Debra L. Dodson
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- May 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780198296744
- eISBN:
- 9780191603709
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198296746.003.0009
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
When the 1994 elections gave control of Congress to a conservative, Christian Coalition-dominated, Republican majority, what some had over-optimistically touted as a critical mass of women became a ...
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When the 1994 elections gave control of Congress to a conservative, Christian Coalition-dominated, Republican majority, what some had over-optimistically touted as a critical mass of women became a token group, notwithstanding a slight increase in numbers. Nowhere was that more evident than in the ability of that new Republican majority to re-define the agenda, raising new issues (Partial Birth Abortion Ban) and challenging seemingly non-controversial, bipartisan, well-established programs (funding for the Title X Family Planning program and international family planning programs). The continued evidence of the gender gap in prochoice support, along with the critical role played by the shrinking cohort of prochoice Republican women in challenging their leadership’s anti-reproductive rights agenda, reinforce the importance of increasing descriptive representation. Nevertheless, the gendered roles assumed by a growing vocal cohort of female Republican reproductive rights opponents, reluctance by some ostensibly prochoice Republican women to challenge their leadership, a shrinking gender gap in prochoice support within Congress, and the frustrations of those who attempted to fight these often futile battles, all highlight the critical role that institutional environments, increased ideological diversity among women, and extra-institutional forces play in shaping the probabilistic relationship between descriptive and substantive representation, in strengthening or weakening perceptions of legitimacy surrounding gender difference, and in defining and redefining the meaning of substantive representation of women and realizing the potential for difference. These case studies explore gender differences in perspectives of reproductive rights opponents, provide insight into the value of bipartisan support for reproductive rights policy agendas (despite Republicans being less prochoice than Democrats), and point to the important role of women voters in maintaining bipartisan support and political resolve.Less
When the 1994 elections gave control of Congress to a conservative, Christian Coalition-dominated, Republican majority, what some had over-optimistically touted as a critical mass of women became a token group, notwithstanding a slight increase in numbers. Nowhere was that more evident than in the ability of that new Republican majority to re-define the agenda, raising new issues (Partial Birth Abortion Ban) and challenging seemingly non-controversial, bipartisan, well-established programs (funding for the Title X Family Planning program and international family planning programs). The continued evidence of the gender gap in prochoice support, along with the critical role played by the shrinking cohort of prochoice Republican women in challenging their leadership’s anti-reproductive rights agenda, reinforce the importance of increasing descriptive representation. Nevertheless, the gendered roles assumed by a growing vocal cohort of female Republican reproductive rights opponents, reluctance by some ostensibly prochoice Republican women to challenge their leadership, a shrinking gender gap in prochoice support within Congress, and the frustrations of those who attempted to fight these often futile battles, all highlight the critical role that institutional environments, increased ideological diversity among women, and extra-institutional forces play in shaping the probabilistic relationship between descriptive and substantive representation, in strengthening or weakening perceptions of legitimacy surrounding gender difference, and in defining and redefining the meaning of substantive representation of women and realizing the potential for difference. These case studies explore gender differences in perspectives of reproductive rights opponents, provide insight into the value of bipartisan support for reproductive rights policy agendas (despite Republicans being less prochoice than Democrats), and point to the important role of women voters in maintaining bipartisan support and political resolve.
R. Kevin Hill
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199285525
- eISBN:
- 9780191700354
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199285525.001.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, History of Philosophy
This book gives a new interpretation of Nietzsche's philosophy and examines in detail his debt to Kant, in particular the Critique of Pure Reason, Critique of Practical Reason, and Critique of ...
