowledge that is disseminated, and the proper crediting to investigators and their discoveries and scientific contributions. Taken together, these principles maintain the excellence of scientific knowledge in any field (Meadows 1974; Ravetz 1973; Ziman 1968).(LAQ) are journals of high academic impact with strong reputations in the world academic community. The peer-review process seeks not only to identify the highest-quality manuscripts, but also works to improve the clarity of presentation of any author. The process is based on four fundamental principles: the importance of the diffusion of knowledge, the assurance of the preservation of knowledge in different media, the maintenance of control over the quality of knowledge that is disseminated, and the proper crediting to investigators and their discoveries and scientific contributions. Taken together, these principles maintain the excellence of scientific knowledge in any field (Meadows 1974; Ravetz 1973; Ziman 1968).Fil: Lanata, Jose Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Diversidad Cultural y Procesos de Cambio. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro. Instituto de Investigaciones en Diversidad Cultural y Procesos de Cambio; ArgentinaFil: Aldenderfer, Mark. No especifica;Fil: Jochim, Michael. No especifica
Food Sovereignty
Full text link‘Food sovereignty’ is an alternative paradigm for food and agriculture which aims to guarantee and protect people’s space, ability, and right to define their own models of production, distribution, and consumption. It is a response to the deep social, economic, and environmental crisis generated by the dominant model of food and agriculture in capitalist, communist, and socialist States. Confronted with hunger, food insecurity, massive depeasantization and the commodification of food through the neoliberal transformation of food systems, the food sovereignty movement seeks to reverse inequitable and ecologically destructive industrial farming, fisheries, forestry and livestock management, and to rebuild the social, economic, cultural, political and spiritual foundations of our agri-food systems. Deeply transformative in its vision and practice, the food sovereignty movement affirms that food is a basic human right, - as opposed to a commodity -, and should be regarded as an integral part of culture, heritage and cosmovisions. This implies that food providers and consumers should be directly and meaningfully involved in framing policies for food and agriculture. The notion of ‘food sovereignty’ is perhaps best understood as a transformative process that seeks to recreate the democratic realm and regenerate a diversity of re-localised and autonomous agri-food systems. Food system transformation is grounded in agroecological practices based on diversity, decentralisation, democracy, and local adaptation within and between territories, with a view to build ecological sustainability and keep life within safe planetary limits. Food sovereignty cannot be achieved without gender and intersectional justice, equity and economies of care, as it ultimately seeks to achieve peaceful co-existence among peoples and care for the earth. Over the last three decades, the concept of food sovereignty has rapidly moved from the margins to more centre stage in international discussions on food, environment, development, and well-being. Since it was first proposed by the transnational agrarian movement La Vía Campesina in 1996, food sovereignty has become a policy framework adopted by some governments and international organizations. In response to advocacy campaigns by peasant organisations and social movements, the United Nations has recently adopted the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other people working in rural areas (UNDROP) which recognizes new human rights to land, water, forests, seeds and natural resources, and outlines states obligations with regards to human-rights based natural resources governance. The UNDROP itself recognizes food sovereignty as a collective right. As the food sovereignty paradigm is gaining traction, the global food sovereignty movement, best described as a movement of movements, is diversifying. Peasant farmers, indigenous peoples, agricultural workers, NGOs and scholar-activists working on food sovereignty are engaging in dialogues with other social actors. Today, the global food sovereignty movement is calling for the convergence of all anti-systemic and anti-capitalist movements, including climate and labour justice movements, feminist movements, black movements, degrowth economics, and anti-war movements. Food sovereignty as a concept, as a right, and as a paradigm for food systems transformation is a valuable starting point for the formulation of joint proposals and actions for systemic change in this emerging confluence of movements. Food sovereignty is also an increasingly popular research topic for a wide range of academic disciplines including anthropology, geography, history, law, philosophy, agronomy and ecology as well as transdisciplinary research on agri-food systems. Historical, decolonial, feminist, cross-cultural, transdisciplinary, and critical perspectives are all needed to further understand the origins, development, and politics of food sovereignty in different contexts. Place-based and nuanced explorations of the multilevel processes that enable and constrain systemic change for food sovereignty can help inform policy and practice in different settings. These are important future directions for research on food sovereignty.<br/
