Science Literature (science + literature)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Kinds of Science Literature

  • social science literature


  • Selected Abstracts


    Beyond Biogeography: a Framework for Involving the Public in Planning of U.S. Marine Protected Areas

    CONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2005
    TRACEY MORIN DALTON
    control de áreas marinas protegidas; intervención de usufructuarios; manejo basado en ecosistemas; participación del público Abstract:,Planning of marine protected areas (MPAs) is highlighted in the conservation literature but is not explored in much detail. Many researchers acknowledge the importance of involving the public in MPA planning, but there is limited guidance on how to do this in an effective manner. I present a framework for involving the public in planning of U.S. MPAs. Derived from empirically and theoretically based research on public participation in U.S. natural resource management, this framework is composed of factors that influence the success of participatory processes: active participant involvement, complete information exchange, fair decision making, efficient administration, and positive participant interactions. Processes incorporating these factors will produce decisions that are more likely to be supported by stakeholders, meet management objectives, and fulfill conservation goals. This framework contributes to the MPA social science literature and responds to calls in the conservation literature to increase the use of social science research to inform conservation decision making. Resumen:,La planificación de áreas marinas protegidas (AMP) resalta en la literatura de conservación pero no es explorada en mucho detalle. Muchos investigadores reconocen la importancia de involucrar al público en la planificación de AMP, pero las directrices para hacerlo de manera efectiva es limitada. Presento un marco para involucrar al público en la planificación de AMP en E.U.A. Este marco, derivado de investigación empírica y teórica de la participación del público en el manejo de recursos naturales en E.U.A., esta compuesto por factores que influyen en el éxito de procesos participativos: intervención activa de usufructuarios; intercambio completo de información; toma de decisiones justas; administración eficiente e interacciones positivas de participantes. Los procesos que incorporan estos factores producirán decisiones que tendrán más posibilidades de ser apoyadas por los usufructuarios, de alcanzar objetivos de manejo y cumplir metas de conservación. Este marco contribuye a la literatura de ciencias sociales de AMP y responde a llamados en la literatura de conservación para incrementar el uso de investigación de ciencias sociales para proporcionar información a la toma de decisiones de conservación. [source]


    A Framework for Measuring the Importance of Variables with Applications to Management Research and Decision Models,

    DECISION SCIENCES, Issue 3 2000
    Ehsan S. Soofi
    In many disciplines, including various management science fields, researchers have shown interest in assigning relative importance weights to a set of explanatory variables in multivariable statistical analysis. This paper provides a synthesis of the relative importance measures scattered in the statistics, psychometrics, and management science literature. These measures are computed by averaging the partial contributions of each variable over all orderings of the explanatory variables. We define an Analysis of Importance (ANIMP) framework that reflects two desirable properties for the relative importance measures discussed in the literature: additive separability and order independence. We also provide a formal justification and generalization of the "averaging over all orderings" procedure based on the Maximum Entropy Principle. We then examine the question of relative importance in management research within the framework of the "contingency theory of organizational design" and provide an example of the use of relative importance measures in an actual management decision situation. Contrasts are drawn between the consequences of use of statistical significance, which is an inappropriate indicator of relative importance and the results of the appropriate ANIMP measures. [source]


    Five Ways of Institutionalizing Political Opposition: Lessons from the Advanced Democracies

    GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION, Issue 1 2004
    Ludger Helms
    ABSTRACT Legitimate political opposition constitutes a key component of any form of liberal democracy, which has, however, received surprisingly scant attention in the more recent political science literature. In an attempt to revitalize the debate about the various forms of political opposition, this paper starts with distinguishing five different ways or models of institutionalizing political opposition in liberal democratic systems. It goes on to look at how these different models have worked in the constitutional practice of selected western democracies. In the second part of this article, the focus is on the possible lessons that constitution-makers in democratizing countries could draw from this experience. Whereas there is no best model of opposition in general, some models would seem to be better suited to meet the particular needs of new democracies than others. [source]


    Private Regulation of the Public Sector: A Neglected Facet of Contemporary Governance

    JOURNAL OF LAW AND SOCIETY, Issue 1 2002
    Colin Scott
    The centrality of regulation among the tools deployed by governments is well established in the social science literature. Regulation of public sector bodies by non-state organizations is an important but neglected aspect of contemporary governance arrangements. Some private regulators derive both authority and power from a legal mandate for their activities. Statutory powers are exercised by private regulators where they are delegated or contracted out. Contractual powers take collective (for example, self-regulatory) and individuated forms. But a further important group of private regulators, operating both nationally and internationally, lack a legal mandate and yet have the capacity to exercise considerable power in constraining governments and public agencies. In a number of cases private regulators operate more complete regulatory regimes (in the sense of controlling standard setting, monitoring, and enforcement elements) than is true of public regulators. While private regulators may enhance the scrutiny given to public bodies (and thus enhance regimes of control and accountability), their existence suggests a need to identify the conditions under which such private power is legitimately held and used. One such condition is the existence of appropriate mechanisms for controlling or checking power. Such controls may take the classic form of public oversight, but may equally be identified in the checks exercised by participation in communities or markets. [source]


    THE DATA AVALANCHE IS HERE.