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This book gives a new interpretation of Nietzsche's philosophy and examines in detail his debt to Kant, in particular the Critique of Pure Reason, Critique of Practical Reason, and Critique of Judgement. Nietzsche, it argues, knew Kant far better than is commonly thought, and can only be thoroughly understood in relation to Kant. Nietzsche's Critiques maintains that beneath the surface of his texts there is a systematic commitment to a form of early Neo-Kantianism in metaphysics and epistemology, ethics, and aesthetics, grounded in his reading of the three Critiques, Kuno Fischer's commentary on the first Critique, and Friedrich Lange's discussion of Kant in The History of Materialism. The book also documents the decisive influence Nietzsche's close reading of the Critique of Judgement had on the writing of the Birth of Tragedy, and offers a remarkably accessible interpretation of Kant's system, while clarifying such difficult issues as the interpretation of Kant's ‘Transcendental Deduction’ and his notion of reflective judgement.Less
This book gives a new interpretation of Nietzsche's philosophy and examines in detail his debt to Kant, in particular the Critique of Pure Reason, Critique of Practical Reason, and Critique of Judgement. Nietzsche, it argues, knew Kant far better than is commonly thought, and can only be thoroughly understood in relation to Kant. Nietzsche's Critiques maintains that beneath the surface of his texts there is a systematic commitment to a form of early Neo-Kantianism in metaphysics and epistemology, ethics, and aesthetics, grounded in his reading of the three Critiques, Kuno Fischer's commentary on the first Critique, and Friedrich Lange's discussion of Kant in The History of Materialism. The book also documents the decisive influence Nietzsche's close reading of the Critique of Judgement had on the writing of the Birth of Tragedy, and offers a remarkably accessible interpretation of Kant's system, while clarifying such difficult issues as the interpretation of Kant's ‘Transcendental Deduction’ and his notion of reflective judgement.
Kenneth G. C. Newport
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199245741
- eISBN:
- 9780191697494
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199245741.003.0017
- Subject:
- Religion, Religious Studies
It is important to note that the combined membership of the various factions of the movement never amounted to more than 1,000 in total. Also, the Davidian and the Branch Davidian traditions existed ...
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It is important to note that the combined membership of the various factions of the movement never amounted to more than 1,000 in total. Also, the Davidian and the Branch Davidian traditions existed without anyone outside Waco knowing of their existence. Both these movements are very complex and previous literatures prove to be insufficient in providing an accurate account of the various aspects of the movements since these would require looking into their long history, and David Koresh cannot be isolated from an concrete understanding of these movements. While the evidence for who initiated the Waco fire would point to the Branch Davidians themselves, this concluding chapter summarizes how the book has focused on describing the act of apocalyptic self-destruction for new birth.Less
It is important to note that the combined membership of the various factions of the movement never amounted to more than 1,000 in total. Also, the Davidian and the Branch Davidian traditions existed without anyone outside Waco knowing of their existence. Both these movements are very complex and previous literatures prove to be insufficient in providing an accurate account of the various aspects of the movements since these would require looking into their long history, and David Koresh cannot be isolated from an concrete understanding of these movements. While the evidence for who initiated the Waco fire would point to the Branch Davidians themselves, this concluding chapter summarizes how the book has focused on describing the act of apocalyptic self-destruction for new birth.
Mary Briody Mahowald
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195176179
- eISBN:
- 9780199786558
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195176170.003.0003
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Feminist Philosophy
Terms crucial to bioethical debate are examined: these include life, death, human, person, moral status, and moral agency. The moral relevance of the gestational tie between a woman and her fetus as ...
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Terms crucial to bioethical debate are examined: these include life, death, human, person, moral status, and moral agency. The moral relevance of the gestational tie between a woman and her fetus as well as other relationships is discussed. In light of their relevance to ethical decisions after birth as well as prior to birth, different positions on moral status or personhood are considered. These range from the view that full moral status occurs through union of human egg and sperm to the view that it requires the ability to make moral decisions, a capacity lacking in infants and adults who are comatose.Less
Terms crucial to bioethical debate are examined: these include life, death, human, person, moral status, and moral agency. The moral relevance of the gestational tie between a woman and her fetus as well as other relationships is discussed. In light of their relevance to ethical decisions after birth as well as prior to birth, different positions on moral status or personhood are considered. These range from the view that full moral status occurs through union of human egg and sperm to the view that it requires the ability to make moral decisions, a capacity lacking in infants and adults who are comatose.
