Ultraviolet filtering of lattice configurations and applications to Monte Carlo dynamics

We present a detailed study of a filtering method based upon Dirac quasi-zero-modes in the adjoint representation. The procedure induces no distortions on configurations which are solutions of the euclidean classical equations of motion. On the other hand, it is very effective in reducing the short-wavelength stochastic noise present in Monte Carlo generated configurations. After testing the performance of the method in various situations, we apply it successfully to study the effect of Monte Carlo dynamics on topological structures like instantons.Comment: 39 pages, 15 figure

Three Essays on Population and Historical Legacies: Fertility, Income Inequality and Natural Resources

This dissertation provides three essays on population dynamics from the perspective of historical legacies. The objective is to study how some current population dynamics can be influenced by past events, some of them from a very long-term perspective. The dominant theories and empirical work on population dynamics usually consider current or proximate determinants generally observed from the 20th century onwards. However, there are certain deeper determinants, rooted in history, that could have a powerful long-term influence. The first essay studies the global convergence of fertility. The fertility transition idea is traditionally linked to the global convergence of fertility towards a single equilibrium. In this essay I use a recently developed methodological approach that allows for multiple equilibrium analysis and club identification. It is used data on 190 countries and territories, over a period from 1960 to 2019. The findings in this essay do not support global fertility convergence. Instead, a number of ‘convergence clubs’ emerges from the data. These findings are discussed in the light of various demographic theories, proposing that fertility trends in contemporary societies cannot be understood without taking into account the interplay between continuities and discontinuities rooted of historical legacies. The second essay studies the link between population, extractive institutions, and income inequality for a particular historical period, from which long-term legacies could have emerged. Inequality in Latin America has been large, widespread and persistent. For some scholars, its origin dates back to the colonial period, when Europeans established extractive institutions that have lasted until the present. However, the analysis provided in this essay suggests that income inequality was already very high in the days of the Aztec Empire, so its roots lie in pre-Hispanic institutions. In 2021, it will be five hundred years since Tenochtitlan fell by the Spanish troops in alliance with several peoples who rose up against the Aztec Empire. However, little is known about the conditions of inequality and extraction prior to the arrival of Europeans. Indeed, such conditions might explain the imperial fall. It is analyzed income inequality in the 38 provinces of the Aztec Empire, showing how highly extractive conditions explain the ease with which the Spaniards promoted alliances with certain indigenous peoples to defeat the Aztecs. The same previous extractive conditions may have made it easier for Europeans to adapt the Aztec institutions for their own benefit during the early colonial period. It is concluded that colonialism in Latin America did not create economic inequality, it only exacerbated it. The last essay explores the link between current population dynamics and the environment given by the presence of natural resources from a very long-term perspective. The influential literature on the “curse of natural resources” highlights that resource-rich countries, under certain circumstances, have poorer economic and political outcomes than other countries. The third essay proposes that the presence of non-renewable natural resources also has important implications and long-term effects for fertility and other social dynamics related to family change. In a country-level analysis, this work first documents how the presence of natural resources is highly associated with higher fertility rates across the world. Second, the long-term effects and persistence of this “social curse” are highlighted, by providing evidence at the subnational level that the presence of historic coal mines, dating back to the Industrial Revolution in Europe, can be influencing on current fertility behaviors and other outcomes that are determinants of social change

Pigmentocracia y medios de comunicación en el México actual: la importancia de las representaciones socio-raciales y de clase en la televisión mexicana

