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Selected AbstractsPreface: phys. stat. sol. (c) 1/6PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (C) - CURRENT TOPICS IN SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 6 2004Alexey Kavokin This volume contains some of the papers presented at the Third International Conference on Physics of Light,Matter Coupling in Nanostructures (PLMCN3) which took place in Acireale, Sicily, from 1 to 4 October 2003. This meeting was fourth in the series started by PLMCN (St. Nectaire, 2000) and continued by PLMCN1 (Rome, 2001) and PLMCN2 (Rithymnon, 2002). All four conferences had the same format (about 70 participants), similar subject scope (interface between fundamental physics of light,matter coupling phenomena and applied research on new semiconductor materials and low-dimensional structures), and the proceedings of all of them have been published in physica status solidi. During these four years, a huge progress has been achieved in the understanding of exciton,polariton effects in microcavities. From the discovery of stimulated scattering of polaritons in 1999 to the first experimental reports of polariton Bose condensation and lasing, attention to this rapidly developing research area has been increased drastically. It is clear now that realization of a new generation of opto-electronic devices, referred to as polariton devices, is a realistic task for the coming decade. To achieve this target, much work has to be done both in fundamental research on dynamics of exciton,polaritons in microcavities and experimental realization of high-quality microcavities presumably based on wide-band gap semiconductors like GaN, ZnO, ZnSe, suitable for the observation of strong exciton,light coupling at room temperature. Forty nine research teams from twelve European countries have created a Polariton Consortium aimed at integration of the European research effort towards fabrication of polariton devices. PLMCN3 was not only an international conference devoted, in particular, to the research on polariton devices, but also the first scientific meeting of this community. The PLMCN meetings since the very first one have been sponsored by the US Army European Research Office (ERO). This time, with the initiative of Jim Harvey from ERO, a special session has been organized on the devices of 21st century, where a number of intriguing ideas have been proposed on new light sources, polariton lasers, and quantum memory elements based on microcavities. A special prize for the most crazy but realizable idea has been won by Misha Portnoi (Exeter) for the concept of a white diode based on a microcavity. Each PLMCN meeting brings participants from new countries. This time, the traditionally strong participation from Japan, Russia, the European Union and the USA has been enforced by a representative delegation from Israel and two speakers from Mexico. We are looking forward for new-comers from other countries not yet involved in the PLMCN community, to join us for the next meeting to be held in St. Petersburg on 29 June,3 July 2004. Sergey Ivanov from the A. F. Ioffe Institute chairs the local Organizing Committee of this future conference. We are going to keep a unique informal and creative atmosphere being characteristic of the PLMCN meetings. We invite all those who wish to know more about light,matter coupling in solids or to present any new interesting results in this area and at the same time to enjoy the beautiful city of St. Petersburg, to contact Sergey Ivanov (ivan@beam.ioffe.rssi.ru) or myself (kavokin@lasmea.univ-bpclermont.fr). We are looking forward to welcoming you in St. Petersburg! [source] Seeking a Place to Rest: Representation of Bounded Movement among Russian-Jewish HomecomersETHOS, Issue 3 2002Edna Lomsky-Feder This study explores person-place relations in the context of the crisscross movement of Russian-Jewish immigrants (university students) who came to Israel in the early 1990s and who subsequently returned to their homeland on a visit. Readings of the immigrants' "visiting tales" uncovered a repertoire of five identity practices, each of which constitutes a different analytical type of person-place relation. Our analysis attests to the existence of a multiplicity of ways by which immigrants orient to the existence of place(s) and experience places while they re-constitute their relationship with both the old and the new country. Furthermore, it elucidates how they seek a place in which to rest rather than being constantly on the move. This article shows how national homecoming is a living metanarrative that regulates immigrants' relations to place even in the transnational era. It suggests that postmodern thought should be more attentive to the manner in which metanarratives (national, ethnic, ecological) produce identity practices that orchestrate movement in space and endow meaning to person-place relations. [source] Areca nut use following migration and its consequencesADDICTION BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2002S. Warnakulasuriya The combined use of areca nut and smokeless tobacco (ST) is practiced particularly in the Indo-Chinese continents. While there is considerable global variation in the use of these products, migrant studies relevant to areca nut use is of considerable interest to epidemiologists in suggesting the extent to which these environment exposures are important in the aetiology of different cancers and other health-related consequences. Studies on Indian migrants to the Malay peninsula, South and east Africa and various Asian ethnic groups resident in several parts of the United Kingdom have shown that the consumption of areca nut (often mixed with ST) is highly prevalent in these communities. Available data on the prevalence of areca chewing among these migrant populations are reviewed here. The carriage of these risk factors from South Asia to other countries has resulted in excess risk of oral cancer in these new settlements. There is also a high incidence of cardiovascular disease, hypertension and late onset diabetes among Indians living in the United Kingdom and there is new evidence to suggest that the combined roles of areca and ST may be contributory. Because of their enhanced financial situation, substance abuse may increase in their new country of domicile. The two products are psychologically addictive and a dependency syndrome related to their use among Asian immigrants to the United Kingdom has been described recently. [source] The contribution of ethnic and American identities to the migrant's self-esteem: an empirical investigationINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED PSYCHOANALYTIC STUDIES, Issue 1 2006Yu-Wen Ying Abstract A psychoanalytic theory of migration postulates that migrants undergo a psychic restructuring which necessitates refueling by the culture of origin and/or its representatives (such as parents). During this time, ethnic identity is central to the migrant's self-esteem. With completion of the mourning processes, the migrant is psychically freed up to also identify with the new country. Over time, the new hybrid identity is consolidated, so that self-esteem is no longer determined by cultural or national identities. The current study empirically tested this postulation in three groups of Chinese migrants who varied in available resources in completing their psychic restructuring. As hypothesized, the function of Chinese and American identities in their self-esteem varied significantly at the time of the study and reflected differential degrees of post-migration identity consolidation. