Toward a relational economic geography

In this paper, we argue that a paradigmatic shift is occurringin economic geography toward a relational economic geography.This rests on three propositions. First, from a structural perspectiveeconomic actors are situated in contexts of social and institutionalrelations. Second, in dynamic perspective economic processesare path-dependent, constrained by history. Third, economicprocesses are contingent in that the agents' strategies andactions are open-ended. Drawing on Storper's holy trinity, wedefine four ions as the basis for analysis in economic geography:organization, evolution, innovation, and interaction. Therein,we employ a particular spatial perspective of economic processesusing a geographical lens.     

The Eulau eulogy: Bioarchaeological interpretation of lethal violence in Corded Ware multiple burials from Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

The Corded Ware is one of the major archaeological traditions of Late Neolithic Europe. Its burial customs are characterized by single graves but multiple burials also occur. We present a detailed study of antemortem and perimortem trauma in a group of Corded Ware skeletons from four multiple graves and give the most probable interpretation of the site, based upon all available bioarchaeological evidence. The pattern of observed injuries in male, female, and subadult skeletons, including cranial trauma, arrow wounds, and fractures of the forearm and hands points towards a violent event that resulted in the death of all individuals, most probably a raid. In contrast to comparable Neolithic raid sites, there was no complete extermination of the local population and no use of mass graves. The burials have been arranged with care and detailed knowledge about biological kinship ties [Haak, W., Brandt, G., de Jong, H.N., Meyer, C., Ganslmeier, R., Heyd, V., Hawkesworth, C., Pike, A.W.G., Meller, H., Alt, K.W., 2008. Ancient DNA, strontium isotopes, and osteological analyses shed light on social and kinship organization of the Later Stone Age. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 105, 18226–18231]. The combination of clear causes of death and the proven biological relationships among some of the individuals, including a nuclear family, provides new and important insights into Corded Ware mortuary customs and the reasons why and how multiple graves have been utilised.     

Book reviews

Robert Rinehart (ed.), Finland and the United States. Diplomatic Relations Through Seventy Years (Washington DC: 1993). Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, Georgetown University, 141 pp. ISBN 0–934742–63–4. USD 12.00.

Karl Molin, Omstridd neutralitet. Experternas kritik av svensk utrikespolitik 1948–1950 (Disputed neutrality. The experts’ criticism of Swedish foreign policy, 1948— 1950). (Stockholm: Tiden, 1991). 109 pp. ISBN 91–550–3808–5. SKR 150.00

Anders Berge, Flyktingpolitik i stormakts skugga. Sverige og de sovjetryska flyktingarna under andra världskriget (Refugee policies in the shadow of a great power. Sweden and the Soviet Russian refugees during World War II). Uppsala Multiethnic Papers 26. (Centre for Multiethnic Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 1992). III pp. ISBN 91–86624–07–5.

Már Jónsson, Blóoskömm á Íslandi 1270–1870 (Incest in Iceland, 1270–1870). (Reykjavík: Háskóli Íslands, Háskólaútgáfan, 1993). 311 pp. ISBN 9979–54–048–6.

Michael Bregnsbo, Gejstlighedens syn på sam fund og ?vrigked 1775–1800, belyst ved trykte pradikener og taler (The attitudes of the clergy to society and authorities 1775–1800, revealed by printed sermons and speeches). (Copenhagen: Den danske historiske Forening, 1992). 160+124 pp. ISBN 87–87462–31–1.

Pentti Laasonen &; Johannes Wallmann (eds), Der Pietismus in seiner europäischen und aussereuropäischen Ausstrahlung (Pietism in its European and extra‐european radiation) Suomen kirkkohistoriallisen seuran, toimituksia 157/ Veröffentlichungen der finnischen Gesellschaft für Kirchengeschichte, 157 (Helsinki, 1992). 240 pp. ISBN 951–9021–87–6.

Ole Feldbaek (ed.), Dansk Identitetshistorie (History of the Danish national identity), vols 1–4. (Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzel, 1991–92) 424 pp., 468 pp., 673 pp., 589 pp. ISBN 87–7421–696–1, DKR 1400 (all volumes). Summaries in English in vol. 4.

Conny Blom, Tiggare, tidstjuvar, lättingar och landstiykare. Studier αν attityder och vär‐deringar i skrån, stadgar,, ordningar och lagförslag gällande den of fentlia vården 1533–1664. (Lund: Lund University Press, 1992.) 271 pp.     

