Predicting Online and Offline Civic Participation among Young Czech Roma: The Roles of Resources, Community Perceptions and Social Norms

Roma in the Czech Republic represent a large ethnic minority that faces intolerance and social exclusion. This study aims to describe factors that boost civic participation among Roma adolescents and emerging adults. Specifically, it asks whether different factors apply to Roma and members of the majority, and whether different factors boost offline and online participation. Survey data were analysed from Roma (n = 157) and majority (n = 573) participants between the ages of 15 and 28. Hierarchical regression models suggested that certain factors (a sense of collective influence and peer participatory norm) predict all forms of civic participation, regardless of ethnicity. For Roma youth, in contrast with the majority, offline participation was associated with a perceived lack of opportunities and unmet needs in their communities, which suggests that their offline civic participation might be a reaction to perceived communal problems. Finally, a lack of education was identified as a major explanation for lower rates of online participation among Roma

Quietly does it: questioning assumptions about class, sustainability and consumption

This paper questions assumptions about the relationship between class formation, sustainability and patterns of consumption. The empirical elements of the research are based upon qualitative and quantitative time-series research into food self-provisioning and 'quiet sustainability' in post socialist Central and Eastern Europe (Poland and the Czech Republic). It considers sustainable practices that are often considered to be taking place 'in the wrong place and the wrong time', i.e. they appear anomalous in terms of western expectations of patterns of development. We offer evidence of comparatively very high levels of food self-provisioning and sharing of the resulting produce amongst middle class Poles and Czechs. This evidence questions widely held assumptions about class, development and consumption. This evidence may be of significance for consideration of a much wider set of household practices/behaviours that are associated with the middle classes. Our explorations of the reasons for food self-provisioning throw new light on discussions of ethical consumption: ethics is lightly worn, even unacknowledged, amongst practitioners, but the commitments are widespread and robust. Our empirical findings, and the theoretical arguments we seek to test on the basis of them, are of particular significance in the context of rapid processes of rural and urban change in emerging economies

Ekonomická reforma a sociální transformace

International audienceU tohoto kulatého stolu 21. dubna 1992, který zorganizoval CEFRES, bylo stanoveno za cíl analyzovat sociální transformace, které se objevují v souvislosti s českou ekonomickou reformou. S. Trinh se zajímá především o společenské aktéry ekonomické reformy, J. Musil se zabývá společenskými institucemi, které jsou k takové reformě nutné. I. Mucha poté analyzuje společenský dopad nových zákonů, zatímco Z. Strmiska se zaobírá politickou a sociální kulturou v transformaci postkomunistických společností a V. Krivý sociokulturními modely ekonomické transformace. Konečně, v centru zájmu J. Večerníka stojí změny, ke kterým došlo v sociálních podmínkách a v životní úrovni, a u P. Kuchaře pak změny týkající se socioprofesionálního statusu následující po hospodářských reformách

Anatomy of the Czech labour market:from over-employment to under-employment in ten years?

This study investigates the macroeconomic aspects of labour market behaviour and its microfoundations. In the first part deals with aggregate labour market trends and issues relevant to macroeconomic policy. The second part analyses in more detail labour flexibility, namely labour market flows, long-term unemployment and labour force deprivation. The third part addresses wage flexibility and relative wages, with special attention paid to regional unemployment elasticity of wages and returns to education

Characterization of Cebama low-pH reference concrete and assessment of its alteration with representative waters in radioactive waste repositories

Concretes, mortars and grouts are used for structural and isolation purposes in radioactive and nuclear wasterepositories. For example, concrete is used for deposition tunnel end plugs, engineered barriers, mortars for rockbolting and injection grouts for fissure sealing. Despite of the materials anticipated functionality, it is extremelyimportant to understand the long-term material behaviour in repository environments. A reference concrete andmortar for the Cebama project based on a cement, silica and blast furnace slag ternary blend were designed andcharacterized in different laboratories with multiple experimental methods (XRD, XAS at the Fe and Cl K-edges,SEM-EDX, 29Si and 27Al MAS-NMR, TG-DSC, MIP and Kerosene porosimetry) and techniques (punch strengthtests). The reference concrete enabled comparison of results from different institutes and experimental techniques,unifying the individual results to more comprehensive body. The Cebama reference concrete and mortarwere designed to have high durability and compatible formulation with respect to an engineered barrier systemin clay or crystalline host-rocks, having pore solution pH significantly lower than traditional concretes. This workpresents main results regarding their characterization and alteration in contact with representative waterspresent in radioactive waste repositories. Pore solution pH of the matured reference concrete was 11.4–11.6. Themain hydrated phases were C–S–H and C-A-S-H gels with a Ca:Si ratio between 0.5 and 0.7 and an Al:Si ratio of0.05. Minor phases were ettringite and hydrotalcite. Iron(III) could be in the C–S–H phases and no Cl-bearingsolid phases were identified. Connected porosity and pore size distribution was characterized by MIPobserving that, as expected, the size of the pores in the hydrated cement phases varies from the micro-to thenanoscale. Connected porosity of both materials were low. Compressive strength of the concrete was 115 MPa,corresponding to traditional high-performance concrete. Degradation of these materials in contact with differentwaters mainly produce their decalcification and enrichment in Mg for waters containing high amount of thiselement, like the clay waters

