Search

Catalonia is experiencing a significant wave of innovation in its schools. After decades of little change, since 2015 there has been a systemic surge of innovation in education that includes hundreds of primary and secondary schools. Almost at the same time, in 2015, the Catalan government enacted a new inclusive school framework based on the Salamanca Statement and subsequent developments (Ainscow, Booth, Slee, Stainback or Pujolàs, among others). This position paper analyses exploratory what is occurring in schools regarding the intersectionality between innovation and inclusion. The preliminary results show that, inclusion often competes and clashes with innovation in concrete school perspectives and practices. Our appraisal is that some schools tend to prioritise innovative practices over inclusive ones and present them as a 'school brand' in order to compete for white middle-class families. At the same time, some (head) teachers avoid implementing inclusive practices because they feel they are related to having more Special Educational Needs (SEN) students and a more complex and less 'competitive' school. The paper concludes by critiquing the setback to inclusive practices due to intersectionality with innovation, and by outlining some recommendations to generate positive synergies between the movements of innovation and inclusion [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building on my ongoing ethnographic research with people living with HIV in different European countries, the paper focuses on RD, a Catalan man I have interviewed three times since 2014. In RD's life narrative, 'crisis' is a recurring theme including both the most blatant forms, like the severe housing crisis in Spain that followed the global financial crisis, and the most ordinary ones like domestic violence. Analysing the impact of crises in RD's perception and experience of the present, interwoven with the past(s) and the future(s), the paper discusses two main benefits of longitudinal ethnographic research. First, it allows to capture how crisis is not just a moment or a phase in RD's life, but acts as context generating a recurring experience of an 'uncanny present' shaped by logics of return and repetition of the past, and anticipation of the future. Second, it supports RD's self‐awareness around his ability to navigate the unknown when experiencing the 'uncanny present'; this highlights the ethical care dimension entailed by such methodology. The paper presents two main benefits of longitudinal ethnographic research. First, it allows to capture how crisis, for some people, is not just a moment or phase but acts as context generating a recurring experience of an 'uncanny present'. Second, it supports participants' self‐awareness around their ability to navigate the unknown, this demonstrating the ethical care dimension of the research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a theoretical contribution to discussions about the emancipatory potential of citizenship education across four sites (i.e. Catalonia, Colombia, England, and Pakistan). By reflecting on policy and empirical data from our four contexts of study, we discuss whether citizenship education manifests different conditions of emancipatory education (modern, postmodern, and posthumous). We argue that citizenship education offers possibilities for emancipation, but these are constrained by capitalist and Enlightenment barriers. We conclude that if an emancipatory form of citizenship education is to be possible, there is a need to make room for politics in school classrooms and further politicise epistemological and anthropological assumptions. We recommend a form of citizenship education that conceptualises emancipation as our ability to respond ethically to situated challenges by thinking by ourselves with others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on evidence from documents and semi-structured interviews with members of the Catalan system of higher education, this research explores how intermediary organizations (IOs) facilitate the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), conceived as a global policy framework, in local contexts. We observed that, despite the voluntary nature of SDGs-related policies, most Catalan public universities embraced the SDGs. Two contextual factors likely facilitated their effective engagement with this global initiative: first, the autonomy granted by regional and national governments to the higher education sector when it comes to social responsibility, and, second, the willingness and ability of higher education institutions (HEIs) in Catalonia to work with the SDGs. The key element added to these contextual factors was the collaboration stimulated by meso-level actors, namely Catalan intermediaries. The Catalan case exhibits a process whereby IOs effectively engage with HEIs, forging a platform for collaboration; in turn, this led the local government to delegate the task of promoting the SDGs to IOs. This paper contributes to the debate in global higher education policy-making as it discusses the policy implications of the involvement of intermediary actors in bringing global policy frameworks to local level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 spread is challenging due to asymptomatic infections, numerous variants, and population behavior changes from non-pharmaceutical interventions. We developed a Digital Twin model to simulate SARS-CoV-2 evolution in Catalonia. Continuous validation ensures our model's accuracy. Our system uses Catalonia Health Service data to quantify cases, hospitalizations, and healthcare impact. These data may be under-reported due to screening policy changes. To improve our model's reliability, we incorporate data from the Catalan Surveillance Network of SARS-CoV-2 in Sewage (SARSAIGUA). This paper shows how we use sewage data in the Digital Twin validation