Jan‐Erik Lane, David McKay, and Kenneth Newton
- Published in print:
- 1996
- Published Online:
- January 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780198280538
- eISBN:
- 9780191601934
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019828053X.003.0002
- Subject:
- Political Science, Reference
This section presents population data on OECD countries. It features tables on mid-year estimates, population growth, population density, age structure, birth rate, life expectancy, infant mortality ...
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This section presents population data on OECD countries. It features tables on mid-year estimates, population growth, population density, age structure, birth rate, life expectancy, infant mortality rates, and urban concentration.Less
This section presents population data on OECD countries. It features tables on mid-year estimates, population growth, population density, age structure, birth rate, life expectancy, infant mortality rates, and urban concentration.
Xun Gu
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- January 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199213269
- eISBN:
- 9780191594762
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199213269.003.0009
- Subject:
- Biology, Biomathematics / Statistics and Data Analysis / Complexity Studies
Whole-genome analysis, e.g., the presence or absence of gene families over multiple genomes, is becoming an attractive approach for extracting the bulk phylogenetic signals and exploring the pattern ...
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Whole-genome analysis, e.g., the presence or absence of gene families over multiple genomes, is becoming an attractive approach for extracting the bulk phylogenetic signals and exploring the pattern of genome evolution. This chapter introduces several statistical models for this purpose. These include the likelihood function, the birth-death model with lateral gene transfer, the blocks model, the equal birth-death rate model; and the constant-birth, proportional-death model.Less
Whole-genome analysis, e.g., the presence or absence of gene families over multiple genomes, is becoming an attractive approach for extracting the bulk phylogenetic signals and exploring the pattern of genome evolution. This chapter introduces several statistical models for this purpose. These include the likelihood function, the birth-death model with lateral gene transfer, the blocks model, the equal birth-death rate model; and the constant-birth, proportional-death model.
John C. Avise
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195369670
- eISBN:
- 9780199871063
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195369670.003.0003
- Subject:
- Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics
Virgins can indeed give birth, and not only in Greek mythology. In biology, the word partheno appended by genesis (meaning origin) describes the clonal process by which a female procreates without ...
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Virgins can indeed give birth, and not only in Greek mythology. In biology, the word partheno appended by genesis (meaning origin) describes the clonal process by which a female procreates without assistance from males. She does so by producing special eggs cells that require no sperm or fertilization before initiating the development of offspring who, in most cases, are genetically identical to their virgin mother. This phenomenon exists in nature as a constitutive reproductive mode in several unisexual (all-female) “species” of reptile, and sporadically in several additional groups. This chapter describes all known cases of parthenogenesis in vertebrate animals, and includes details about cellular and genetic mechanisms, evolutionary origins and durations, and potential ecological or adaptive significance.Less
Virgins can indeed give birth, and not only in Greek mythology. In biology, the word partheno appended by genesis (meaning origin) describes the clonal process by which a female procreates without assistance from males. She does so by producing special eggs cells that require no sperm or fertilization before initiating the development of offspring who, in most cases, are genetically identical to their virgin mother. This phenomenon exists in nature as a constitutive reproductive mode in several unisexual (all-female) “species” of reptile, and sporadically in several additional groups. This chapter describes all known cases of parthenogenesis in vertebrate animals, and includes details about cellular and genetic mechanisms, evolutionary origins and durations, and potential ecological or adaptive significance.
S.C. Dube
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780198077312
- eISBN:
- 9780199081158
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198077312.003.0004
- Subject:
- Sociology, Social Stratification, Inequality, and Mobility
This chapter discusses the events that comprise the normal lifecycle of a Kamar. It begins with child-birth, which is considered an event of great sociological significance. It relates the things a ...
