A Critical Note on Growth Regressions

Benhabib and Spiegel (1994) argue that regressing cross-country income changes on a catch-up term has the ability to distinguish between the Nelson-Phelps and Neo-classical approach. This paper circumstantiates that these findings constitute a statistical artefact according to Galton's Fallacy.Cross-country growth, technological catch-up, Galton's Fallacy, regression to the mean

Regional Growth and Development without Scale Effects – a Simple Model of Endogenous Formation of Regions

We present a semi-endogenous model of regional growth and development without scale effects. In this model of a small developing region the world growth rate of technical progress is given. Regional growth is driven by technological change induced by imitation. Imitation is determined by positive externalities from international trade. Regional factor endowments consist of immobile land and human capital which is perfectly mobile between regions. In order to study the endogenous formation of regions we introduce a second region and analyze a non symmetric decrease in international transaction costs. We find agglomeration in the region with better access to international markets, while the less favored region will realize a drop in income and technological capability. Two reactions can be identified. 1. For given resource endowments, the technological imitation process determines the final relative technological steady state positions. 2. Migration between the regions endogenously determines the final resource endowments of the regions. When reaching the no migration equilibrium, the relative development position, the population size and density of the region, as well as comparative advantages are endogenously determined.semi-endogenous growth, economic development, international trade, agglomeration, regional growth

Migration and Space in Contemporary Austrian Cinema

This article is concerned with the relation of migration and space in contemporary Austrian cinema. Based on four exemplary films (Barbara Albert's Nordrand, Nina Kusturica's Little Alien, Ed Moschitz' Mama illegal und Arman T. Riahi's Die Migrantigen), it will trace the diverse concepts of space that are interwoven within the discourse of migration. Employing theoretical approaches by Michel de Certeau and Homi K. Bhabha, the article will show how film can scrutinize dichotomies like inside and outside, home and abroad and suggest new ideas of space that do justice to the dynamic, transitionary realities of migration

“O you little lovable best friend”: Writing Friendship in the Age of Enlightenment

This article examines the various discursive strands converging within the cult of friendship in mid-eighteenth-century German culture. Following Christian Fürchtegott Gellert’s “Vier und zwanzigste Moralische Vorlesung” (Twenty-fourth Moral Lecture), it explores a programme of virtue that no longer follows religious values, but is informed by the enlightened paradigm of reason, and the redeeming of this idea within the framework of interpersonal relationships. The second half of the article investigates the relationship between friendship and the epistolary correspondence culture in the eighteenth century, illuminating the practices and artefacts of friendship communication

‘Er ist unser’: The Public Appropriation of Franz Grillparzer (1871/1891)

Taking the examples of the celebrations for Franz Grillparzer’s eightieth birthday in 1871 and the commemoration of his centenary in 1891, this article investigates the strategies of the playwright’s idolization in public memory. By analysing the newspaper coverage of both events, it explores Grillparzer’s coronation as Austrian national author in the light of German unification, but also the ways in which the poet’s life served to reflect on fundamental societal changes in the nineteenth century. The two celebrations thus produce two fundamentally different constructions of the author’s role in the public imagination. In 1871, Grillparzer’s writings are adduced to support various, often opposing, political positions towards German unification. Twenty years later, the focus is on Grillparzer as a biographical subject: an effort to popularize his image, but also to develop an awareness of the historical transformations that came to shape Vienna at the turn of the century. As the interest shifts from the national to the local, the course of Grillparzer’s life is employed to mirror the city’s gradual transition into modernity

Public Opinion and Foreign Aid Cuts in Economic Crises

Economic crises generally lead to reductions in foreign aid. However, the widely held view that budgetary constraints caused by economic crises reduce aid is inaccurate because donor government outlays actually tend to increase. We develop an argument that aid cuts occur because voters place a lower priority on aid during economic downturns and politicians respond by cutting aid. Using data from Eurobarometer, we demonstrate that economic downturns lead to reduced public support for helping the poor abroad. These findings are robust across a large number of alternative specifications. Our findings have implications for how advocates may prevent aid reductions during economic recessions