The Economics of Child Trafficking (Part II)

The trafficking of children is a thriving business. In this paper, we highlight key economic characteristics of this business. We show that the fight against child trafficking is far from trivial and that supply-side policies have very limited effect unless preceded by attacks on the demand side. Successful policies involve international cooperation on both fronts. We work within a model of a source country to highlight the necessary ingredients of a successful international cooperation towards the elimination of child trafficking.Child trafficking, worst forms of child labor, international coordination

On the Mechanics of Trade-Induced Structural Transformation

Gains from trade come from a certain degree of specialisation among trade partners. Specialisation in the case of an agriculture-based developing country might be feared to imply a higher reliance than ever on low skill laobur. Trade might thus be seen as a step away from the much awaited structural transformation of the economy, which can only come with increases in agricultural productivity. In this paper, we suggest that it needs not be the case. We show that trade openness can in fact trigger the structural transformation of such an agrarian society. It can induce a higher reliance on human capital accumulation an produce the necessary productivity gains for an economy to pick up. Our dynamic general equilibrium model provides a clear illustration of the mechanics behind such structural transformation.Trade openness, skill-supply, agricultural extension services, general equilibrium

The body in the library: adventures in realism

This essay looks at two aspects of the virtual ‘material world’ of realist fiction: objects encountered by the protagonist and the latter’s body. Taking from Sartre two angles on the realist pact by which readers agree to lend their bodies, feelings, and experiences to the otherwise ‘languishing signs’ of the text, it goes on to examine two sets of first-person fictions published between 1902 and 1956 — first, four modernist texts in which banal objects defy and then gratify the protagonist, who ends up ready and almost able to write; and, second, three novels in which the body of the protagonist is indeterminate in its sex, gender, or sexuality. In each of these cases, how do we as readers make texts work for us as ‘an adventure of the body’

Character and the space of Clarel

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On Governance and the Demographic Transition

It is now conventional wisdom that institutions shape household fertility choices, especially in developing countries. However, deeper insights into the mechanisms at play are still needed. This paper develops a game-theoretical framework with a simple overlapping-generations model to show how a typical household may come to prefer bearing and raising numerous children as a savings scheme for retirement and not rely on conventional outlets for saving when facing weak institutions. On the one hand weak institutions increase the risk that individuals may lose their savings if relying on conventional outlets. On the other hand, childbearing as an investment/savings scheme carries with it the risk that disguised or complete unemployment may prevent grown children from providing the expected old-age financial support. The typical household thus trades off between both types of risks, yet with more control in the latter case, as the likelihood of unemployment can be reduced by carefully selecting a child quality-quantity strategy. Mild conditions are sufficient to show that sound institutions induce less fertility and foster private saving and oldage consumption. A simple voting experiment unveils a tricky socio- economic dynamics whereby wealthier households may have stakes supporting weak institutions

Identification des habiletés des élèves : processus de dressage d’une cartographie des acquis des élèves dans la perspective d’une pédagogie différenciée

Cette étude vise à identifier les habilités ou aptitudes des élèves à partir de l’analyse qualitative et exhaustive des épreuves de fin d’année et de leurs productions à l’issue de celles-ci. En effet, nous avons estimé qu’il serait illusoire de dresser une cartographie complète des habiletés et partant des compétences des élèves uniquement à partir de l’analyse des thèmes et items des épreuves comme le propose Morlaix & Suchaut (2006). En conséquence, nous avons, dans le cadre de notre étude, ajouté à l’analyse des épreuves (connaissances à priori), celle des productions des élèves (connaissance à postériori). Pour ce faire, 150 élèves ont été choisis de façon aléatoire en début des cycles, au moment de la mise en place des nouvelles habiletés, dans les classes de CP1, CEI et CM1. Les résultats ont permis d’identifier la structure des habiletés de chaque élève, de définir son profil et de dresser une cartographie pour l’ensemble dans la perspective d’une pédagogie différenciée. This study aims to identify the skills or aptitudes of students from the qualitative and exhaustive analysis of the end-of-year tests and their productions at the end of them. Indeed, we estimated that it would be illusory to draw up a complete mapping of skills and starting from the competences of the students only from the analysis of the themes and items of the tests as proposed by Morlaix & Suchaut (2006). Consequently, we have, as part of our study, added to the analysis of the tests (prior knowledge), that of the students' productions (posterior knowledge). To do this, 150 students were randomly chosen at the start of the cycles, when the new skills were put in place, in the classes of CP1, CEI and CM1. The results made it possible to identify the structure of the skills of each student, to define their profile and to draw up a map for the whole with a view to differentiated teaching