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This chapter discusses the events that comprise the normal lifecycle of a Kamar. It begins with child-birth, which is considered an event of great sociological significance. It relates the things a pregnant Kamar woman should not do, such as engage in sexual intercourse with her husband or go near burial grounds. It then looks at the birthing practices and describes the usual childhood of the Kamars. It notes the tribe's attitude towards menstruation, and explains how engagements and marriages are conducted within the tribe. It also discusses in detail dowry, elopement, divorce, and widowhood. Finally, the chapter discusses the sexual life of the Kamars, including fertility and premarital sex, and the ceremonies and rituals that are conducted upon the death of a tribe member.Less
This chapter discusses the events that comprise the normal lifecycle of a Kamar. It begins with child-birth, which is considered an event of great sociological significance. It relates the things a pregnant Kamar woman should not do, such as engage in sexual intercourse with her husband or go near burial grounds. It then looks at the birthing practices and describes the usual childhood of the Kamars. It notes the tribe's attitude towards menstruation, and explains how engagements and marriages are conducted within the tribe. It also discusses in detail dowry, elopement, divorce, and widowhood. Finally, the chapter discusses the sexual life of the Kamars, including fertility and premarital sex, and the ceremonies and rituals that are conducted upon the death of a tribe member.
Carolyn E. Tate
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195380040
- eISBN:
- 9780199869077
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195380040.003.0013
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society, World Religions
Among the earliest monumental sculptures of the Americas were depictions of the human fetus. Along with representations of the human embryo, sculptures of the fetus were important subjects in the art ...
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Among the earliest monumental sculptures of the Americas were depictions of the human fetus. Along with representations of the human embryo, sculptures of the fetus were important subjects in the art of the Olmec of Mexico, 1400–400 BCE. This chapter explores the crucial roles of these images in the earliest known narrative—a visual one—of the creation of the world and the origins of human beings in Mesoamerica. The monumental fetus sculptures of La Venta, an archaeological site in the State of Tabasco, Mexico, were players in a underworld ball game. In this context, the fetuses, as metaphors for “life force,” battle the chthonic forces that would usurp that precious vitality. Images of fetuses and embryos in ancient Mexico emerge as metaphors for the ineluctable processes of metamorphosis that life entails.Less
Among the earliest monumental sculptures of the Americas were depictions of the human fetus. Along with representations of the human embryo, sculptures of the fetus were important subjects in the art of the Olmec of Mexico, 1400–400 BCE. This chapter explores the crucial roles of these images in the earliest known narrative—a visual one—of the creation of the world and the origins of human beings in Mesoamerica. The monumental fetus sculptures of La Venta, an archaeological site in the State of Tabasco, Mexico, were players in a underworld ball game. In this context, the fetuses, as metaphors for “life force,” battle the chthonic forces that would usurp that precious vitality. Images of fetuses and embryos in ancient Mexico emerge as metaphors for the ineluctable processes of metamorphosis that life entails.
Marten Stol
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195380040
- eISBN:
- 9780199869077
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195380040.003.0009
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society, World Religions
This essay is a historical and philological investigation of reproduction as it was understood in ancient Near East societies. It explores the differences in embryology as conceived by various ...
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This essay is a historical and philological investigation of reproduction as it was understood in ancient Near East societies. It explores the differences in embryology as conceived by various cultures in the ancient Near East (primarily among the Babylonians, Assyrians, and Israelites) and their points of similarity. Embryological theories run the gamut from “high” science, with truths still accepted, to superstitions that said that female fetuses were carried on their mother’s left sides, required a longer pregnancy, and drained their mothers’ strength more than did male fetuses.Less
This essay is a historical and philological investigation of reproduction as it was understood in ancient Near East societies. It explores the differences in embryology as conceived by various cultures in the ancient Near East (primarily among the Babylonians, Assyrians, and Israelites) and their points of similarity. Embryological theories run the gamut from “high” science, with truths still accepted, to superstitions that said that female fetuses were carried on their mother’s left sides, required a longer pregnancy, and drained their mothers’ strength more than did male fetuses.
