Key variables for developing integrated rural tourism

Considering how important tourism development is as an element of economic recovery in rural areas, one of its objectives should be sustainability. The starting point must therefore be the existence of partnerships and cooperation between stakeholders. Such cooperation would enable the integration of tourism development through the endogeneity, complementarity, and embeddedness of the resources and the empowerment of the residents. The objective of this research is to determine the basic types of relationships to be developed in order to achieve integrated rural tourism. Initially, we verify the variables involved in integrated rural tourism by determining the measurement models, and subsequently we propose a model that reflects the relationships between the variables under study. Our research shows that there must be two types of collaboration between stakeholders. First, there must be collaboration to develop a tourism product, and second, there must be collaboration to provide adequate information about the existing tourism activities. Due the nature of tourism, various types of businesses must work together, but if information is not subsequently provided about the product, then tourism cannot develop as desired. Collaboration as a whole also favours the development of rural tourism in which tourism activities complement the traditional activities of an area, consequently increases the embeddedness of the product and the endogeneity of the resources. Furthermore, the opinions of the various stakeholders in tourism development must be taken into account, especially the residents, which takes place through empowerment. Finally, collaboration means that residents and tourists must coexist and come into contact, therefore sharing public services and entertainment and leisure locations. All the aforementioned factors consequently provide the basis for integrating the rural tourism that is developed in an area, which will favour the economic, sociocultural, and environmental sustainability of that area.     

Urban Regeneration in the Brazilian urban policy agenda

This article aims to highlight the main arguments that sought to justify the incorporation and legitimization of Urban Regeneration in the urban policy agenda in Brazil. It shows how the convergence between different and even conflicting propositions related to urban development provided ideological support to the construction of discourses in which urban regeneration is portrayed as beneficial to society as a whole, and how recent international ideas on urban development were incorporated in urban policies of contemporary Brazil, considering our local socio-economic and political environment, planning tradition and regulatory frameworks. The focus will be on Rio de Janeiro and particularly São Paulo given the key role these two cities play in defining urban policy paradigms, guiding government agendas and exporting regulatory models to other parts of Brazil.     

In situ Preservation Solutions for Deposited Iron Age Human Bones in Alken Enge,Denmark

The rich mass deposition of Iron Age human bone material from the Danish site, Alken Enge, is extraordinary not only from an archaeological perspective but also from a preservation point of view. The main find is situated in a waterlogged, anoxic environment which provides excellent preservation conditions and therefore enables in situ preservation of the human bones. However, major differences in local environmental conditions challenge an in situ preservation of the entire site area as parts of the bone material presently deteriorate. In this paper, a multi-proxy environmental monitoring approach is used to document threats and to suggest the best preservation solution for the archaeological finds, whether in or ex situ.     

The self under domination: a dialogue between Nandy’s The intimate enemy and Dangarembga’s Nervous conditions

This article analyses two different endeavours to understand the effects of domination on the self as well as the tortuous ways by which emancipation is sought. One example is taken from Ashis Nandy’s work The Intimate Enemy (1983), the other from Tsitsi Dangarembga’s novel Nervous Conditions (1988). It is argued that domination deeply scars the human psyche so that the successful pursuit of the political emancipation of oppressed individuals and collectives depends on how the abhorred reality of oppression is dealt with, not only externally but – mainly – internally. In this vein, political emancipation consists of a politics of identification in that it must address both collective action towards freedom and an inner reconstruction of a vilified and downgraded self.     

In the Shadow of Globalization: The European Community and the United States in the GATT Negotiations of the Tokyo Round (1973–1979)

This article explores the trade negotiations between the United States and the European Community in the Tokyo Round of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) negotiations, held in Geneva from 1973 to 1979. The article shows how the economic turbulence and the different domestic stances and policies toward the globalizing economy split the Western members of GATT into two camps. Countries, like France and the United Kingdom, less well equipped to face increased worldwide competition and the economic crisis were not keen on trade liberalization. Countries, like the United States and Germany, better equipped to face worldwide competition and in favour of policies that strengthened it, saw trade liberalization as the right path. Eventually, under US President Jimmy Carter's leadership and with the key support of Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, the results of the Round reflected a vote in favour of liberalizing international trade. Thus, the Round was shaped by the globalizing economy but, at the same time, its results gave further impetus to the globalization wave that would reach full swing in the 1980s–1990s. The GATT talks took place in the shadow of globalization: while attempting to govern the process, also built it up.     

Raman analysis of ninth-century Iraqi stuccoes from Samarra

Six ninth-century stucco fragments from Samarra, Iraq, and now part of the Victoria and Albert Museum collections, were analysed non-destructively and in situ in the Museum by Raman microscopy in order to determine the identities of the pigments thereon. Carbon black, haematite, gypsum, indigo, lazurite, lead white, orpiment, pararealgar, red lead, vermilion and the As₄S₄ χ-phase were detected. The detection of several arsenic-containing pigments (orpiment, pararealgar and the As₄S₄ χ-phase), known to be poisonous and carcinogenic, has prompted strict health and safety protocols to be used when the objects are handled by museum staff or displayed in the galleries. This scientific study is the first to be carried out on any of the Samarra finds.     

A case of Madelung's deformity in a skeleton from Nuragic Sardinia

The case reported here refers to the skeletal remains of a mature adult male found in a collective grave known as ‘Giant's tomb’ located near Donori (Sardinia) and dating to the end of the Bronze Age. The skeleton showed bilateral shortening of the forearm associated to radial bowing, marked deformations at the radio‐ulnar distal joints and subsequent posterior dislocation of both ulnae. The whole alterations fit well with a diagnosis of Madelung's deformity, a rare form of mesomelic dysplasia. At present, this case is the most ancient evidence of Madelung's deformity. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.