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Household and activities. Domestic Life and Social Organization in a Northern Mesoamerican Settlement
Full text linkThe emergence of class stratification within the populations of the Northern Frontier of Mesoamerica has long intrigued researchers, sparking ongoing study and vigorous debates. The prevailing argument has been that this region was characterized by an egalitarian hunter-gatherer lifestyle or simpler settled chiefdoms with some Mesoamerican cultural characteristics. Here, I, adopt Household Archaeology and Processual Archaeology approaches to delve deeper into the social dynamics of Cerro de en Medio (CDEM), an archaeological site from the Epiclassic period (600-900 CE) located in the Mexican state of Aguascalientes. With its 215 structures, including identified domestic architecture, CDEM provides an exceptional opportunity to investigate social organization. Through archaeological excavations of three domestic compounds, chemical analysis of occupation floors, and comprehensive study of archaeological materials, this project aims to uncover the intricacies of production activities and the underlying social structure within CDEM households. By applying the principles of Household Archaeology, the internal organization of households, such as the spatial distribution of living spaces, storage areas, and activity areas, will be examined to reveal patterns of domestic activities and social interactions. Furthermore, chemical analysis of occupation floors will provide insights into resource utilization and subsistence strategies. Through this interdisciplinary approach, this project aims to shed new light on the diverse lifeways during the Epiclassic period in the Northern Frontier of Mesoamerica. The findings will contribute to our understanding of the social structure, economic activities, and cultural dynamics of ancient societies in the region, challenging existing notions and providing a nuanced perspective on the complex social realities of the past.
El surgimiento de la estratificación social dentro de las poblaciones de la Frontera Norte de Mesoamérica ha intrigado durante mucho tiempo a los investigadores, generando estudios continuos y debates intensos. El argumento predominante ha sido que esta región se caracterizaba por un estilo de vida igualitario de cazadores-recolectores o por simples jefaturas sedentarias con algunas características culturales mesoamericanas. En este estudio, adopto enfoques de la Arqueología del Hogar y de la Arqueología Procesual para profundizar en las dinámicas sociales de Cerro de en Medio (CDEM), un sitio arqueológico del periodo Epiclásico (600–900 d.C.), ubicado en el estado mexicano de Aguascalientes. Con sus 215 estructuras, incluyendo arquitectura doméstica identificada, CDEM ofrece una oportunidad excepcional para investigar la organización social. A través de excavaciones arqueológicas en tres unidades domésticas, análisis químicos de los pisos de ocupación y un estudio exhaustivo de los materiales arqueológicos, este proyecto busca descubrir las complejidades de las actividades productivas y la estructura social subyacente dentro de los hogares de CDEM. Al aplicar los principios de la Arqueología del Hogar, se examinará la organización interna de los hogares —como la distribución espacial de las áreas de vivienda, almacenamiento y actividad— para revelar patrones de actividades domésticas e interacciones sociales. Además, el análisis químico de los pisos de ocupación proporcionará información sobre el uso de recursos y las estrategias de subsistencia. A través de este enfoque interdisciplinario, el proyecto busca arrojar nueva luz sobre los diversos modos de vida durante el periodo Epiclásico en la Frontera Norte de Mesoamérica. Los hallazgos contribuirán a nuestra comprensión de la estructura social, las actividades económicas y la dinámica cultural de las sociedades antiguas de la región, cuestionando nociones existentes y ofreciendo una perspectiva más matizada sobre las complejas realidades sociales del pasado
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
The trade, use, and circulation of elephant ivory in sub-Saharan Africa over the longue durée
Full text linkHumans have utilized and exchanged ivory from different species of elephant living on the African continent for millennia, with ivory from both forest and savannah species being exploited. Starting around 4600 BP, elephant ivory sourced on the African continent also began to be exported to other parts of the world. The ways of working ivory, the uses to which it has been put, and its symbolic and representational meanings have all varied according to context across space and time. Different agents have played diverse and varying roles in its acquisition, crafting, and distribution. From early on, ivory’s malleability and comparative strength relative to other raw materials made it particularly sought after. Its color and texture, as well as the variation between species and in its structure at different points on a tusk, have also been critical aspects of its material affordances. Archaeological evidence from sub-Saharan Africa, especially material dating from after the BCE/CE transition, combined with ethnographic and historical data, provides important insights into the deep history of ivory, where it has been sourced on the continent, what is known about how it was worked in the distant past, and the changing history of its trade and exchange both within and beyond the continent. Regional and global shifts in its circulation, along with some of the societal and ecological consequences of these have also been studied, with particular reference to eastern Africa. Despite many advances in recent years, there is still a need for further multidisciplinary and multi-sited research informed by posthumanist perspectives and ethics