William P. Brown
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199730797
- eISBN:
- 9780199777075
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199730797.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies, Theology
Creation according to Wisdom is this chapter’s focus. Proverbs 8:22-31 marks the climax of Wisdom’s discourse, whose aim is to establish her preeminent authority and status. In this text, Wisdom is ...
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Creation according to Wisdom is this chapter’s focus. Proverbs 8:22-31 marks the climax of Wisdom’s discourse, whose aim is to establish her preeminent authority and status. In this text, Wisdom is figured as a growing, playing child. Whereas the rest of creation is constructed by God, Wisdom herself is given birth. On the one hand, creation is made secure by God for the sake of Wisdom’s flourishing. On the other hand, creation is the object and arena of Wisdom’s play. Science, indeed, reveals a playfulness about physical reality, whether it is the interaction of gravity and dark matter on the cosmic scale, or the quirkiness of subatomic particles on the quantum level. Wisdom’s growth in creation, moreover, mirrors human growth in wisdom. The science of human development underscores the role of play, including the playful interactions between mother and infant, in the development of learning.Less
Creation according to Wisdom is this chapter’s focus. Proverbs 8:22-31 marks the climax of Wisdom’s discourse, whose aim is to establish her preeminent authority and status. In this text, Wisdom is figured as a growing, playing child. Whereas the rest of creation is constructed by God, Wisdom herself is given birth. On the one hand, creation is made secure by God for the sake of Wisdom’s flourishing. On the other hand, creation is the object and arena of Wisdom’s play. Science, indeed, reveals a playfulness about physical reality, whether it is the interaction of gravity and dark matter on the cosmic scale, or the quirkiness of subatomic particles on the quantum level. Wisdom’s growth in creation, moreover, mirrors human growth in wisdom. The science of human development underscores the role of play, including the playful interactions between mother and infant, in the development of learning.
J. Kameron Carter
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195152791
- eISBN:
- 9780199870578
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195152791.003.0012
- Subject:
- Religion, Theology
Read individually and together or intertextually, a number of black antebellum texts employ Christian theological ideas to envision black existence as free. Indeed, they employ theological ideas in ...
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Read individually and together or intertextually, a number of black antebellum texts employ Christian theological ideas to envision black existence as free. Indeed, they employ theological ideas in such a way as, first, to correct the distorted Christology that grounds modernity's racial imagination, second, to rectify the Christian supersessionism that is the deeper dimension of the modern Christological problematic. This chapter examines one such text, the 1760 Narrative of the Uncommon Sufferings, and the Surprizing Deliverance of Briton Hammon, a Negro Man, arguing that, theologically understood, Hammon's Narrative works to destabilize modern racial identity by envisioning those racialized as black in the modern world, and thus as the negative anchor of whiteness, as in fact born into Christ's flesh. His birth or nativity is their birth, and thus his nonracial or Jewish covenantal flesh is the horizon of meaning that reconstitutes identity generally and that liberates racialized existence specifically.Less
Read individually and together or intertextually, a number of black antebellum texts employ Christian theological ideas to envision black existence as free. Indeed, they employ theological ideas in such a way as, first, to correct the distorted Christology that grounds modernity's racial imagination, second, to rectify the Christian supersessionism that is the deeper dimension of the modern Christological problematic. This chapter examines one such text, the 1760 Narrative of the Uncommon Sufferings, and the Surprizing Deliverance of Briton Hammon, a Negro Man, arguing that, theologically understood, Hammon's Narrative works to destabilize modern racial identity by envisioning those racialized as black in the modern world, and thus as the negative anchor of whiteness, as in fact born into Christ's flesh. His birth or nativity is their birth, and thus his nonracial or Jewish covenantal flesh is the horizon of meaning that reconstitutes identity generally and that liberates racialized existence specifically.
