The Demographic Transition and the Sexual Division of Labor

This paper presents a theory where increases in female labor force participation and reductions in the gender wage-gap are generated as part of the same process of demographic transition that leads to reductions in fertility. There have been significant increases in the labor supply of women in the last decades, both in developed and developing countries. Traditional views explain this trend through the effects of reduced fertility and/or increased women's wages. The paper suggests that all these changes can be understood as part of a single process of demographic change, triggered by reductions in mortality. Mortality reductions affect the incentives of individuals to invest in human capital and to have children. Particularly, gains in adult longevity reduce fertility, increase investments in market human capital, increase female labor force participation, and reduce the wage differential between men and women. Child mortality reductions cannot generate this same pattern of changes. The model reconciles the increase in female labor market participation with the timing of age-specific mortality reductions observed during the demographic transition. The paper presents the first model to link the change in the role of women in society to, ultimately, the reductions in mortality that characterize the demographic transitiongender wage gap, demographic transition, female labor force participation

The Demographic Transition and the Sexual Division of Labor

This paper presents a theory where increases in female labor force participation and reductions in the gender wage-gap are generated as part of a single process of demographic transition, characterized by reductions in mortality and fertility. The paper suggests a link between changes in mortality and transformations in the role of women in society that has not been identified before in the literature. Mortality reductions affect the incentives of individuals to invest in human capital and to have children. Particularly, gains in adult longevity reduce fertility, increase investments in market human capital, increase female labor force participation, and reduce the wage differential between men and women. Child mortality reductions, though reducing fertility, do not generate this same pattern of changes. The model reconciles the increase in female labor market participation with the timing of age-specific mortality reductions observed during the demographic transition. It generates changes in fertility, labor market attachment, and the gender wage-gap as part of a single process of social transformation, triggered by reductions in mortality.

The Demographic Transition and the Sexual Division of Labor

This paper presents a theory where increases in female labor force participation and reductions in the gender wage-gap are generated as part of a single process of demographic transition, characterized by reductions in mortality and fertility. The paper suggests a link between changes in mortality and transformations in the role of women in society that has not been identified before in the literature. Mortality reductions affect the incentives of individuals to invest in human capital and to have children. Particularly, gains in adult longevity reduce fertility, increase investments in market human capital, increase female labor force participation, and reduce the wage differential between men and women. Child mortality reductions, though reducing fertility, do not generate this same pattern of changes. The model reconciles the increase in female labor market participation with the timing of age-specific mortality reductions observed during the demographic transition. It generates changes in fertility, labor market attachment, and the gender wage-gap as part of a single process of social transformation, triggered by reductions in mortality.

Assessing the usability and potential value of seasonal climate forecasts in land management decisions in the southwest UK: challenges and reflections

The potential usability and benefits of seasonal climate forecasts (SCF) to help inform decision-making processes is widely accepted. However, the practical use of SCF in Europe is still fairly recent and, as such, current knowledge of the added benefits of SCF in supporting and improving decision-making is limited. This study is based on research conducted to co-develop a semi-operational climate service prototype – the Land Management Tool (LMTool) – with farmers in South West regions of the UK. The value of the SCF provided to the farmers was examined to help us understand the usability and (potential) value of these forecasts in farmers' decisions during the winter months of 2015/2016. The findings from the study point to the need to explore and develop (new) research methods capable of addressing the complexity of the decision-making processes, such as those in the farming sector. The farmers who used the SCF perceived it as useful and usable as it helped them change and adapt their decision-making and thus, avoid unnecessary costs. However, to fully grasp the potential value of using SCF, farmers emphasised the need for the provision of SCF for longer periods of time to allow them to build trust and confidence in the information provided. This paper contributes to ongoing discussions about how to assess the use and value of SCF in decision-making processes in a meaningful and effective way

The Museum Performance: Reflecting on a Reflexive Museology

En este artículo se analizan las definiciones aceptadas para el campo científico de la museología concebidas por los teóricos del ICOFOM que primero cuestionaron al “museo” como paradigma. Pretende señalar algunas de las inconsistencias en la museología filosófica strankiana con el fin de reformular el concepto de su objeto de estudio. Este debate requerirá una revisión de dicha perspectiva filosófica a través del punto de vista sociológico, a la luz de la teoría del actor-difusor de la red propuesta por Bruno Latour. Finalmente, el artículo sostiene que la relación hombre-realidad forjada en Occidente como una actuación del museo hegemónico no debería definir el objeto de estudio de la museología. Por el contrario, debería tener en cuenta todo tipo de posibles asociaciones entre las diferentes funciones que se realizan, evolucionando desde un corpus de reflexiones sobre el museo hacia una disciplina museológica reflexiva.This paper analyzes the accepted definitions for the scientific subject of museology conceived by ICOFOM theorists who first questioned the ‘museum’ as an accepted paradigm. It intends to point out some of the inconsistencies in the philosophical stranskyan museology in order to reformulate the notion of its subject of study. This debate will require a revision in such a philosophical perspective through the sociological viewpoint in the light of the actor-network theory proposed by Bruno Latour. Finally, the paper sustains that the man-reality relation forged in the West as a hegemonic museum performance should not define museology’s subject of study. On the contrary, it should consider all kinds of possible associations between the different roles that are performed, evolving from a corpus of reflections on the museum to a reflexive museological discipline

