Language and cultural capital in school experience of Polish children in Scotland

This article addresses the complex relationship between migration and education in the context of recent intra-European labour mobility. It considers how this mobility impacts the education and life chances of migrant students attending schools in Scotland, UK. By examining the experiences of Polish migrant children and youth at schools in Scotland, the article engages with the issues of language, cultural capital transferability and social positioning. Drawing on qualitative data from 65 in-depth interviews with school children aged 5–17 years, their parents and teachers, as well as observations in the contexts of school and home, the article points to a range of factors affecting the transition of migrant pupils to new schools and social environments

Not Quite Right: Representations of Eastern Europeans in ECJ Discourse

Although the increasing responsiveness of the Court of Justice of the European Union (the ‘ECJ’) jurisprudence to western Member States’ concerns regarding Central and Eastern European (‘CEE’) nationals’ mobility has garnered academic attention, ECJ discourse has not been scrutinised for how it approaches the CEE region or CEE movers. Applying postcolonial theory, this article seeks to fill this gap and to explore whether there are any indications that ECJ discourse is in line with the historical western-centric inferiorisation of the CEE region. A critical discourse analysis of a set of ECJ judgments and corresponding Advocate General opinions pertaining to CEE nationals illustrates not only how the ECJ adopts numerous discursive strategies to maintain its authority, but also how it tends to prioritise values of the western Member States, while overlooking interests of CEE movers. Its one-sided approach is further reinforced by referring to irrelevant facts and negative assumptions to create an image of CEE nationals as socially and economically inferior to westerners, as not belonging to the proper EU polity and as not quite deserving of EU law’s protections. By silencing CEE nationals’ voices, while disregarding the background of east/west socio-economic and political power differentials and precariousness experienced by many CEE workers in the west, such racialising discourse normalises ethnicity- and class-based stereotypes. These findings also help to contextualise both EU and western policies targeting CEE movers and evidence of their unequal outcomes in the west, and are in line with today’s nuanced expressions of racisms. By illustrating the ECJ’s role in addressing values pertinent to mobile CEE individuals, this study facilitates a fuller appreciation of the ECJ’s power in shaping and reflecting western-centric EU identity and policies. Engaging with such issues will not only allow us to better appreciate—and question—the ECJ’s legitimacy, but might also facilitate a better understanding of power dynamics within the EU. This study also makes significant theoretical and methodological contributions. It expands (and complicates) the application of postcolonial theory to contemporary intra-EU processes, while illustrating the usefulness of applying critical discourse analysis to exploring differentiation, exclusion, subordination and power within legal language

Some observations on the development of the European Microwave Association

The Honorary Secretary of the European Microwave Association was appointed in 1988 and is still in position. This paper describes the evolution of the concepts and procedures of the European Microwave Conference, the creation of the European Microwave Association and the European Microwave Week.Anglai

Early days of the European Microwave Conference: How did it start?

The concept of a European Microwave Conference was developed before the first EuMC London 1969. Several actors have been instrumental. Some details on the first EuMC are described.Anglai

Experimental studies of heterodyne mixing in Y-branch ballistic nano-junction

We analyze the potential of nanosized Y-branch junctions (YBJ) as devices for heterodyne mixers. We present the results of heterodyne conversion experiments showing frequency independent conversion loss up to 40 GHz input HF frequency. The high conversion loss (-55 dB for LO power P/sub LO/ = 0 dB) is explained as a result of poor matching of high-impedance YBJ and 50 Omega equipment. The use of multiple YBJs in parallel is proposed as a solution for improvement of conversion loss. The solution is analyzed theoretically using a behavioral model of YBJ. It is found that conversion loss can be reduced by 20 dB if 24 devices are used in parallel.Anglai

Investigation of metamaterial leaky wave antenna based on complementary split ring resonators

This paper aims at designing an RF tag planar antenna around 2.4 GHz enabling a frequency beam steering in the plane of the substrate. The structure is based on a leaky-wave antenna topology using a transmission line with series (capacitive) gaps and CSRRs periodically loading a host microstrip line. Its behaviour is first assessed by the array factor approach using simulated S-parameters that are validated by measurements. Full-wave simulations of radiation pattern with IE3D software show that radiation occurs mainly in the plane of the substrate and is tunable with frequency.Anglai

Wideband analytical model of an open-ended microstrip line under illumination

This paper describes a new model for an open-ended microstrip line under illumination for the design of optically-controlled microwave devices. The model gives an analytical expression of the load impedance of the open circuit as a function of the line geometry and the electrical parameters of the substrate on which it is manufactured. Measurements are made to validate the model over a wide frequency range and show a very good agreement between modelling and experiment