Oliver Penrose
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199239252
- eISBN:
- 9780191716911
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199239252.003.0012
- Subject:
- Mathematics, Probability / Statistics, Analysis
This chapter proposes a stochastic differential equation as the putative limit for a birth-and-death Markov chain model for the fluctuating size of a droplet, in a fluid, that is metastable with ...
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This chapter proposes a stochastic differential equation as the putative limit for a birth-and-death Markov chain model for the fluctuating size of a droplet, in a fluid, that is metastable with respect to nucleation of a new phase. This chapter uses the large deviations theory of Freidlin and Wentzell to give a variational analysis of the path properties of the solution to this stochastic differential equation, relating these results to the classical theory of Becker and Doring.Less
This chapter proposes a stochastic differential equation as the putative limit for a birth-and-death Markov chain model for the fluctuating size of a droplet, in a fluid, that is metastable with respect to nucleation of a new phase. This chapter uses the large deviations theory of Freidlin and Wentzell to give a variational analysis of the path properties of the solution to this stochastic differential equation, relating these results to the classical theory of Becker and Doring.
Martin Ceadel
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199571161
- eISBN:
- 9780191721762
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199571161.003.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory, International Relations and Politics
This chapter explains the senses in which Angell lived the great illusion. It provides an overview of Angell's long and varied life, emphasizing not only his idealism and charm but also his capacity ...
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This chapter explains the senses in which Angell lived the great illusion. It provides an overview of Angell's long and varied life, emphasizing not only his idealism and charm but also his capacity for muddle and misinformation. It notes how an ambiguity in The Great Illusion caused him to oscillate in a confused fashion between pro-defence and pacifist views before wiping the latter from his mind during the Second World War. It also establishes his true date of birth and baptismal name, shows how problems with his personal papers have defeated previous biographers, and surveys what has already been written about him.Less
This chapter explains the senses in which Angell lived the great illusion. It provides an overview of Angell's long and varied life, emphasizing not only his idealism and charm but also his capacity for muddle and misinformation. It notes how an ambiguity in The Great Illusion caused him to oscillate in a confused fashion between pro-defence and pacifist views before wiping the latter from his mind during the Second World War. It also establishes his true date of birth and baptismal name, shows how problems with his personal papers have defeated previous biographers, and surveys what has already been written about him.
Marek Brabec and John Komlos
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780197264980
- eISBN:
- 9780191754135
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197264980.003.0008
- Subject:
- Sociology, Health, Illness, and Medicine
The trend in the BMI values of the United States population has not been estimated accurately because time series data are unavailable and because the focus has been on calculating period effects. ...
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The trend in the BMI values of the United States population has not been estimated accurately because time series data are unavailable and because the focus has been on calculating period effects. This chapter attempts to estimate long-run trends and the rate of change of BMI values by birth cohorts, stratified by gender and ethnicity, beginning with the mid-nineteenth century. The transition to post-industrial BMI values began in earnest after the First World War and, after slowing down during the Great Depression, accelerated with the spread of television viewing. While period effects provide an upper bound when the weight change occurred, birth cohort effects provide a lower bound. In the absence of longitudinal data, both effects need to be considered. Hence, the evidence leads to the hypothesis that transition to post-industrial weights probably started considerably earlier than hitherto asserted.Less
The trend in the BMI values of the United States population has not been estimated accurately because time series data are unavailable and because the focus has been on calculating period effects. This chapter attempts to estimate long-run trends and the rate of change of BMI values by birth cohorts, stratified by gender and ethnicity, beginning with the mid-nineteenth century. The transition to post-industrial BMI values began in earnest after the First World War and, after slowing down during the Great Depression, accelerated with the spread of television viewing. While period effects provide an upper bound when the weight change occurred, birth cohort effects provide a lower bound. In the absence of longitudinal data, both effects need to be considered. Hence, the evidence leads to the hypothesis that transition to post-industrial weights probably started considerably earlier than hitherto asserted.