Characterization of Cebama low-pH reference concrete and assessment of its alteration with representative waters in radioactive waste repositories

Concretes, mortars and grouts are used for structural and isolation purposes in radioactive and nuclear waste repositories. For example, concrete is used for deposition tunnel end plugs, engineered barriers, mortars for rock bolting and injection grouts for fissure sealing. Despite of the materials anticipated functionality, it is extremely important to understand the long-term material behaviour in repository environments. A reference concrete and mortar for the Cebama project based on a cement, silica and blast furnace slag ternary blend were designed and characterized in different laboratories with multiple experimental methods (XRD, XAS at the Fe and Cl K-edges, SEM-EDX, 29Si and 27Al MAS-NMR, TG-DSC, MIP and Kerosene porosimetry) and techniques (punch strength tests). The reference concrete enabled comparison of results from different institutes and experimental techniques, unifying the individual results to more comprehensive body. The Cebama reference concrete and mortar were designed to have high durability and compatible formulation with respect to an engineered barrier system in clay or crystalline host-rocks, having pore solution pH significantly lower than traditional concretes. This work presents main results regarding their characterization and alteration in contact with representative waters present in radioactive waste repositories. Pore solution pH of the matured reference concrete was 11.4–11.6. The main hydrated phases were C–S–H and C-A-S-H gels with a Ca:Si ratio between 0.5 and 0.7 and an Al:Si ratio of 0.05. Minor phases were ettringite and hydrotalcite. Iron(III) could be in the C–S–H phases and no Cl-bearing solid phases were identified. Connected porosity and pore size distribution was characterized by MIP observing that, as expected, the size of the pores in the hydrated cement phases varies from the micro-to the nanoscale. Connected porosity of both materials were low. Compressive strength of the concrete was 115 MPa, corresponding to traditional high-performance concrete. Degradation of these materials in contact with different waters mainly produce their decalcification and enrichment in Mg for waters containing high amount of this element, like the clay waters.</p

Characterization of Cebama low-pH reference concrete and assessment of its alteration with representative waters in radioactive waste repositories

Concretes, mortars and grouts are used for structural and isolation purposes in radioactive and nuclear waste repositories. For example, concrete is used for deposition tunnel end plugs, engineered barriers, mortars for rock bolting and injection grouts for fissure sealing. Despite of the materials anticipated functionality, it is extremely important to understand the long-term material behaviour in repository environments. A reference concrete and mortar for the Cebama project based on a cement, silica and blast furnace slag ternary blend were designed and characterized in different laboratories with multiple experimental methods (XRD, XAS at the Fe and Cl K-edges, SEM-EDX, 29Si and 27Al MAS-NMR, TG-DSC, MIP and Kerosene porosimetry) and techniques (punch strength tests). The reference concrete enabled comparison of results from different institutes and experimental techniques, unifying the individual results to more comprehensive body. The Cebama reference concrete and mortar were designed to have high durability and compatible formulation with respect to an engineered barrier system in clay or crystalline host-rocks, having pore solution pH significantly lower than traditional concretes. This work presents main results regarding their characterization and alteration in contact with representative waters present in radioactive waste repositories. Pore solution pH of the matured reference concrete was 11.4–11.6. The main hydrated phases were C–S–H and C-A-S-H gels with a Ca:Si ratio between 0.5 and 0.7 and an Al:Si ratio of 0.05. Minor phases were ettringite and hydrotalcite. Iron(III) could be in the C–S–H phases and no Cl-bearing solid phases were identified. Connected porosity and pore size distribution was characterized by MIP observing that, as expected, the size of the pores in the hydrated cement phases varies from the micro-to the nanoscale. Connected porosity of both materials were low. Compressive strength of the concrete was 115 MPa, corresponding to traditional high-performance concrete. Degradation of these materials in contact with different waters mainly produce their decalcification and enrichment in Mg for waters containing high amount of this element, like the clay waters.•The performance of “low-pH” mix designs containing slag exceeds the performance of traditional Portland cement concretes.•That slag is able to replace fly ash when producing ”low-pH” mixtures, if needed due to material supply or quality problems.•Eight experimental techniques have provided mechanical, hydraulic and geochemical properties of new designed materials.•Micro-mortar in contact with clay and bentonite waters, shows a Mg enrichment and calcium depletion at the reaction front