Histoires de riz, histoires d'igname : le cas de la moyenne Côte d'Ivoire

Par une approche historique reposant sur des études de cas menées en pays Baulé, Gba, Guro, Malinké), cette étude analyse les facteurs et les processus socioéconomiques qui, depuis la colonisation, ont conduit à une spécialisation de la production agricole (riz et igname) de part et d'autre de la vallée du Bandama

Many-body effects in magnetic inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy

Magnetic inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy (IETS) shows sharp increases in conductance when a new conductance channel associated to a change in magnetic structure is open. Typically, the magnetic moment carried by an adsorbate can be changed by collision with a tunneling electron; in this process the spin of the electron can flip or not. A previous one-electron theory [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 103}, 176601 (2009)] successfully explained both the conductance thresholds and the magnitude of the conductance variation. The elastic spin flip of conduction electrons by a magnetic impurity leads to the well known Kondo effect. In the present work, we compare the theoretical predictions for inelastic magnetic tunneling obtained with a one-electron approach and with a many-body theory including Kondo-like phenomena. We apply our theories to a singlet-triplet transition model system that contains most of the characteristics revealed in magnetic IETS. We use two self-consistent treatments (non-crossing approximation and self-consistent ladder approximation). We show that, although the one-electron limit is properly recovered, new intrinsic many-body features appear. In particular, sharp peaks appear close to the inelastic thresholds; these are not localized exactly at thresholds and could influence the determination of magnetic structures from IETS experiments.Analysis of the evolution with temperature reveals that these many-body features involve an energy scale different from that of the usual Kondo peaks. Indeed, the many-body features perdure at temperatures much larger than the one given by the Kondo energy scale of the system.Comment: 10 pages and 6 figure

The learner capital questionnaire:Some preliminary observations

Richard (2013) outlined the initial development of a tool to measure learner capital—a composite questionnaire composed of ± cultural and learning capital, as well as life experiences and goals. A frequent problem in our field is that instruments often lack validity (Apple, 2011; Elwood, 2011). Measurement tools need to be standardized and norms need to established (Netemeyer, Bearden & Sharma, 2003); and this can occur when measurement rules are explicitly described, the practicality of the tool is considered, and results depend on the participants, not the measure’s administrators (Nunnally & Bernstein, 1994). This short paper offers further rationale for the learner capital questionnaire, investigates reliability, and provides preliminary results from certain sections of the questionnaire.Data from two intact classes from two distinct universities were used in this paper. The participants not only differed by university t-score but also by vocabulary breadth and gender. Questions 1 through 15 from the learner capital questionnaire were used. These include extracurricular English contact, L1-reading habits, satisfaction levels upon entering their current university, and future academic and career goals. The results provide cautious evidence for the validity of the learner capital questionnaire; however, a reliability score of a sub-set of the items used was poor

Building a questionnaire to measure learner capital

The impact of family background on academic achievement has been investigated predominantly in L1 settings: Bourdieu, in France, regarding cultural capital; Lareau, in the United States, with concerted cultivation; and Kariya, in Japan, on learning capital. Such is the belief of the importance of this area that questions related to family background are included in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) led by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (Barone, 2006; Andersen & Jger, 2013). This paper discusses a questionnaire designed to measure the learner capital of Japanese tertiary students.In the first section of this paper, I review cultural capital, and two consecutive educational systems in Japan, the Japanese educational credential society (学歴社会-gakureki-shakai) and the learning capital society (学習資本-gakushu-shihon). I provide a brief discussion of learning competence and human capital formation, and then I examine studies on human and learning capital in Japan. I close this section by arguing that a new scale to measure learner capital is necessary. In the second section of the paper, I explain the questionnaire development, and include a description of the items on the current version of the questionnaire. In the last section of this paper, I present future directions

Developing a survey to investigate Japanese learners’ perceptions and awareness of globalization

Although the term globalization has quickly entered public discourse, its definition is opaque. Furthermore, how people perceive the term remains unknown. This paper outlines the development of a survey to measure Japanese university students’ perceptions and awareness of globalization. Short definitions of globalization written by professors and students were a starting point for developing items for the survey. Four themes evolved from the definitions: the predominance of English, employment, culture, and myths; and three general areas where these themes may be experienced: self, local and translocal dimensions. Participants (N = 719) at ten public and private universities in Japan completed the 60-item survey. Principal components analysis was used to identify nine underlying factors; seven of which had moderate to high internal reliability coefficients (.75 to .90). The nine factors were labeled: benefits of globalization for self, universal benefits, and benefits for Japan, negative impact of globalization, global spread of English, English in my community, cultural contact, converging cultures, and impact on future career. The survey presented here is intended as initial research in the perceptions and awareness of globalization in our learners