Siobhan M. Dolan
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195398441
- eISBN:
- 9780199776023
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195398441.003.0018
- Subject:
- Public Health and Epidemiology, Public Health, Epidemiology
Preterm birth (PTB) is a perplexing clinical condition and major public health challenge. In 2006, 12.8% of all births in the United States were preterm, defined as occurring before 37 completed ...
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Preterm birth (PTB) is a perplexing clinical condition and major public health challenge. In 2006, 12.8% of all births in the United States were preterm, defined as occurring before 37 completed weeks of gestation. Preterm birth is the second leading cause of infant mortality and the leading cause of infant mortality among black infants in the United States, as well as the major contributor to worldwide infant mortality and morbidity. Despite the significant public health burden of PTB, there are few effective strategies to reliably predict or prevent PTB. The etiology of this common complex condition remains elusive. Efforts to identify environmental contributors suggest that smoking, stress, black race, nutritional deficits, and infection contribute to, but do not explain, the majority of PTBs. Therefore, the discovery of predisposing genetic variants and relevant gene-environment interactions will likely be of great value in unraveling the mystery of PTB, by identifying women at risk and setting the stage for research and enhanced clinical and public health prevention strategies. This chapter discusses gene-disease associations PTBs.Less
Preterm birth (PTB) is a perplexing clinical condition and major public health challenge. In 2006, 12.8% of all births in the United States were preterm, defined as occurring before 37 completed weeks of gestation. Preterm birth is the second leading cause of infant mortality and the leading cause of infant mortality among black infants in the United States, as well as the major contributor to worldwide infant mortality and morbidity. Despite the significant public health burden of PTB, there are few effective strategies to reliably predict or prevent PTB. The etiology of this common complex condition remains elusive. Efforts to identify environmental contributors suggest that smoking, stress, black race, nutritional deficits, and infection contribute to, but do not explain, the majority of PTBs. Therefore, the discovery of predisposing genetic variants and relevant gene-environment interactions will likely be of great value in unraveling the mystery of PTB, by identifying women at risk and setting the stage for research and enhanced clinical and public health prevention strategies. This chapter discusses gene-disease associations PTBs.
Paul-André Rosental
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780197265314
- eISBN:
- 9780191760402
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197265314.003.0006
- Subject:
- History, World Modern History
Civil status, and particularly birth certificates, rather than identity papers, are the legal basis of identification in France. Its nineteenth-century history presents a complex picture, which ...
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Civil status, and particularly birth certificates, rather than identity papers, are the legal basis of identification in France. Its nineteenth-century history presents a complex picture, which cannot be reduced to a process of increasing state control. Far from implementing ambitious registration projects, French liberal administration left information scattered and scarce as compared to European standards. It had to find a balance between the need to provide open information in order to minimize uncertainty in social and economic relationships, and the protection of personal and family honour and reputation. Citizens' agency and consent have been determinant in this process, whose traces are still visible in contemporary France.Less
Civil status, and particularly birth certificates, rather than identity papers, are the legal basis of identification in France. Its nineteenth-century history presents a complex picture, which cannot be reduced to a process of increasing state control. Far from implementing ambitious registration projects, French liberal administration left information scattered and scarce as compared to European standards. It had to find a balance between the need to provide open information in order to minimize uncertainty in social and economic relationships, and the protection of personal and family honour and reputation. Citizens' agency and consent have been determinant in this process, whose traces are still visible in contemporary France.
Roderic Ai Camp
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- January 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199742851
- eISBN:
- 9780199866298
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199742851.003.0004
- Subject:
- Political Science, Democratization
Demographic variables determine many characteristics in a politician's background and determine critical career choices. Social origin is one of the most influential of such variables, but the major ...