    JOURNAL OF REGIONAL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2010
    SHOULDN'T WE BE DIGGING?
    ABSTRACT We have access to an unprecedented amount of fine-grained data on cities, transportation, economies, and societies, much of these data referenced in geo-space and time. There is a tremendous opportunity to discover new knowledge about spatial economies that can inform theory and modeling in regional science. However, there is little evidence of computational methods for discovering knowledge from databases in the regional science literature. This paper addresses this gap by clarifying the geospatial knowledge discovery process, its relation to scientific knowledge construction, and identifying challenges to a greater role in regional science. [source]


    Is Neoclassical Economics still Entrepreneurless?

    KYKLOS INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, Issue 3 2005
    Milo Bianchi
    Summary The paper reviews and evaluates some recent contributions on modeling entrepreneurship within a neoclassical framework, analyzing how, and to what extent, the fundamental ingredients suggested in the social science literature were captured. It is shown how these approaches are important in stressing the main elements of a complex picture, without being able to fully describe it. Each modeling attempt focuses only on one specific feature of entrepreneurship, and the entrepreneurial function, broadly perceived, eludes analytical tractability. As a consequence, the models can be useful in analyzing the effect of entrepreneurial behavior at an aggregate level, but not at explaining individual choices. From these observations, it is highlighted how a simplistic interpretation of the existing mainstream approaches incorporating entrepreneurship runs the risk of leading to distortionary policy interventions. [source]


    Empirical growth models with spatial effects*

    PAPERS IN REGIONAL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2006
    Bernard Fingleton
    Spatial spillovers; regional productivity; spatial econometrics; EU regions Abstract., Recent contributions to the regional science literature have considered spatial effects in empirical growth specifications. In the case of spatial dependence, following theoretical arguments from new economic geography, and endogenous growth models, this phenomenon has been associated with the existence of externalities that cross regional borders. However, despite the general consensus that interactions or externalities are likely to be the major source of spatial dependence, they have been modelled in a rather ad hoc manner in most existing empirical studies. In contrast, we advocate basing the analysis on structural growth models which include externalities across economies, applying the appropriate spatial econometrics tools to test for their presence and estimate the magnitude of these externalities in the real world. [source]


    First Politics, Then Culture: Accounting for Ethnic Differences in Demographic Behavior in Kenya

    POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW, Issue 3 2001
    Alexander A. Weinreb
    Ethnic differences in demographic behavior tend to be disguised behind analytically opaque labels like "district" or "region," or else subjected to simplistic cultural explanations. Drawing on new political economy, sociological theory and the political science literature on sub-Saharan Africa, this article proposes an alternative explanatory model and tests it empirically with reference to Kenya. Access to political power and, through power, access to a state's resources,including resources devoted to clinics, schools, labor opportunities, and other determinants of demographic behavior,are advanced as the key factors underlying ethnic differences. District-level estimates of "political capital" are introduced and merged with two waves of Demographic and Health Survey data. The effects on models of contraceptive use are explored. Results confirm that measures of political capital explain residual ethnic differences in use, providing strong support for a political approach to the analysis of demographic behavior. [source]


    An exploration into the wellbeing of the families living in the ,suburbs in the bush',

    AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 3 2009
    Sanjay Sharma
    Abstract Objective: To examine the wellbeing of families of male mine-workers living in remote mining towns in Australia. Methods: Through an extensive review of available (but limited) social science literature on mining towns this paper explores and identifies the key social issues and problems of mining towns. Social science and health-related research are used to argue that there are several factors that may negatively affect the relationship and psychological wellbeing of family members. Results: Atypical work schedules of the mining jobs could negatively affect the long-term health of the workers, and could constrain their qualitative participation in domestic roles. Limited availability of resources, services and flexi-time jobs in mining towns marginalise female partners to domestic chores. Higher level of alcohol consumption by workers and their preferred spending of leisure time with workmates symbolise patriarchal culture in mining towns that further marginalises women and could strain marital relationships. These factors could affect the social and emotional health of the children. Conclusion: Interdisciplinary studies are needed to gain realistic understanding of the dynamics of long-term impacts of long work hours/compressed work weeks, socio-cultural, motivational and environmental factors on the wellbeing of the workers and their families living in mining towns. Family counsellors and mental health professionals working in remote mining towns must take into consideration the likely negative impacts of work and community on individuals and families. [source]


    Collagenous colitis and eosinophilic gastritis in a 4-year old girl: a case report and review of the literature

    ACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 9 2007
    Eric I Benchimol
    Abstract Collagenous colitis (CC), a form of microscopic colitis, is characterized by a thick subepithelial collagen layer in the colon in the presence of chronic nonbloody watery diarrhoea and macroscopically normal-appearing colonic mucosa. Typically affecting elderly adults, CC is rare in children with only 12 cases previously reported in the literature. We report the case of a 4-year-old girl with CC associated with eosinophilic gastritis, which was clinically responsive to treatment with ketotifen, a benzocycloheptathiophene derivative, and H1 class of antihistamine that stabilizes mast cells and potentially impairs eosinophil migration to target organs. We review the published cases of paediatric-onset CC and summarize the links between eosinophils and CC in the clinical and basic science literature. Conclusion: CC is a rare cause of chronic diarrhoea in children and may relate to mast cell and eosinophil activity. [source]


