Of Barriers to Entry for Medium and Large n Multiple Streams Applications: Methodological and Conceptual Considerations

Recent literature reviews on contributions applying the multiple streams framework (MSF) concluded that although the framework is prolific, there is a lack of contributions testing it in a larger sample size. By addressing which barriers to entry medium and large n MSF applications face and by suggesting ways to handle them, we aim at providing researchers with a benchmark contribution for developing MSF‐guided research designs based on a medium to a high number of cases. Building on an overview of the few existing medium and large n MSF studies, we address three challenges researchers must deal with: (1) choice of dependent variables and case selection; (2) operationalization and measurement of the framework's (predominantly figurative) key concepts; and (3) choice of a method that corresponds with the framework's research questions. In the latter regard, we focus on the pros and cons of employing regression analysis and qualitative comparative analysis. We conclude that although the barriers to entry are high for testing the MSF in a larger sample size, they are not insurmountable.     

Methodological Considerations in the Analysis of Residential Mobility: A Test of Duration,State Dependence,and Associated Events

This paper provides evidence that a longitudinal research methodology is particularly well suited to disentangle life-course explanations of residential mobility while controlling for the duration-of-residence effect. Much of the literature on residential mobility has yielded conflicting evidence regarding the effects of cumulative inertia, cumulative stress, and duration dependence due in large part to different methodologies and different operational conceptions of the life cycle. I argue that the lack of analytical attention directed toward the concept of the risk period, as well as the persistent use of the household, rather than the individual, as the unit of analysis, further serve to confound our understanding of residential mobility. The empirical analysis uses the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and discrete-time logistic regression models to include duration dependence, state dependence, associated events and nonstationarity in models of residential mobility for both renters and owners. Using an event-oriented data structure that links household careers and housing careers, the study is conducted in three stages: (1) important tenure differences are established using comparative survival rates, (2) discrete-time logit models of the hazard of moving, that include duration dependence and state dependence, are fitted by tenure group, and (3) the models are extended to include a change in household type as an associated event that increases (or decreases) the likelihood of moving. The findings indicate the potential of event-history analysis to advance the field of residential mobility by providing a means to assess issues that once seemed intractable.     

Place Out of Place: a Pohnpeian Chiefdom in Kansas City

This article describes the formation of the Kansas City area as a section in the Pohnpeian sociopolitical system. Pohnpeian chiefdoms are traditionally marked out as ‘sections’ of land on the island of Pohnpei. Pohnpeians’ connection to their land is powerful and imbued with meaning but the Compact of Free Association propels Pohnpeian out‐migration to the United States. As the immigrant population of Pohnpeians in Kansas City increased, a paramount (tribal district) chief organized the ‘Section Over Heaven of Kansas City’ at the urging of collaborating Pohnpeian Kansas City residents. As the only fully functioning section outside of Pohnpei, the Kansas City section chief assigns chiefly titles, conducts tribute feasts, and incorporates the location into the Pohnpeian sociopolitical system. By integrating people and environment in meaningful ways, the Kansas City section creates a Pohnpeian place, separated from Pohnpeian land, integrated into Pohnpeian chieftainship. Pohnpeians in the United States refer to Kansas City as a Pohnpeian place in part on the basis of the paramount chief's organization of the Kansas City section.     

Aegean Prehistory as World Archaeology: Recent Trends in the Archaeology of Bronze Age Greece

This article surveys archaeological work of the last decade on the Greek Bronze Age, part of the broader discipline known as Aegean prehistory. Naturally, the literature is vast, so I focus on a set of topics that may be of general interest to non-Aegeanists: chronology, regional studies, the emergence and organization of archaic states, ritual and religion, and archaeological science. Greek Bronze Age archaeology rarely appears in the comparative archaeological literature; accordingly, in this article I place this work in the context of world archaeology, arguing for a reconsideration of the potential of Aegean archaeology to provide enlightening comparative material.     

Topic of Discussion:Central Government Aid

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Middle Bronze Age Ramparts: Functional and Symbolic Structures

Abstract

The Middle Bronze Age is a period of urban rebirth, with one of its hallmarks being massive earthworks surrounding cities. These structures have been studied extensively, with traditional interpretations of their function revolving around defensive aspects. However several scholars have called into question the validity of these interpretations, offering alternative explanations revolving around more “social” reasons. The present paper suggests that while the structures were constructed for protecting the city and its inhabitants, this only strengthens its “social” symbolism. Of major importance to its symbolism is the effect the ramparts had on the landscape, altering it permanently, and giving an impression of controlling the landscape.     