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Demographic variables determine many characteristics in a politician's background and determine critical career choices. Social origin is one of the most influential of such variables, but the major shift in social origins actually took place at the apex of the pre-democratic era during the Echeverría administration (1970–6), rather than as a result of Mexico's democratic transformation. Social origins exercises a tremendous impact on the type of political career a politician may pursue, for example, prominent public figures from humble origins are much more likely to find success in elective office. In opening up the political system to representatives from the PAN and the PRD, electoral democracy has contributed to an larger diversity in religious and social values. Given their particular family origins and place of birth, which affect their location and level of educational achievement, politicians are recruited differently, come in contact with different groups of citizens, and follow different career tracks more easily than others.Less
Demographic variables determine many characteristics in a politician's background and determine critical career choices. Social origin is one of the most influential of such variables, but the major shift in social origins actually took place at the apex of the pre-democratic era during the Echeverría administration (1970–6), rather than as a result of Mexico's democratic transformation. Social origins exercises a tremendous impact on the type of political career a politician may pursue, for example, prominent public figures from humble origins are much more likely to find success in elective office. In opening up the political system to representatives from the PAN and the PRD, electoral democracy has contributed to an larger diversity in religious and social values. Given their particular family origins and place of birth, which affect their location and level of educational achievement, politicians are recruited differently, come in contact with different groups of citizens, and follow different career tracks more easily than others.
Dominique Marshall
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780197265314
- eISBN:
- 9780191760402
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197265314.003.0018
- Subject:
- History, World Modern History
The right of children to be registered at birth was not part of early universal declarations of entitlements for the young adopted in the wake of the First World War. But during the interwar years, ...
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The right of children to be registered at birth was not part of early universal declarations of entitlements for the young adopted in the wake of the First World War. But during the interwar years, the main proponents of these declarations — the Save the Children International Union and the American Child Health Association, headed by philanthropist and future President Herbert Hoover — soon understood that the registration of infants was at the basis of their work, especially that concerned with the reduction of infant mortality. This chapter studies their respective campaigns in Africa and in the United States, respectively, to show how registration came to be understood as a prerequisite for the full promises of children's rights to be realized. It draws surprising parallels between the two efforts, related to the size of the territory and the discrimination faced by children due to their race and their ethnic origins.Less
The right of children to be registered at birth was not part of early universal declarations of entitlements for the young adopted in the wake of the First World War. But during the interwar years, the main proponents of these declarations — the Save the Children International Union and the American Child Health Association, headed by philanthropist and future President Herbert Hoover — soon understood that the registration of infants was at the basis of their work, especially that concerned with the reduction of infant mortality. This chapter studies their respective campaigns in Africa and in the United States, respectively, to show how registration came to be understood as a prerequisite for the full promises of children's rights to be realized. It draws surprising parallels between the two efforts, related to the size of the territory and the discrimination faced by children due to their race and their ethnic origins.
Francie Lund
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780197265314
- eISBN:
- 9780191760402
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197265314.003.0019
- Subject:
- History, World Modern History
In April 1998, the post-apartheid South African government introduced a monthly cash transfer for children in poor households. A requirement for getting the grant was that the birth of the child had ...
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In April 1998, the post-apartheid South African government introduced a monthly cash transfer for children in poor households. A requirement for getting the grant was that the birth of the child had to be registered, and the adult primary caregiver had to have the citizen identity document. The success of the system of support was contingent on the new democratic government's ability to integrate into one national welfare system what had been fragmented under apartheid into many racially separated systems; it also, ironically, built on the apartheid-era state pension delivery system. Within a decade the grant reached more than ten million children, and was associated with a rapid increase in birth registrations, marking the poorest children's first step into citizenship, and opening up the possibility of later access to other programmes and entitlements.Less
In April 1998, the post-apartheid South African government introduced a monthly cash transfer for children in poor households. A requirement for getting the grant was that the birth of the child had to be registered, and the adult primary caregiver had to have the citizen identity document. The success of the system of support was contingent on the new democratic government's ability to integrate into one national welfare system what had been fragmented under apartheid into many racially separated systems; it also, ironically, built on the apartheid-era state pension delivery system. Within a decade the grant reached more than ten million children, and was associated with a rapid increase in birth registrations, marking the poorest children's first step into citizenship, and opening up the possibility of later access to other programmes and entitlements.
