Becoming multilingual. Language learning and language policy between attitudes and identity

Many studies on language attitudes have been based on an approach in which languages are examined as an isolated unit; in other words, in these studies the participants are asked about their attitudes towards each of the languages in contact independently, by using what we will label in this chapter as monolingual biased questionnaires. The objective of this paper revolves around the analysis of language attitudes towards trilingualism by means of a holistic questionnaire in two multilingual contexts (the Basque Country and Malta). Our results reveal that the holistic questionnaire can be a useful tool to complement traditional questionnaires and it could lead to further knowledge on languages as a whole, rather than treating them separately. Furthermore, in can be a useful tool in order to enhance language awareness and enable language teachers to reflect both on their own language skills and competence as well as those of their students.peer-reviewe

General trends in competition policy and investment regulation in mandatory defined contribution markets in Latin America

Following Chile's pension reform in 1981, a wave of multi-pillar pension reforms took place in Latin America (LAC). Their implementation has revealed new policy challenges. To shed light on these issues, this paper reviews the structure and performance of mandatory DC pillars in LAC. The review highlights three important points. First, it suggests overall positive outcomes from reforms in the LAC countries that implemented multi-pillar pension systems. There is, however, scope for increasing efficiency. Second, management fees have declined but remain relatively high whereas decreases in operational costs have only been partially passed through to consumers reflecting inadequate competition. Limits on transfers and related measures have been ineffective in curtailing management fees but created new barriers to entry. In recent years, a few countries inLAC introduced or are in the process of introducing a combination of new measures that focus more directly on the two root causes of inadequate competition - the inelasticity of demand to fees and selective elimination of barriers to entry by facilitating unbundling of services. These new measures show some promise. Third, the paper's review indicates that a greater diversification of pension fund portfolios in LAC appears to be necessary. Portfolio concentration owes to the adoption of strict quantitative investment regulations, underdeveloped capital markets and volatile macroeconomic environments. A gradual relaxation of these restrictions is now in progress in several countries. Regulators have become more conscious of the costs imposed by such regulations and macroeconomic conditions have improved. Greater overseas diversification seems inevitable given the development stage of local capital markets.Debt Markets,,Emerging Markets,Access to Finance,Investment and Investment Climate

Deporte, relaciones internacionales y comunidades autónomas: un análisis al hilo de la reciente jurisprudencia constitucional

Aquest treball realitza una anàlisi de les sentències 80/2012 i 110/2012 del Tribunal Constitucional. Dotze anys després del seu plantejament es resol sobre les competències en l’àmbit internacional de les comunitats autònomes en matèria d’esport. Tot i ser una competència assumida en els estatuts català i basc, el Tribunal Constitucional resol creant una nova matèria competencial constituïda per l’activitat esportiva internacional. Per fer-ho es basa en tres criteris, el caràcter supraautonòmic de l’actuació, l’interès general i el principi de territorialitat. Aquesta vertadera creació d’una nova matèria competencial per la jurisprudència constitucional es compensa autonòmicament mitjançant una sentència interpretativa que salva les dues normes impugnades, que havien donat origen al pronunciament del Tribunal. Les sentències resolen de tal manera que s’impedeix la creació d’un sistema d’ordenació de l’esport que tingui en compte el fet autonòmic. Certament no és funció del Tribunal Constitucional crear aquest sistema, però la forma de pronunciar-se a favor de l’Estat fa que la possibilitat de construir un model d’organització de l’es¬port federat que tingui en compte l’estructura autonòmica de l’Estat sigui pràcticament nul·la.Este trabajo realiza un análisis de las sentencias 80/2012 y 110/2012 del Tribunal Constitucional. Doce años después de su planteamiento se resuelve sobre las competencias en el ámbito internacional de las Comunidades Autónomas en materia de deporte. A pesar de ser una competencia asumida en los Estatutos catalán y vasco, el Tribunal Constitucional resuelve creando una nueva materia competencial constituida por la actividad deportiva internacional. Para ello se basa en tres criterios, el carácter supraautonómico de la actuación, el interés general y el principio de territorialidad. Esta verdadera creación de una nueva materia competencial por la jurisprudencia constitucional se compensa autonómicamente mediante una sentencia interpretativa que salva las dos normas impugnadas, que habían dado origen al pronunciamiento del Tribunal. Las sentencias resuelven de tal manera que se impide la creación de un sistema de ordenación del deporte que tenga en cuenta el hecho autonómico. Ciertamente no es función del Tribunal Constitucional crear ese sistema, pero la forma en que se pronuncia a favor del Estado hace que la posibilidad de construir un modelo de organización del deporte federado que tenga en cuenta la estructura autonómica del Estado es prácticamente nula.This paper examines (Spain’s) constitutional court rulings 80/2012 and 110/2012. After twelve years of deliberation, the court has pronounced on the jurisdiction of Spain’s autonomous communties in the field of international sport. Although the statutes of Euskadi and Catalunya incorporate powers to compete internationally in sport, the constitutional court has constituted new powers in this area, based on three criteria: its supraregional nature, public interest and the territoriality principle. The creation of this new competence effectively sidesteps the two contested statutes by a new interpretetive ruling. The court has ruled in a way which interferes with the ability of Spain’s autonomous communties to manage their own sports’ administrations. Admittedly, it is not the constitutional courts’s job to to create this system, however, the way in which the court has ruled in favour of the state makes it practically impossibe to structure sport in a way which considers Spain’s autonomous communities