Commentary: Medieval and Post-Medieval Archaeology of Greece

Recent work by archaeologists emphasized the contributions of archaeological fieldwork to the study of post-classical Greece. This marks a significant departure from traditional approaches to the archaeology of Byzantium that tended to focus on art historical methods and architectural history. Despite these changes in the study of post-classical Greece, the issues of abandonment, continuity and change continue to play an important role both in ongoing debates and will undoubtedly influence future research priorities. Only collaboration among scholars who study historical archaeology in Greece and elsewhere will ensure the continued relevance of this field even as these long-standing debates wane in relevance.     

Wales: Industrial Fallibility and Spirit of Place

Barely noticed in their anonymity and detachment, the mining communities of South Wales are being left isolated through the locational forces of deindustrialization. These monuments to an era of past industrial grandeur now harbor a dispirited people who reflect a growing passivity to their plight, a saturnine resignation to their distress. The collapse of their cultural spirit can indicate what might be expected to occur in other declining industrial areas of Europe and the United States where communities also experience industrial fallibility.     

War and Place: Landscapes of Conflict and Destruction in Prehistory

Abstract

The concept of place has rarely been applied to the archaeological study of warfare. Given that cultural landscapes embody meaning, however, the idea that places can be the focus of competition makes it evident that they can also shape associated conflict. As archaeologists move toward a more nuanced study of conflict in the past, such considerations will take on increasing importance, although as of yet most such studies are heavily reliant on textual sources and overtly symbolic material culture. This paper presents a case study from Burnt Corn Pueblo, in the Galisteo Basin, New Mexico, USA, and argues that evidence for conflict there at the beginning of the 13th century CE can be usefully interpreted through Ancestral Pueblo concepts of place.     

Methodological Problems of Soviet Geography as Interpreted by Some Foreign Geographers

The author reviews writings by David Hooson, Ian Matley, and O. H. K. Spate and welcomes publicity given abroad to methodological discussion in Soviet geography. In Saushkin's view, the three Western authors concede there is no unity of geography in the West and no theoretical foundation on which such unity could be based. That is why, Saushkin feels, Western geographers are hopefully watching Soviet methodological discussions for a possible solution to their own problems.     

Dogs as Analogs in Stable Isotope-Based Human Paleodietary Reconstructions: A Review and Considerations for Future Use

In contexts where human remains are scarce, poorly preserved, or otherwise unavailable for stable isotope-based paleodietary reconstruction, dog bone collagen as well as other tissues may provide a suitable proxy material for addressing questions relating to human dietary practices. Inferences drawn from applications of this ??canine surrogacy approach?? (CSA) must be made with caution to ensure the accuracy and transparency of conclusions. This paper shows that CSA applications are essentially analogical inferences which can be divided into two groups that provide specific types of information and may require different levels of substantiation. A framework of three categories of factors is outlined to aid in establishing positive, negative, and neutral elements of comparison of dog and human diets. CSA applications may benefit from explicitly detailing the type and nature of the analogical reasoning employed and from providing a systematic assessment of the degree to which stable isotope values of dogs and humans under comparison are thought to be like, unlike, or of unknown likeness.     

Spatial Agglomeration of Manufacturing in Greece: Sectoral Patterns and Determinants

This article aims to demonstrate how the industry characteristics of manufacturing sectors affect the patterns of their spatial agglomeration. It also addresses several intricate issues concerning the measurement of localization economies and estimation of their main determinants in manufacturing industries. The original empirical analysis employs annual industrial data from the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) during the period 1993–2006 in Greece at the prefecture level, i.e. for 51 prefectures. The data processing reveals three important findings. The first is the temporal persistence of localization economies in the Greek manufacturing. The second refers to the high level of agglomeration associated with the high-technology industries as well as the resource- and scale-intensive industries. Lastly, there are significant effects of industry characteristics related to knowledge externalities, labour skills and productivity, scale economies and own-transport expenditure on spatial agglomeration, as resulted from the use of alternative geographic concentration indices and panel data models. Results obtained have implications for policy-makers, who can enhance the regional manufacturing activity by affecting these industry-specific factors. Amongst others, planning measures and policies which aim at promoting the local development and regional convergence should focus on reducing transport costs for firms or sectors, by improving the infrastructure capacity, interconnectivity and quality of services.