Bearing capacity assessment of a 14th century arch bridge in Lecco (Italy)

The article presents the results of an experimental and numerical investigation on Azzone Visconti bridge, a 14th century arch bridge in Lecco (northern Italy). Starting from the historical data and from an extensive mechanical characterization of both the soil constituting the riverbed and of the masonry constituting the piers, the aim of the study is to investigate the bearing capacity of the bridge. A testing loading scheme defined according to the current Italian Code is adopted to check the structural behavior. A simplified finite element structural model was conceived and calibrated as a control tool to safely perform the experimental tests. Post-test nonlinear finite element analyses have allowed the prediction of the bridge bearing capacity and the definition of the bridge class according to the Italian regulations.     

Archaeological data on the exploitation of the goose barnacle Pollicipes pollicipes (Gmelin, 1790) in Europe

Barnacles of the species Pollicipes pollicipes are crustaceans that nowadays live on wave-beaten rocky substrates in the intertidal and low-shore zones on the coasts of Atlantic Europe and North Africa. At the present time, the exploitation of this species is profitable, especially in northern Spain where this sea-food is highly valued, as well as expensive. However, the gathering of this resource, which is carried out manually by the percebeiros or “goose barnacle fishers” entails great risks.     

From Methodology to Ontology: Interdisciplinarity as a Principle of Constitution of Objectivity—Reflections from the Study of American Philosophy

Summary

The idea of interdisciplinarity can be articulated in different ways. The aim of the article is to criticise the view that interdisciplinarity is to be treated as a quality of the historian's approach to his subject-matter, and to argue for a constructivist interpretation of that notion. A constructivist account of interdisciplinarity relies on the thesis that the latter is one of the manifold ways in which it is possible to give sense to the historical records of which the historian wants to gain knowledge. In the paper it is maintained that the function of the notion of interdisciplinarity is to account for the clash of languages that can be found when disciplines converge. This new paradigm is highlighted by taking into consideration the history of American pragmatism.     

Regional polarization in the European Union

This paper examines the level and evolution of polarization in regional per capita income in the European Union between 1977 and 1999. In this analysis, non-parametric estimation techniques are combined with the calculation of various polarization measures. The results obtained suggest a decrease in regional polarization in the European context during the period analysed, as a consequence of various factors, at times working in opposite directions. The findings also reveal the existence of discrepancies between the evolution of polarization and regional inequality. Finally, the analysis carried out highlights the importance of the role played by the national component and the spatial dimension in the formation of homogeneous groups of regions linked by similar development levels in the distribution under study.     

Noah’s Grandson and St. James: Rewriting the Past in Eighteenth-Century Spain

ABSTRACT

In the late seventeenth century, when Spain gradually emerged from the general crisis that had afflicted the country, several members of the cultural elite became acquainted with the new sophisticated theories and methods of modern science. This newly acquired knowledge inspired these novatores (innovators) to examine Spain’s history and historiography. They intended in the first place to integrate and align Spain with European culture at large, since the religious and ideological obstacles of the past were supposedly no longer in force. Their second purpose was to establish a scientifically based historical discourse focused on the genuine achievements of Spain over the centuries and its contribution to European civilization. They were thus willing to confront the long-standing distortions arising from propaganda, either from the outside—such as the “black legend” forged by the enemies of Spain—or from inside—such as the “fake glories” forged by earlier historians. Diverse circumstances, however, limited their enlightened endeavour, and whoever was eager to resume it in the eighteenth century came up against the restrictions imposed on modern culture by Enlightened despotism.