El retablo mayor de la Parroquia de San Martín de Cegama, Guipúzcoa

Estudio artístico e iconográfico del retablo barroco de la Parroquia de San Martín de Cegama, fechado en la cuarta década del S. XVII y realizado por García de Berástegui, discípulo de Gregorio Hernández. Mientras que en el S. XVI había triunfado la escultura romanista de Juan de Anchieta, en el S. XVII no destaca ningún genio artístico autóctono que impulse las nuevas tendencias. La creatividad artística va a ser importada desde Castilla, a través de Gregorio Hernández y su escuela. García de Berástegui tras una primera formación dentro del romanismo, se nutrió posteriormente con el "realismo místico" de Hernández. El retablo ejecutado entre 1637 y 1642 está dedicado a la advocación de San Martín. La expresión de las figuras denota el realismo castellano. A continuación realiza un análisis iconográfico del retabl

Czech pensionsystem : challenges and reform options

The purpose of the paper is to review the structure and performance of the Czech pension system and examine alternative reform options. The paper shows that in the absence of reform the deficits of the Czech pension system may exceed 8 percent of GDP in 2050. To contain these deficits the paper explores two major pay-as-you-go (PAYG) reform options. The first major option is a standard parametric reform that preserves the defined benefit (DB) scheme. The second major option involves parametric reforms combined with a switch to a notional defined contribution (NDC) scheme. The paper shows that the NDC cum parametric reforms would automatically tighten the link between contributions and benefits and be more resilient to unpredicted demographic shocks. However, both the DB and the NDC options would produce a significant reduction in replacement rates, especially for young generations. To avoid an excessive drop in replacement ratios the authorities should make an effort to increase coverage of the third pillar and improve the regulatory framework for third pillar funds. The authorities may also have to consider introducing a second pillar to ensure universal coverage, especially of young workers. Introducing a second pillar will be easier if the PAYG reforms start immediately. This is because an early implementation of the PAYG reforms would produce a significant improvement of the PAYG and offset at least partly the revenue losses arising from the diversion of contributions to the second pillar.Pensions&Retirement Systems,Environmental Economics&Policies,Banks&Banking Reform,Economic Theory&Research,Health Monitoring&Evaluation

La Ley de promoción de la autonomía personal y atención a las personas en situación de dependencia: Una reflexión desde la perspectiva competencial

