Space for inclusion? The Construction of Sport and Leisure Spaces as Places for Migrant Communities

The research on which this paper is based started from the proposition that sport and leisure spaces can support processes of social inclusion (Amara et al., 2005), yet may also serve to exclude certain groups. As such, these spaces may be seen as contested and racialised places that shape behaviour. We shall use this paper not just to explore how those spaces are perceived by new migrants, but how those interpretations may vary with time and processes of social change. That involves examining how sport and leisure spaces are encoded in different ways, thereby affecting people’s experience, while at the same time recognising that their sport and leisure practices shape those social constructions. We argue that such an understanding is necessary to inform policies and practices that could promote the development of mutual and shared spaces rather than disconnected multiple occupations of spaces. Our goal is not only to contribute to the development of theory, but also to the debate that has counterposed multiculturalism and integrationism. Our recent systematic review, conducted for Sporting Equals and the sports councils (Long et al., 2009), synthesised literature on participation in sport and physical recreation by people from Black and Minority Ethnic Communities (BME) in the UK. That review identified a growing body of research, but one focussing primarily on the experiences of Black and Asian groupings. That has led us to turn to a consideration of new migrant communities. In this paper we shall be reporting on empirical research conducted with ‘new migrants’ now living in Leeds

Petitions, Gravamina and the early modern state : local influence on central legislation in England and Germany (Hesse)

This essay hopes to throw some more light on these developments by focusing on two very heterogeneous case studies in the period between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries. It will examine the range of means employed by the subjects of the Holy Roman Empire, mainly the territory of Hesse, and England to influence the laws by which they were governed. The emphasis, however, is not so much on spectacular, extraordinary occurrences such as riots and rebellions (whose impact is by now widely acknowledged), but on the sort of routine activities which marked everyday political life all across the Continent. Having sketched (i) the differing institutional frameworks of the two case studies, we will proceed to (ii) a comparative discussion of popular participation in legislative activities and propose (iii) some general conclusions about the importance of this phenomenon for our understanding of the making of the modern state

Time dependent fracture of polymers

The fracture behavior of polymers is reviewed with emphasis on the time dependent aspects of the problem. Following a delineation of the history of crack propagation investigations in linearly viscoelastic materials, the effects of temperature and solvent environment are examined besides the special effects arising from fatigue loading. These phenomena are examined for both crosslinked and uncrosslinked polymers. Some special consideration is given to the phenomena connected with craze formation in amorphous homopolymers as well as in crystalline materials as exemplified by polyethylene. Finally, status of analytical tools and formulations of fracture problems involving non-linearly viscoelastic material behavior is delineated by means of some examples

Unusual Flaring Activity in the Blazar PKS 1424-418 during 2008-2011

Context. Blazars are a subset of active galactic nuclei (AGN) with jets that are oriented along our line of sight. Variability and spectral energy distribution (SED) studies are crucial tools for understanding the physical processes responsible for observed AGN emission. Aims. We report peculiar behaviour in the bright gamma-ray blazar PKS 1424-418 and use its strong variability to reveal information about the particle acceleration and interactions in the jet. Methods. Correlation analysis of the extensive optical coverage by the ATOM telescope and nearly continuous gamma-ray coverage by the Fermi Large Area Telescope is combined with broadband, time-dependent modeling of the SED incorporating supplemental information from radio and X-ray observations of this blazar. Results. We analyse in detail four bright phases at optical-GeV energies. These flares of PKS 1424-418 show high correlation between these energy ranges, with the exception of one large optical flare that coincides with relatively low gamma-ray activity. Although the optical/gamma-ray behaviour of PKS 1424-418 shows variety, the multiwavelength modeling indicates that these differences can largely be explained by changes in the flux and energy spectrum of the electrons in the jet that are radiating. We find that for all flares the SED is adequately represented by a leptonic model that includes inverse Compton emission from external radiation fields with similar parameters. Conclusions. Detailed studies of individual blazars like PKS 1424-418 during periods of enhanced activity in different wavebands are helping us identify underlying patterns in the physical parameters in this class of AGN.Comment: accepted for publication in A&

A legacy handbook for innovation

Legacy Handbook reviewing emda's experience of innovation activity. Identifies key achievements and draws out lessons learned that may be relevant to successor bodies active in this area

Modeling dust emission in PN IC 418

We investigated the infrared (IR) dust emission from PN IC 418, using a detailed model controlled by a previous determination of the stellar properties and the characteristics of the photoionized nebula, keeping as free parameters the dust types, amounts and distributions relative to the distance of the central star. The model includes the ionized region and the neutral region beyond the recombination front (Photodissociation region, or PDR), where the [OI] and [CII] IR lines are formed. We succeeded in reproducing the observed infrared emission from 2 to 200~\mm. The global energy budget is fitted by summing up contributions from big grains of amorphous carbon located in the neutral region and small graphite grains located in the ionized region (closer to the central star). Two emission features seen at 11.5 and 30~\mm are also reproduced by assuming them to be due to silicon carbide (SiC) and magnesium and iron sulfides (Mg$_x$Fe$_{1-x}$S), respectively. For this, we needed to consider ellipsoidal shapes for the grains to reproduce the wavelength distribution of the features. Some elements are depleted in the gaseous phase: Mg, Si, and S have sub-solar abundances (-0.5 dex below solar by mass), while the abundance of C+N+O+Ne by mass is close to solar. Adding the abundances of the elements present in the dusty and gaseous forms leads to values closer to but not higher than solar, confirming that the identification of the feature carriers is plausible. Iron is strongly depleted (3 dex below solar) and the small amount present in dust in our model is far from being enough to recover the solar value. A remaining feature is found as a residue of the fitting process, between 12 and 25~\mm, for which we do not have identification.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics. V2: adding reference

Modelling linered engine blocks

Factors that affect heat transfer in the linered aluminium engine block are examined to determine their importance. Conduction is found to be the dominant mode of heat transfer, and the interface is characterised as imperfect contact if there are no surface manufacturing defects larger than 139 microns. A model is proposed to estimate the effective conductivity for imperfect contact. This thermal conductance depends on the area of contact, macroscopic roughness, the contact pressure and the interstitial medium. The transfer of heat and the distribution of stress in line red engine blocks are coupled, and the problem is strongly non-linear. A finite element solution procedure for solving the heat transfer problem in the linered engine block is outlined

Review of: Lawrence J. Kaplan & Rosemarie Tong, Controlling Our Reproductive Destiny: A Technological and Philosophical Perspective

Review of: Lawrence J. Kaplan & Rosemarie Tong, Controlling Our Reproductive Destiny: A Technological and Philosophical Perspective (The MIT Press 1994). Appendix (basic biochemistry), illustrations, index, notes, preface, series foreword by Samuel Goldberg, tables. CIP 93-38060, ISBN 0-262-11176-4 [418 pp. Cloth $29.95. 55 Hayward St., Cambridge MA 02142.