‘Unparalleled Opportunities’: The Indian Y.M.C.A.'s Army Work Schemes for Imperial Troops During the Great War (1914–1920)

The present article aims to contribute to the global history of the First World War and the history of ‘imperial humanitarianism’ by taking stock of the Indian Young Men's Christian Association's Army Work schemes in South Asia, Europe and the Middle East. The outbreak of the war was hailed by some American secretaries of the Y.M.C.A. working in India as presenting overwhelming opportunities for their proselytising agenda. Indeed, the global conflict massively enlarged the organisation's range of activities among European soldiers stationed in South Asia and for the first time extended it to the ‘Sepoys’, i.e. Indian and Nepalese soldiers serving in the imperial army. Financially supported by the Indian public as well as by the governments of Britain and British India, the US-dominated Indian Y.M.C.A. embarked on large-scale ‘army work’ programmes in the Indian subcontinent as well as in several theatres of war almost from the outset, a fact that clearly boosted its general popularity. This article addresses the question of the effects the Y.M.C.A.'s army work schemes had for the imperial war effort and tries to assess their deeper societal and political impact as a means of educating better citizens, both British and Indian. In doing so, the article places particular emphasis on the activities of American Y-workers, scrutinising to what extent pre-existing imperial racial and cultural stereotypes influenced their perception of and engagement with the European and South Asian soldiers they wanted to transform into ‘better civilians’.     

Streams as Entanglement of Nature and Culture: European Upper Paleolithic River Systems and Their Role as Features of Spatial Organization

Large river valleys have long been seen as important factors to shape the mobility, communication, and exchange of Pleistocene hunter-gatherers. However, rivers have been debated as either natural entities people adapt and react to or as cultural and meaningful entities people experience and interpret in different ways. Here, we attempt to integrate both perspectives. Building on theoretical work from various disciplines, we discuss the relationship between biophysical river properties and sociocultural river semantics and suggest that understanding a river’s persona is central to evaluating its role in spatial organization. By reviewing the literature and analyzing European Upper Paleolithic site distribution and raw material transfer patterns in relation to river catchments, we show that the role of prominent rivers varies considerably over time. Both ecological and cultural factors are crucial to explaining these patterns. Whereas the Earlier Upper Paleolithic record displays a general tendency toward conceiving rivers as mobility guidelines, the spatial consolidation process after the colonization of the European mainland is paralleled by a trend of conceptualizing river regimes as frontiers, separating archaeological entities, regional groups, or local networks. The Late Upper Paleolithic Magdalenian, however, is characterized again by a role of rivers as mobility and communication vectors. Tracing changing patterns in the role of certain river regimes through time thus contributes to our growing knowledge of human spatial behavior and helps to improve our understanding of dynamic and mutually informed human-environment interactions in the Paleolithic.     

Earthquake Protection of Colonial Bell Towers in Colima,Mexico with Externally Prestressed FRPs

A methodology for the seismic vulnerability reduction of old masonry towers with external prestressing is presented. It is applied at the Colonial bell-towers of the Cathedral of Colima, Mexico, characterized for being a high seismic area (M>7.5). The 3D FE models are calibrated with experimental data and assessed through nonlinear static approaches including the seismic demand and an accurate validated masonry model. Based on an extensive parametric study on different configurations of old masonry towers, it is selected an optimal prestressing force and device. The Colonial towers are retrofitted with four prestressing devices of FRPs to convert them into a high energy-dissipative reinforced masonry. The external vertical prestressing is included at key points identified in the seismic vulnerability assessment. This technique is in compliance with the demand for architectural conservation and may be located without drilling and unbounded in order to be fully removable. The seismic performance is enhanced by increasing force, displacement, and internal confinement. It is observed an upgrading of 35% and 20% of displacement capacity. With these results it is corroborated that external vertical prestressing allows a substantial increment of ductility for seismic energy dissipation purposes.     

Carbon and nitrogen isotope signals in eel bone collagen from Mesolithic and Neolithic sites in northern Europe

Carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis was undertaken on collagen extracted from eel bone from six Mesolithic and Neolithic sites in northern Europe. The results were compared with data obtained on other archaeological fish remains and modern eel caught in fresh and brackish water and from the sea. The possibility of discriminating between freshwater, brackish and marine signals in archaeological eel bone is evaluated and the implications for archaeology discussed. Our data suggest that eel found at coastal Mesolithic and Neolithic sites have carbon isotope signals consistent with a marine origin with no evidence of freshwater residency. The sample of eel bone from one inland site is small but indicates carbon isotope values more consistent with freshwater residency or at least values intermediate between freshwater and marine carbon pools.