[9 pages]International audienceEl concepto de pigmentocracia utilizado a mediados del siglo XX por el fisiólogo chileno Alejandro Lipschütz, para explicar cómo la estratificación social al interior de las colonias españolas en América estaba fundamentada principalmente en el color de la piel, ha sido visto como un elemento generador de jerarquías al interior de una estructura socio-racial y de clase. En la que los rasgos fenotípicos se mostraban como la evidencia más directa del origen racial de las personas, lo cual al menos durante las primeras décadas de la colonia española, permitió a los conquistadores establecer al fenotipo europeo de origen español, como un primer referente clave para determinar la pertenencia legitima de los individuos a uno u otro escalón de la pirámide social. Por lo que, retomar el concepto de pigmentocracia para trasladarlo al contexto de la sociedad mexicana del siglo XXI, se propone como el objetivo más importante de este trabajo de investigación, buscando ampliar su definición al llevarlo más allá del color de la piel, para resignificarlo a través del análisis discursivo de lo que un medio tan importante como lo es la televisión, muestra en la actualidad sobre la posición social que ocupan las personas vía la representación de sus diferentes rasgos fenotípicos, de su lenguaje oral y no verbal; de sus comportamientos e incluso de su posición económica y/o de su poder político. En específico, a través de un análisis crítico del discurso de las dos televisoras más importantes de México: Televisa y TV Azteca, cuyo poder mediático, político y económico no tiene precedentes en la historia de la sociedad mexicana, consumidora de un discurso televisivo cargado de estereotipos, modelos aspiracionales de belleza, de poder y de éxito, promotores de una suerte de pigmentocracia mediatizada en la que aparentemente el origen socio-racial y de clase es negado o se oculta al tratar de explicar la estructura social del México actual, aunque en el mensaje televisivo siga estando presente, evidenciando un cierto paralelismo discursivo con el de la sociedad pigmentocrática colonial.Le concept de pigmentocracia utilisé au milieu du XXe siècle par le physiologiste chilien Alejandro Lipschütz, pour expliquer comment la stratification sociale à l'intérieur des colonies espagnoles en Amérique était principalement fondée dans la couleur de la peau, il a été vu comme un élément générateur d'hiérarchies à l'intérieur d'une structure et d'une classe. Ainsi les traits phénotypiques se montraient comme l'évidence la plus directe de l'origine raciale des personnes, dont au moins durant les premières décennies de la colonie espagnole, cette évidence a permis aux conquérants d'établir au phénotype européen d'origine espagnole, comme le premier référant clef pour déterminer l'appartenance légitime des individus à l'un ou à un autre échelon de la pyramide sociale. Vu pour le cas du Mexique, avant de finir la colonie et avec le pas à son étape indépendante, cette structure socio-raciale de type pigmentocrátique a été mise de côté à cause de sa manque d'efficacité fonctionnelle, au moins en termes de celui qui a été établi officiellement à l'intérieur de la structure sociale et surtout à travers du discours dénommé du métissage, si promu de la part de plusieurs de ses gouvernements et d'intellectuels de la fin du XIXe siècle et du début du XXe. Par conséquence, reprendre le concept de pigmentocratie pour le déplacer au contexte de la société mexicaine du XXIe siècle, il se propose comme l'objectif le plus important de ce travail de recherche, en cherchant à agrandir sa définition après l'avoir porté au-delà de la couleur de la peau, pour le ré signifier à travers de l'analyse discursif de celui qu'un média si important comme il est la télévision, il montre actuellement sur la position sociale que les personnes occupent voie la représentation de leurs différents traits phénotypiques, de leur langage oral et non verbal; de leurs comportements et même de leur position économique et/ou de leur pouvoir politique. Spécifiquement, à travers d'un analyse critique du discours de deux entreprises télévisuelles les plus importantes du Mexique : Televisa et Televisión Azteca, dont le pouvoir médiatique, politique et économique n'a pas de précédents dans l'histoire de la société mexicaine, consommatrice d'un discours de la télévision chargé de stéréotypes, des modèles aspirationels de beauté, de pouvoir et de succès, promoteurs d'une sorte de pigmentocratie médiatisée dans laquelle apparemment l'origine socio-racial et de classe ils sont niés ou ils se cachent au moment d'essayer expliquer la structure sociale du Mexique actuel, bien que dans le message de la télévisuel cela continue d'être présent, en mettant en évidence certain parallélisme discursif avec celui de la société pigmentocrátique coloniale

Value Investing and Size Effect in the South Korean Stock Market

There are indications that value investing strategies have been able to outperform the overall market in several countries across the globe. In this article, the specific case of South Korea is analyzed. It would appear that from a rigorous statistical point of view there are no strong evidence supporting the outperformance of value stocks versus growth stocks in South Korea, particularly when measured on a yearly basis. These results were consistent using both MSCI value and growth indexes as well as constructing portfolios using the P/E, P/B, cash flow per share and average 5-year sales growth. The statistical tests performed failed to reject for the majority of the years that the monthly returns come from distributions with different medians. The test yielding rather consistent results on a yearly basis but for large periods of time (decades) the results were more mixed, pointing in some cases to value investing outperforming over that very long time frame. It should be noted that the final value of the portfolios was rather different when using criteria, such as low P/E, typically associated with value stocks. The tests also failed to reject the hypothesis of different means for the monthly returns of small, medium and large companies