REGIONAL TRAJECTORIES OF TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE IN CANADIAN MANUFACTURING

Techniques of production were measured for 18 manufacturing industries across 6 regions of Canada between 1961 and 1988. In any given year, production technology, measured by a pair of capital and labour input coefficients, varies markedly over space. The relative positions of regions in a two-dimensional technology-space appears consistent across industries. With industry-mix effects removed, multivariate analysis of variance confirms that regional differences in production techniques are significant. Further investigation reveals that spatial variations in techniques of production persist over time. These findings support the claims of evolutionary theorists, demonstrating that in Canadian manufacturing industries regions tend to move along distinct trajectories of technological change.
On a mesuré les techniques de production dans 18 industries manufacturières de 6 régions du Canada au cours de la période 1961-88. La technologie de production, mesurée par deux coefficients des entrées du capital et du travail, diffère considérablement d'une région à l'autre à une année donnée. Les positions relatives des régions par rapport aux deux dimensions espace-technologie se maintiennent dans toutes les industries. Si on écarte les effets de la composition industrielle, l'analyse de variance à plusieurs variables démontre qu'il existe d'importantes différences régionales en techniques de production. L'analyse complémentaire révèle que les variations spatiales des techniques de production persistent à travers le temps. Ces résultats confirment la position des théoriciens évolutionnistes à l'effet que dans les industries manufacturières canadiennes, les régions ont tendance à suivre des trajectoires distinctes de changements technologiques.     

The unintended consequences of emergency food aid: neutrality,sovereignty and politics in the Syrian civil war, 2012–15

This article dissects the role of emergency food aid during the current Syrian conflict. Drawing on Séverine Autesserre's concept of frames and Giorgio Agamben's theory of sovereignty, we argue that the neutrality frame, which undergirds the majority of humanitarian relief efforts in Syria, obfuscates the impact of emergency food aid, both on sovereign power relations and local political dynamics. While neutrality appears benign, it has had a tangible impact on the Syrian civil war. Through close scrutiny of various case‐studies, the article traces how humanitarian efforts reinforce the bases of sovereign politics while contributing to a host of what Mariella Pandolfi (1998) terms ‘mobile sovereignties’. In the process, humanitarian organizations reaffirm sovereign power while also engaging in similar activities. We then analyse how and why ostensibly neutral emergency food aid has unintentionally assisted the Assad regime by facilitating its control over food, which it uses to buttress support and foster compliance. By bringing external resources into life‐or‐death situations characterized by scarcity, aid agencies have become implicated in the conflict's inner workings. The article concludes by examining the political and military impact of emergency food assistance during the Syrian conflict, before discussing possible implications for the humanitarian enterprise more broadly.     

Interpreting urban space through cognitive map sketching and sequence analysis

Traditionally, analysis of sketch maps of urban areas has focused on the interpretation of hand‐drawn renditions of features that are most familiar to individuals. Few researchers have investigated the sequence that sketchers use to identify features on the urban landscape and how these features are linked together to form a coherent ‘picture’ of an area. This article builds upon previous research by exploring the sequential pattern of sketch map creation. Two research questions are proposed, namely, can a repetitive sequential order in element inclusion be identified for different individuals sketching the same urban environment? If so what features are mapped in which order to create the sketchers' image of the city? Findings suggest that three distinct groups of cognitive maps exist, namely, sequential, spatial and hybrid, and that the map elements of each group are organised in a distinctive manner with paths and landmarks as principal elements. It is suggested that insights into this process provide more substance to understanding how individuals interpret and structure urban space and use this information to navigate both known and new environments.