    The difference that difference makes in the mobilization of workers

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF URBAN AND REGIONAL RESEARCH, Issue 4 2002
    Nancy Ettlinger
    Drawing conceptually from feminist, post,development, cultural politics and radical political science literatures, this essay integrally relates differences among contexts (relationally defined) and people. I suggest that prospects for the mobilization of workers across space requires critical thinking about difference, entailing recognition of different work experiences associated with different industrial processes and avenues of exploitation, as well as possible friction among different groups of people across axes of difference. Although frictions of difference related both to economic and non,economic logics may pose complex problems for connecting workers within and across space, I argue that inclusive organizing strategies are critical to achieving pervasive and long,run social change. Tirant ces concepts de documents sur le post,féminisme et le post,développement, et de textes de politique culturelle et de science politique fondamentale, cet essai associe toutes les différences de contextes (définis en termes de relation) et d'individus. Il suggère que mobiliser des salariés à travers l'espace nécessite une réflexion critique sur la différence, ce qui implique la reconnaissance d'expériences professionnelles diverses combinées à des approches et processus industriels d'exploitation différents, ainsi que d'éventuels points de friction entre divers groupes de personnes d'un bout à l'autre des axes de différence. Même si ces points de friction, liés à une logique tant économique que non,économique, sont susceptibles de créer d'importantes difficultés pour relier des salariés dans l'espace, il faut appliquer des stratégies d'organisation globales si l'on veut obtenir un changement social capable de s'imprégner durablement. [source]


    Women and attention deficit disorders: A great burden overlooked

    JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NURSE PRACTITIONERS, Issue 3 2007
    Assistant Professor2), CS (Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Roberta Waite EdD
    Abstract Purpose: To describe adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in relation to gender-based differences in symptom expression with particular emphasis on disparities concerning women, psychiatric comorbidities that affect assessment and detection, and evidenced-based treatment approaches for nurse practitioners (NPs). Data sources: Health sciences literature was reviewed using the following data-bases: Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PubMed, Proquest, Psych Info, Wiley Interscience, Cambridge Press, Science Direct, and Thomson Gale. Conclusions: Recognizing adult ADHD may be challenging; however, with increased understanding regarding the subtle variations in symptoms, use of screening instruments, and careful assessment techniques, NPs will be better able to recognize the characteristics of ADHD that are important to early detection, proper diagnosis, and effective treatment. Implications for practice: Additional research and improved clinician education may facilitate early detection and treatment of ADHD among adults of all ages and ethnic/racial backgrounds. [source]


    Strategic Display and Response to Emotions: Developing Evidence-based Negotiation Expertise in Emotion Management (NEEM)

    NEGOTIATION AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT RESEARCH, Issue 4 2008
    Georges Potworowski
    Abstract This article conceptualizes emotion management as a form of negotiation expertise, and integrates the nascent empirical literature on emotion in negotiation with concepts from the learning sciences literature to suggest how negotiation expertise in emotion management (NEEM) can be taught. We argue that NEEM differs from emotional intelligence in fundamental ways, and that it consists of sensitivity to strategically relevant emotional cues, ability to strategically display and respond to emotions in negotiations, and the inclination to manage emotions for superior objective and subjective negotiation performance. We propose a method of developing NEEM in the classroom and identify directions for future research. [source]


    A guide to knowledge translation theory

    THE JOURNAL OF CONTINUING EDUCATION IN THE HEALTH PROFESSIONS, Issue 1 2006
    Carole A. Estabrooks RN
    Abstract Despite calls over several decades for theory development, there remains no overarching knowledge-translation theory. However, a range of models and theoretical perspectives focused on narrower and related areas have been available for some time. We provide an overview of selected perspectives that we believe are particularly useful for developing testable and useful knowledge-translation interventions. In addition, we discuss adjuvant theories necessary to complement these perspectives. We draw from organizational innovation, health, and social sciences literature to illustrate the similarities and differences of various theoretical perspectives related to the knowledge-translation field. A variety of theoretical perspectives useful to knowledge translation exist. They are often spread across disciplinary boundaries, making them difficult to locate and use. Poor definitional clarity, discipline-specific terminology, and implicit assumptions often hinder the use of complementary perspectives. Health care environments are complex, and assessing the setting prior to selecting a theory should be the first step in knowledge-translation initiatives. Finding a fit between setting (context) and theory is important for knowledge-translation initiatives to succeed. Because one theory will not fit all contexts, it is helpful to understand and use several different theories. Although there are often barriers associated with combining theories from different disciplines, such obstacles can be overcome, and to do so will increase the likelihood that knowledge-translation initiatives will succeed. [source]