A Rasch analysis of L2-English achievement goals of female university students

Achievement goals are cognitive representations of future-focused purposes learners adopt in academic situations to direct behavior towards approachment or avoidance of competence-related end states. In the 2×2 achievement goals model employed in this study, goals are defined as mastery and performance; and two valence dimensions, positive and negative, also co-occur. The definitions and dimensions led to the 12-item achievement goals questionnaire （AGQ） and revised form （AGQ-R）. Few studies have used the Rasch Model to investigate achievement goals, and results have been inconclusive or conflicting likely due to the limited number of items （k＝3） measuring each goal. Validation of an expanded version of the AGQ-R （k＝20） using the Rasch Model is the primary purpose of this study. Data were gathered from first-year L1-Japanese participants （N＝125） enrolled in six sections of one required L2-English course at one private, female-only university in the Kantō region.Mastery-approach items had highest mean scores, statistically higher than the other three goal orientations. The complete questionnaire items （k＝20） were tested for unidimensionality: total variance explained was low, first contrast eigenvalue was large, with low disattenuated correlations, and theoretically distinct constructs loading separately, which suggest multidimensionality. Five other competing models, All-Mastery, All-Performance, All-Approach, All-Avoidance, and Trichotomous framework were likewise judged to be multidimensional. Lastly, achievement goals were tested separately: Performance- and mastery-approach items had best model fit. The Rasch Model provided evidence for the validity of the extended AGQ-R used in this current study; however, problems remain, in particular the need to write more items with greater levels of difficulty

Exploring academic capital with narrative inquiry

This paper addresses the impact of academic capital, that is family background, previous educational experiences, attitudes to learning and goals, on academic outcomes. The results from three university participants, one female and two male, excerpted from a larger study are discussed. The participants are enrolled at three disparate universities, one high-ranked national university, one large average-ranked co-educational university, and one small, below-average ranked female-only university. In May, 2013, the participants completed consent forms, a vocabulary size and an academic capital survey. Approximately one month later, the one-to-one interviews were conducted in Japanese near or at the universities of each participant. On all four sub-measures of academic capital, the participant with the most perceived academic capital was the same, and this participant is enrolled at one of Japan’s elite national universities. The remaining two participants were found to have less academic capital. Although there may not be a clear division among young people with less academic capital and their university ranking, academic capital may potentially be a useful concept to summarize group membership in elite Japanese tertiary-level institutions

U.S. Agriculture, 1960-96 A Multilateral Comparison of Total Factor Productivity

This study provides estimates of the growth and relative levels of agricultural productivity for the 48 contiguous States for the period 1960 to 1996. For the full 1960-96 period, every State exhibits a positive and generally substantial average annual rate of productivity growth. There is considerable variance, however. The wide disparity in growth rates resulted in substantial changes in the ranking order of States by productivity. For each year, we calculate the coefficient of variation of productivity levels. We use these coefficients to show that the range of levels of productivity has narrowed over time, although the pattern of convergence was far from uniform. The fact that in some States, productivity grew faster than others and yet the cross-section dispersion decreased, implies that the States whose productivity grew most rapidly were those with lower initial levels of productivity. This result is consistent with Gerschenkron's notion of the advantage of relative backwardness. The States that were particularly far behind the productivity leaders had the most to gain from the diffusion of technical knowledge and proceeded to grow most rapidly. We also observe a positive relation between capital accumulation and productivity growth, implying embodiment of technology in capital.production accounts, multilateral index numbers, total factor productivity, Productivity Analysis,

Nouvelles figures de la réussite et du pouvoir

En une quinzaine d'années, les sociétés africaines ont connu de profonds bouleversements qui n'ont pas seulement affecté les structures sociales, économiques et politiques, mais aussi les pratiques individuelles, les codes de moralité et les imaginaires sociaux. L'effondrement des autoritarismes postcoloniaux, la libéralisation des espaces publics, mais aussi l'enlisement des processus de démocratisation et la généralisation de la violence, ont indéniablement contribué à transformer les représentations du pouvoir et de l'accumulation légitime jusque-là en vigueur. La crise généralisée de l'État et de l'administration, la mise en oeuvre des plans d'ajustement structurel et l'informalisation croissante des économies, l'effondrement des systèmes scolaires et l'explosion du chômage, le développement de la criminalité et des conflits armés, la compétition pour l'appropriation des ressources, mais aussi la circulation accélérée des individus et des marchandises dans un contexte de globalisation culturelle, sont autant de facteurs qui ont considérablement dévalué l'image de certaines figures sociales du pouvoir et de la réussite - en particulier celles du fonctionnaire, du "DG" ou de l'officier qui occupaient auparavant une place centrale dans les imaginaires populaires du succès (...)