The Influence of (Post-) Colonial Language Policies on Local Languages in Cameroon: An Acquisition Planning Perspective

This paper examines language policy and planning in favour of minority languages during the colonial era and immediately after. It is based on the observation that local languages in Cameroon do not seem to have the ethnolinguistic vitality necessary for their long-term survival. The situation of these languages begs the following question: Did the promotion strategies of national languages in colonial Cameroon pave the way for language attrition that is observable today or is it the language policy choice of the political authorities in independent Cameroon that has caused this language issue? This paper, which falls within the general framework of language policy and planning theories, is inspired by the critical language policy theory, more especially by the historical-structural approach and governmentality, all of them based on acquisition planning. The data to be analysed were collected from secondary sources, especially library work. One of the conclusions this paper arrived at is that, irrespective of the policies or State’s good will and efforts, local languages should be better revitalised through a bottom-up approach and thus through individual and collective efforts of community members. It takes a linguistic community to promote its language with means they can mobilise by themselves. In this case, the State would just perform the role of a regulator by creating a legislative framework for the promotion and revitalisation of languages, which already appears to be the case in today’s Cameroon

« ÇA N’A RIEN A VOIR NI AVEC MA VIE NI AVEC MON AVENIR, DONC POURQUOI CONTINUER ? » : EXPLORER LES RAISONS AUTO-DECLAREES DU PEU D’ENGOUEMENT DES ELEVES A SUIVRE LE FLS DANS LES ECOLES SECONDAIRES A LETHBRIDGE EN ALBERTA

En Alberta, les inscriptions aux cours de français langue seconde (FLS) dans les écoles secondaires révèlent qu’il y a peu d’intérêt parmi les élèves à apprendre le français. Bien qu’une frange importante des élèves du secondaire ait déjà rencontré la langue française à l’école primaire, la majorité ne poursuit pas l’apprentissage du FLS. À travers un questionnaire anonyme adressé aux élèves de 11e année d’une école secondaire à Lethbridge, cette étude examine les différentes raisons qui justifieraient ce faible intérêt. Peu d’élèves ont démontré une motivation intégrative et/ou instrumentale. Les données suggèrent aussi l’importance des rencontres culturelles avec la francophonie. En outre, il est possible que le FLS, tel qu’il est pratiqué, contienne en lui-même un défaut qui expliquerait, ne serait-ce qu’en partie, ce faible engouement. En tenant compte de tout cela, nous discutons dans cet article des approches possibles visant à encourager plus d’élèves à suivre les cours de FLS

Madame Bovary

"¡Qué libertad! ¡Qué esperanza! ¡Qué abundancia de ilusiones! ¡Ya no le quedaba ninguna! Se las había gastado en todas las aventuras del alma, en todas sus condiciones sucesivas, en la virginidad, en el matrimonio y en el amor; y las había ido perdiendo continuamente según vivía, como un viajero que se deja algo de su riqueza en todas las posadas del camino." Emma Bovary, una joven soñadora atrapada en un matrimonio monótono con un médico de provincia, anhela escapar de su vida ordinaria. Deslumbrada por las novelas románticas y sus promesas de pasión y lujo, Emma busca llenar su vacío emocional a través de romances ilícitos y un estilo de vida extravagante. Sin embargo, sus aspiraciones la llevan a un espiral de decisiones impulsivas que amenazan con destruir todo a su alrededor