The financial crisis and its impacts on global agriculture

The financial crisis arose in the industrial countries, but has affected developing countries through higher interest rates, sharp changes in commodity prices, and reductions in investment, trade, migration and remittances. For most low-income countries, shocks that affect food prices or wage rates for unskilled workers seem likely to have the largest impact on poverty, with the declines in key food prices associated with the crisis helping to reduce poverty, while declining trade, investment, and remittance flows have had adverse impacts on the poor. Policies to address the crisis must include measures to deal with financial sector problems, the resulting reductions in aggregate demand, and the particular vulnerabilities of poor people. Given the complexity of the impacts from financial crises and commodity price shocks, there is a strong case for developing better social safety net policies that can offset the adverse impacts of a wide range of different shocks on poor people without creating costly market distortions.Emerging Markets,Debt Markets,Economic Theory&Research,Markets and Market Access,Currencies and Exchange Rates

Annuities and Aggregate Mortality Uncertainty

This paper explores the effect of aggregate mortality risk on thepricing of annuities. It uses a two-period model; in the second period people face a constant but intiially unknown risk of death. Old people can either carry the aggregat emortlaity risk for themselves or buy annuities which are sold by young people. A market-clearing price for such annuties is established. It is found that old people would, given the choice, decide to carry a considerable part of aggregate mortality risk for themselves.

Pension Arrangements and Retirement Choices in Europe: A Comparison of the British, Danish and German Systems. ENEPRI Research Reports No. 5, 1 February 2005

This paper develops a general equilibrium simulation model of a heterogeneous population in which both consumption/saving and labour/leisure choices are endogenous. The authors use it to explore the effects of the different state benefit systems on the labour supply of old and older workers in Denmark, Germany and the UK. In broad terms, they find that differences in labour force participation can be accounted for by the differences in benefit structures. These conclusions are not altered when they allow for the effects of poor health at different ages. The UK system is found to be preferable by young persons while the German arrangement is preferred by old and older people (who make up the majority in the simulated population)

Superhero Media as a Potential Context for Investigating Children\u27s Understanding of Morally Relevant Events

Currently, superhero films are one of the more popular film genres, and the genre does not appear to be slowing down anytime soon. In addition, the lives and exploits of superheroes are told through other forms of media such as animated films and television series targeted towards children. However, these narratives are also violent. If older children (i.e., approximately 7-11) engage with superhero media, then it is important to understand the ways they attempt to make sense of this genre. To this end, the essay examines how superhero media may serve as a potential context for older children\u27s understanding of morally relevant events. This potential -- based on three broad areas of scholarship on children\u27s capacities for understanding others and their morally relevant acts -- is explored along two dimensions. The first is through common narrative features of the genre, and the second is through research implications. It is suggested that a research program utilizing the genre\u27s narrative features as a part of a methodology to investigate older children\u27s understanding of morally relevant acts affords unique opportunities to build upon existing scholarship on the relationship between media content and children\u27s moral understanding

Harlem\u27s Superhero: Social Interaction, Heterogeneity of Thought, and the Superhero Mission in Marvel\u27s Luke Cage

The essay extends previous Luke Cage scholarship by analyzing him through a discipline rarely utilized in superhero scholarship: developmental psychology. Using the Luke Cage television series, the author centers Luke Cage\u27s relationship to Harlem. In doing so, the author explores how the relationship can elucidate both the conceptual foundations of morally-relevant decision-making and the ways these concepts may be applied in varied and complex social interactions -- features of social life relevant to everyday persons as well as superheroes working within a fictionalized neighborhood

Medijske pripovijedi o superherojima kao potencijalni kontekst za istraživanje dječjega razumijevanja moralno relevantnih događaja

Currently, superhero films are one of the more popular films genres, and the genre does not appear to be slowing down anytime soon. In addition, the lives and exploits of superheroes are told through other forms of media such as animated films and television series targeted towards children. However, these narratives are also violent. If older children (i.e., approximately 7–11) engage with superhero media, then it is important to understand the ways they attempt to make sense of this genre. To this end, the essay examines how superhero media may serve as a potential context for older children’s understanding of morally relevant events. This potential—based on three broad areas of scholarship on children’s capacities for understanding others and their morally relevant acts—is explored along two dimensions. The first is through common narrative features of the genre, and the second is through research implications. It is suggested that a research program utilizing the genre’s narrative features as a part of a methodology to investigate older children’s understanding of morally relevant acts affords unique opportunities to build upon existing scholarship on the relationship between media content and children’s moral understanding.Trenutačno su filmovi o superherojima jedan od popularnijih filmskih žanrova i čini se da se taj trend neće uskoro promijeniti. Osim toga, životi i pothvati superheroja prikazani su i putem drugih medija poput animiranih filmova i televizijskih serija namijenjenih djeci. Međutim, te su priče ujedno i nasilne. Ako se starija djeca (od 7 do 11 godina) susreću s medijskim sadržajem o superherojima, važno je razumjeti načine na koje oni pokušavaju shvatiti taj žanr. U tu svrhu, ovaj rad istražuje kako medijski sadržaj o superherojima može poslužiti kao potencijalni kontekst za razumijevanje moralno značajnih događaja kod starije djece. Taj potencijal – temeljen na tri šira područja istraživanja dječje sposobnosti razumijevanja drugih i njihovih moralno značajnih postupaka – istražuje se putem dviju dimenzija. Prvu predstavljaju zajednički pripovjedni elementi žanra, a drugu istraživačke implikacije. Predlaže se istraživački model koji se koristi pripovjednim obilježjima žanra kao dijelom metodologije za istraživanje razumijevanja moralno značajnih postupaka kod starije djece. Takav model također nudi mogućnost nadogradnje postojećih istraživanja o odnosu između medijskoga sadržaja i moralnoga razumijevanja djece

The Many Ways of Wakanda: Viewpoint Diversity in Black Panther and Its Implications for Civics Education

Like many of its superhero film predecessors, Black Panther (2018) achieved widespread popularity both domestically and internationally. Although the film examines the focal character T’Challa’s (Black Panther) attempt to balance his dual responsibilities as king and protector of Wakanda, the viewpoint diversity displayed by its citizens suggests that the film’s central character is Wakandan society. Drawing on events and themes from the film, the essay argues that social domain theory (SDT)—a theory that attempts to explain the development of sociomoral concepts across the lifespan—provides a useful lens to examine Wakandans’ viewpoint diversity as portrayed in the film, specifically with regards to general similarities between the sociomoral considerations at the heart of the film, and those people bring to bear when understanding their social worlds. Moreover, the essay contends that such an analysis suggests that Black Panther (2018) may have some value for primary school educators as a potential aid towards their efforts to create learning activities related to civics education

Deep Learning in Science: Is there a Reason for (Philosophical) Pessimism?

In this article, I will review existing arguments for and against this philosophical pessimism about using deep learning models in science. Despite the remarkable results achieved by deep learning models networks in various scientific fields, some philosophers worry that because of their opacity, using these systems cannot improve our understanding of the phenomena studied. First, some terminological and conceptual clarification is provided. Then, I present a case for optimism, arguing that using opaque models does not hinder the possibility of gaining new understanding. After that, I present a critique of this argument. Finally, I present a case for pessimism, concluding that there are reasons to be pessimistic about the ability of deep learning models to provide us with new understanding of phenomena, studied by scientists