process to identify discrepancies between model predictions and real-time data. This continuous validation approach enables us to generate long-term forecasts, gain insights into SARS-CoV-2 spread, reassess assumptions, and enhance our understanding of the pandemic's behavior in Catalonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sideritis royoi is found in the rocky limestone habitats of the Port Massif (southern Catalonia, Spain). The species was first collected by the local botanist Lluís de Torres in the late part of the 20th century, but the specimens have remained unidentified positively in herbaria for over 40 years. Sideritis royoi likely belongs to section Sideritis subsection Hyssopifoliae and shows some morphological affinities with the relatively widespread South European species S. hyssopifolia L., but it differs from this species because it has subspinescent upper leaves, the main surfaces of its leaves are glabrous or glabrescent, the main abaxial surface of its bracts is without eglandular hairs, and due to the fact that it has shorter inflorescences. Weaker similarities have also been observed with some species belonging to S. subsection Fruticulosae Obón & D.Rivera. In this paper, a description for the new orophilous species is provided, along with a detailed illustration, field photographs, and a comparison with closely related species. We include an assessment of its conservation status and a dichotomous key for the identification of all the species of Sideritis subsection Hyssopifoliae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing numbers of Chinese students are pursuing graduate degrees in Catalonia. Although highly proficient in both Castilian and English when they arrive, they find themselves in a bilingual society where Catalan, not Castilian, predominates both at universities and in the broader social context. Acquiring Catalan is hence important for both academic and social purposes. Using a longitudinal ethnographic study, this paper explores the factors motivating 25 Chinese students pursuing MA or Ph.D. programmes at Catalan universities to learn Catalan. Their motivation is examined over time using the L2 Motivational Self System, categorising it in ought-to L2 self, ideal L2 self, and learning experience. The results reveal that Chinese graduate students in Catalonia are initially motivated to learn Catalan mainly by the ideal L2 self. The desire to integrate themselves into the Catalonia society is the most reported factor, followed by ought-to L2 self, such as academic needs and future career considerations. Once the learning process begins, learning experience becomes another important (de)motivation for the learners. Even when the initial future image has faded over time, personal satisfaction obtained from learning can still motivate learners to continue the investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main identified causes of energy poverty (EP) is the low energy efficiency of housing. In this line, since 2018, public administrations and NGOs collaborating with the Naturgy Foundation's Energy Renovation Solidarity Fund have implemented several shallow renovation interventions in 3660 Spanish vulnerable households. However, the effects of these measures on domestic energy affordability were not evaluated before because of a lack of a proper method. This paper presents a methodology to objectively assess the impact of these interventions on EP. In particular, this work proposes calculating a hidden EP indicator using data from a primary survey and applies it to a local case study (54 vulnerable households in Catalonia—10% of dwellings renovated by the Fund in the region) by processing their characteristics and energy bills before and after the implementation of the interventions. Considering the whole sample of households analysed, the hidden EP indicator drops by 10% in absolute terms (11.2% in relative terms) after the retrofit, and the average EP gap goes from 423 €/year to 313 €/year, thus marking a significant positive effect of the analysed interventions on the EP situation of this population. Eventually, extrapolating the results to the vulnerable population in Spain, this paper points out a series of recommendations that could be useful for decision-makers and organisations when designing and implementing shallow renovation interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject?: Home treatment teams help people in a mental health crisis to recover. The staff goes to the person's home, avoiding the need to go to the hospital and providing care in the person's environment.The teams have been created in our country in recent years, becoming part of the mental health care network. What this paper adds to existing knowledge?: The paper presents the functioning of a CRHTT, the type of care it provides, and the coordination with the rest of the care network. It also shows the clinical results obtained in the first two years since its creation, supporting the CRHTT's effectiveness in accompanying people with mental health crises and reducing the need for hospital care.The outstanding factors in the team operation were coordination fluidity with referral services (facilitating accessibility), a prolonged care time (about two months), and continuity of care during the CRHTT intervention (the same CRHTT professionals visited the user and the family at home) and upon discharge (CRHTT staff organized joint visits with the professionals who would care for the user and the family after home treatment).The CRHTT followed a person‐centered orientation based on horizontality and dialogue. The CRHTT fostered the inclusion of the family and social network in the treatment and a deep understanding of the crisis considering social determinants. What are the implications for practice?: Flexibility, approach to the person's environment, dialogue, shared decision‐making, and