Flight control of hybrid drones towards enabling parcel relay manoeuvres

This work addresses the modeling and controlling process of a hybrid UAV, aimed for parcel relay maneuvers. Hybrid UAVs bring big advantages with the capability of flying in two flight modes, rotary and fixed wing. But with them comes added complexity both in modeling and controlling. This work is based on a popular airframe, a tilt tri-rotor UAV, containing all the specific system dynamics such vehicle category provides. The model is then validated by designing two separate controllers for both flight modes, capable of trajectory tracking in eachmode,makinguseofacustomhybridcontrolallocationtechniquethatdifferentiates the control in three parts: vertical, horizontal, and transitional flight modes. Finally, a hybrid controller is proposed, using a finite state machine capable of handling logical events, with the aim to provide control logic to perform autonomous mid flight transitions. All the designs system are simulated using a mathematical framework and a power-full simulation tool.Este trabalho aborda o processo de modelação e controlo de um veículo aéreo não tripulado híbrido com o objetivo de proporcionar manobras de transição de carga. Drones híbridos trazem grandes vantagem com a sua capacidade de voar em dois modos de voo, de asa rotativa e asa fixa. Por outro lado, estas vantagens adicionam complexidade ao sistema dificultando o processo de modulação e controlo. Nestetrabalhoestápresenteummodelodeumdronetrirotortendodoisrotoresmovíveis. Este contém todas as dinâmicas especificas que um sistema deesta categoria de UAV obriga. O modelo é posteriormente validado com dois controladores separados em modo de voo, capazes de proporcionar medidas de seguimento de trajetória em cada modo, usando uma técnica de alocação de controlo personalizada que diferencia o controlo em três partes: vertical, horizontal e de transição. Por fim, é proposto um controlador híbrido contento uma máquina de estados capaz de tratar de eventos lógicos, de modo a proporcionar transições de modo de voo autónomas em pleno voo. Todos os sistemas propostos são devidamente simulados usando ferramentas matemáticas e também poderosos sistemas de simulação

The land management tool: Developing a climate service in Southwest UK

Seasonal climate forecasts (SCFs) have significant potential to support shorter-term agricultural decisions and longer-term climate adaptation plans, but uptake in Europe has to date been low. Under the European Union funded project, European Provision Of Regional Impacts Assessments on Seasonal and Decadal Timescales (EUPORIAS) we have developed the Land Management Tool (LMTool), a prototype seasonal climate service for land managers, working closely in collaboration with two stakeholder organizations, Clinton Devon Estates (CDE) and the National Farmers Union (NFU). LMTool was one of several prototype climate services selected for development within EUPORIAS, including those for the UK transport network, food security in Ethiopia, renewable energy production, hydroelectric energy production in Sweden, and river management in two French basins. The LMTool provides SCFs (1–3 months ahead) to farmers in the Southwest UK, alongside 14-day site specific weather forecasts during the winter months when the skill of seasonal forecasts is greatest. We describe the processes through which the LMTool was co-designed and developed with the farmers, its technical development and key features; critically examine the lessons learned and their implications for providing future climate services for land managers; and finally assess the feasibility of delivering an operational winter seasonal climate service for UK land managers. A number of key learning points from developing the prototype may benefit future work in climate services for the land management and agriculture sector; many of these points are also valid for climate services in other sectors. Prototype development strongly benefitted from; working with intermediaries to identify representative, engaged land managers; an iterative and flexible process of co-design with the farmer group; and from an interdisciplinary project team. Further work is needed to develop a better understanding of the role of forecast skill in land management decision making, the potential benefits of downscaling and how seasonal forecasts can help support land managers decision-making processes. The prototype would require considerable work to implement a robust operational forecast system, and a longer period to demonstrate the value of the services provided. Finally, the potential for such services to be applied more widely in Europe is not well understood and would require further stakeholder engagement and forecast development