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Migration, Motherhood, Marriage: Cross-Cultural Adaptation of North American Immigrant Mothers in IsraelINTERNATIONAL MIGRATION, Issue 1 2009Laura I. Sigad This study probes the cross-cultural adaptation patterns of North American women who immigrated to Israel with their Israeli-born husbands (or married there) and are mothers in their new country. In order to undertake a cultural analysis of the interplay between immigration, motherhood and bicultural marriage, we examine: the effects of motherhood and North American culture of origin on cross-cultural adaptation; the effects of immigration to Israel on motherhood and childrearing; the influence of family of origin on the immigrant motherhood experience; and the role of Israeli husbands and their families in the women's cross-cultural adaptation process. We study patterns for the entire group as well as bringing out individual differences. Our main finding is that motherhood serves as the principal social link to the Israeli host society. The high status of North American culture and English proficiency facilitate cross-cultural adaptation in Israel. Our findings reveal transnationalist tendencies co-existing with various adaptation strategies. We propose an expansion of previous acculturation models to accommodate this dual modus vivendi. [source] Refugee families' experience of research participationJOURNAL OF TRAUMATIC STRESS, Issue 3 2000Kari Dyregrov Abstract Because refugees can experience crisis, bereavement, and traumatization, there has been a rapid increase of research carried out with refugees. This study investigated how refugee families respond to participation in research. A previous study explored how adults and children had communicated about the difficult question of repatriation after arriving in a new country. Did the in-depth interviews harm or benefit them? Are there any ethical risks in research on traumatized refugees? From an original sample of 74 Bosnian refugees (5,73 years), 30 family members from 9 families including 14 children aged 6 to 19, were re-interiewed. The refugees rated participation as positive. A few parents lacked information that could have enabled them to inform the children better before the interviews. The study shows that studies on traumatized/bereaved populations can have beneficial effects. [source] New-immigrant women in urban Canada: insights into occupation and sociocultural contextOCCUPATIONAL THERAPY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 4 2007Vanessa Martins Abstract Recent statistics have shown that women from South Asia comprise one of the largest sub-groups of immigrants to enter Canada. The majority of this population has settled in the city of Toronto. As immigrants adapt to new physical, social, political, and economic environments in a new country, they are also subject to changes in occupational roles and expectations. Little research has been conducted with new immigrant women from South Asia from an occupational adjustment perspective in Canada. This qualitative study sought to understand the adjustment experiences of immigrant women from South Asia regarding the influence of a Canadian urban environment on their occupations. Twelve recently immigrated women from South Asia to Canada were interviewed about their experiences of living in the city of Toronto with respect to their adjustment to a new environment and engagement in new daily occupations. Using a modified grounded theory approach to analysis, results from the study revealed many challenges these women face and the major factors that aid in the adjustment process. A framework for understanding occupational adjustment in new immigrants is discussed with implications for occupational therapy theory and practice. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The Influence of Country of Birth and Other Variables on the Earnings of ImmigrantsAMERICAN JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS AND SOCIOLOGY, Issue 2 2005The Case of the United States in 199 With globalization, plus the ongoing wars and political problems facing many countries, immigration has lately been accentuated. It is very common for immigrants to move to countries where it is perceived that their economic and political possibilities might be enhanced. In light of this, many foreigners tend to see the United States as their destination. However, sometimes these new additions to the economy face an uphill battle to fit in and make their abilities be valued in the new country. This paper tries to measure and quantify these problems faced by newcomers. It also addresses the question of who will most probably fare better in the United States. These two issues are measured through data obtained in the Current Population Survey published in March 1999. [source] What's to Fear from Immigrants?POLITICAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 4 2006Creating an Assimilationist Threat Scale We argue that cultural threat, stressed in recent studies of anti-immigrant sentiment, is properly measured in the U.S. case as "assimilationist threat": a resentful perception that immigrants are failing to adopt the cultural norms and lifestyle of their new homeland. We explore the meaning and form of assimilationist threat in the minds of Americans through an analysis of four focus groups, two in Los Angeles, CA, and two in Columbus, OH. Using information from the focus groups, we develop and test a set of survey questions covering three dimensions of immigrants' commitment to their new country: language, productivity, and citizenship. We produce a summary scale of assimilationist threat that can be used by other researchers seeking to understand the causes and consequences of anti-immigrant sentiment. [source] Wealth Distributions of Migrant and Australian-born Households,THE ECONOMIC RECORD, Issue 268 2009DENISE DOIRON Wealth is an important measure of overall economic well-being and a crucial factor in migrants' ability to integrate into their new country. Using data from the 2002 HILDA survey, this study explores the disparity between the wealth distributions of native-born and foreign-born households in Australia. Using quantile regressions the results reveal that migrants have significantly less wealth than their Australian-born counterparts throughout the wealth distribution. This is despite the greater wealth-generating characteristics of the foreign-born. The wealth differentials are reduced but still negative for the migrant cohorts who have been in Australia for over 25 years. [source] |