Fishing
No full textThe anthropology of fisheries is a core focus of maritime anthropology. Scholarship in this field is multifaceted, exploring fishing ways of life, fishing knowledge, marine tenures and economies, the gendered nature of fishing, how people cope with danger and risk, and the specificities of how this particular watery nature is manifested in social, political, and cultural systems. Fishing can be defined as a productive activity that takes place in a multidimensional space, depending more on natural or wild processes than manufactured processes. The idea of fishing being closer to nature is an analytical thread, giving the anthropology of fisheries a particular edge on the multispecies and more than human ethnographic turn in contemporary anthropology. Research in fisheries anthropology has long held the connections between fisher and fish to be of central concern. Significant too, however, is the thesis that the construction of commodity fisheries as a natural domain, of which fishers are atomistic extractors to be managed, is a highly politicized process involving the bioeconomic creation of fish stock and broader political economies. Anthropological research on fisheries engages critically with neoliberalizations, the extension of privatizations, and the proliferation of industrial aquaculture, thus challenging Blue Economy attempts to reconfigure nature–culture relationships and reposition the marine environment as a locus for the enactment and perpetuation of inequality
Economies of advice
Full text linkBecause of academic divisions of labour anthropologists have come late to the study of the changing landscape of welfare and advice provision in Euro-America (and beyond). But it is crucial to understanding contemporary economies. Attention to the increasing informalization, hybridization, plurality and complexity of welfare/care/advice provision in the context of 21st-century austerity Europe challenges the widely-held view of how state bureaucracies operate. The corollaries are the difficulties in accessing what help is available (hence the increasing need for advice) and an increase in grassroots mutual aid and activism to supplement and in some cases even supplant state advice provision
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Redefining Digital Archaeology: New Methodologies for 3D Documentation and Preservation of Cultural Heritage
Full text linkThis research aims to investigate the potential use of 3D technologies for the analysis and interpretation of archaeological and heritage sites. The use of 3D laser scanners and dense stereo matching (DSM) techniques is well established in archaeology, since these techniques allow to digitally preserving information through time, giving the opportunity to multiple experts to revisit the information over the long-term. However, no convincing comparisons between those techniques (3D laser scanners and DSM) have been presented until now. This research fills the gap providing an accurate data assessment for the Las Cuevas site (Belize), and representing a concrete starting point for the definition of a sharable methodology.Tests in different areas of Las Cuevas's site were conducted to compare both accuracy and density reliability of 3D models coming from laser scanning (triangulation light and time of flight laser scanner) and DSM. This study finds DSM as the most economical, portable, flexible, and widely used approach for the 3D documentation of archaeological sites today. In fact, DSM allows fastening the 3D documentation process, reducing both data acquisition and processing time. Nonetheless, the quantitative comparison presented in this research underscores the need to integrate this technique with laser scanner technologies when the data acquisition of micro-stratigraphy is required.More broadly this research aims also to clarify if the use of new technology allows increasing the objectivity of the excavation process. Scholars are debating on the authenticity of 3D digital reproductions and simulation in heritage and archaeology. How should we consider these digital and virtual reproductions and simulations? Are they original digital representations of our cultural heritage or just virtual 'fakes'? Overall, the results of this research suggest that is not possible to define universal predetermined categories for the definition of 'authentic', since 3D digital reproductions and simulations of tangible heritage are influenced by subjective choices and interpretations of the creator of 3D contents
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