La Llei de dependència respon a una política social que fins avui entrava dins de les polítiques assistencials, però que a partir d’ara vol entrar dins de les polítiques degudes; és a dir, de les polítiques exigibles en articular-se els drets que s’hi preveuen com a drets subjectius, plenament i perfectament exigibles per les persones a què es reconeixen. La Llei remet a uns desplegaments posteriors que establiran el contingut exacte d’aquests drets, el dibuix final del desenvolupament dels quals suscita molts interrogants. No podem oblidar que les polítiques socials són una competència autonòmica, i que aquesta Llei és una regulació només parcial dels drets de les persones en situació de dependència. Això fa que les virtualitats i les conseqüències pràctiques de la Llei no es puguin establir fins que se’n produeixi el desplegament. Aquest preveu mecanismes de col•laboració interadministrativa el funcionament dels quals pot resultar problemàtic. De les moltes qüestions que deriven de la Llei, aquest article vol referir-se, més limitadament, als problemes competencials, en concret i especialment amb relació a l’art. 149.1.1 CE, però sense oblidar la qüestió clau del finançament i els ja esmentats mecanismes de col•laboració interadministrativa que es preveuen.The law of dependence responds to a social policy that up to now fell under the category of social welfare policies, but which from now on will be covered by mainstream policy. In other words, these are policies that are applicable for formulating rights that have been stipulated as subjective rights, which are completely claimable by the people recognised within them. The law has undergone subsequent amendments that have established the exact content of these rights, the ultimate development of which has raised many questions. We must not forget that social policies are a responsibility of the autonomous community, and this law is only a partial regulation of the rights of the people living in an independent political environment. This means that the hypothetical aspects and practical consequences of the law cannot be established until they are amended. This implies a mechanism for inter-administrative collaboration which could in turn prove to be problematic from an operational perspective. Of the many questions that the law provokes, this article has aimed to limit itself to problems associated with responsibility, particularly in relation to art. 149.1.1 CE, without forgetting the key question of finances and the aforementioned mechanisms for inter-administrative collaboration.1. El contenido de la Ley de dependencia: descripción y consideración desde la perspectiva de las políticas sociales y del principio de autonomía. 1.1. Principales claves de la Ley de dependencia. 1.2. El significado de la Ley de dependencia desde las políticas sociales. 1.3. La Ley de dependencia y el principio de autonomía: sobre el significado de la autonomía en las políticas sociales. – 2. Los títulos competenciales afectados en el desarrollo de la Ley de dependencia. 2.1. El artículo 148.1.20 CE. 2.2. El artículo 149.1.1 CE. 2.3. El sistema previsto en la Ley de dependencia desde la perspectiva interadministrativa. 2.4. La financiación del sistema previsto en la Ley de dependencia: sobre la potestad de fomento. 2.5. El proceso de elaboración de la Ley de dependencia. – 3. A modo de conclusión

Sri Lanka's migrant labor remittances : enhancing the quality and outreach of the rural remittance infrastructure

Remittances-money sent home by immigrant workers abroad-are hugely beneficial to Sri Lanka. Migrants'remittances have grown dramatically in recent years and are now estimated at US$1.5 billion annually. This national phenomenon is consistent with remittance trends in neighboring countries where remittance flows are growing as rapidly. The trend is likely to continue as many workers continue to look abroad for the chance to make a better living. The economic policy implications of these trends are significant. The Sri Lankan Central Bank is now debating the following key issues: the developmental impact of remittances; the high transaction costs associated with remittances; and the level of transparency and accountability in the remittance industry, especially the informal remittance sector. This paper highlights the key policy issues associated with each of these aspects of remittances with the objective of improving the public and private infrastructure for current and future flows. Building on recent World Bank research on remittances that prominently features South Asia, it has been prepared in recognition of the development potential of these flows. It discusses some of the key issues relating to the remittance industry in Sri Lanka. This paper complements the existing literature on migrant labor remittances to Sri Lanka and extends that literature by providing specific policy-relevant guidance on short and long-term policies for enhance enhancing the quality and outreach of rural remittance infrastructure.Banks&Banking Reform,Technology Industry,Gender and Development,Financial Intermediation,Economic Theory&Research

Tema 8. Conducta agresiva

Tema 8: La conducta agresiva