the inclusion of the family and social network in the treatment are central factors in CRHTT functioning. It helps the person regain control over their life and enhance their resources to face possible future crises.Training in crisis management, community mental health and family care, and teamwork (which implies joint home visits and co‐responsibility with the rest of the staff, user, and the family) are relevant for CRHTT professionals. Introduction: Crisis resolution and home treatment teams (CRHTTs) provide intensive home care to people in a mental health crisis, becoming an increasingly widespread alternative to hospital admissions. However, there are wide variations in service delivery, organization, and outcomes, and little literature on how these teams work in clinical practice and different settings. Aim: To share the organizational functioning, the therapeutic approach, and the outcomes obtained in a CRHTT in Catalonia, Spain. Method: A descriptive analysis of the functioning of a home treatment team, the characteristics of the people served, and the clinical results from November 2017 to December 2019 are presented. Results: One hundred and five people were served, with an average stay of 57 days. And 55.24% were women, and the mean age was 41. Most people could overcome the crisis at home, and 5.71% required hospital admission during home care. A statistically significant improvement was observed in the results of the GAF and HoNOS scales at admission and discharge. Discussion: Despite reduced staff, home care was an alternative to hospital admission for most people treated. Implications for Practice: Flexibility, teamwork, and collaboration with the social network are relevant factors when accompanying the recovery process at home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how documentary cinema in war contexts can challenge gender representations. To do so, we adopt a feminist and postcolonial approach to analyze the work of Catalan non-fiction filmmaker Alba Sotorra in Kurdistan, Afghanistan and Catalonia. In her films, Sotorra positions herself close to a series of subjects absorbed by wars and armed conflicts that (re)define their identities while acting beyond gender stereotypes. In particular, the paper analyzes the modes of production and representational strategies of two of Sotorra's latest feature films, Game Over and Commander Arian, documentaries with which the filmmaker aims at overcoming the visual exploitation of alterity. After an introduction to Sotorra, and a brief revision of the theory of postcolonial feminist cinema, our argument unfolds in four parts. Firstly, we reflect on cinematic representations of women and men at war; secondly, we introduce our methodology, based on in-depth interviews with the director to support our film analysis; thirdly, we contrast our hypotheses by means of close-readings of the films; lastly, we reflect on how the filmmaker aligns herself with intersectional feminism by using empathy and solidarity towards her subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the course of the Spanish Civil War, Francoists set up special teams to seize documents from organizations which had backed the Popular Front government. In the immediate wake of occupation, these squads would frequently enter towns and cities and appropriate lorry loads of paperwork which they ferried to Salamanca. Nationalist officials trawled through their copious bounty in order to scout out the names of opponents who could be punished for their activities in favour of the Republic. For good reason historians have viewed the Salamanca Papers as a stark example of state directed plunder. By focusing on the role of volunteers in willingly providing information to the authorities, this article seeks to complement the focus on the role of the state. The article also shows that the authorities exploited the information they gleaned to pick out and reward supporters as well as identify and punish enemies. The article further discusses some of the efforts made by Salamanca officials to return documents to Francoists. By examining the Salamanca Papers from these perspectives, the article seeks to throw light upon the close ideological and emotional identification between Francoist state officials and some of their eager supporters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new methodology to improve territorial cohesion in clustering processes where many variables from different topics are considered. Clustering techniques provide added value to identify typologies, but there are still unsolved challenges when data contain an unbalanced number of variables from different topics. The territorial feature selection method (TFSM) is presented as a method to select the representative variable of each topic such that the interpretability of resulting clusters is preserved and the geographical cohesion is improved with respect to classical approaches. This paper also introduces the thermometer as a new knowledge acquisition tool that allows experts to transfer semantics to the data mining process. TFSM proposes the index of potential explainability ( E k ) as the criteria to select the most promising variables for clustering. E k is based on the combination of inferential testing and metrics such as support. The proposal is applied with the INSESS-COVID19 database, where territorial groups of vulnerable populations were found. A set of 195 variables with 21 unbalanced thematic blocks is used to compare the results with a traditional multiview clustering analysis with promising results from both the geographical and the thematic point of view and the capacity to support further decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Providing face-to-face support to victims entails one the most intense stress- and trauma-laden exchanges of law enforcement tasks, which frequently triggers long lasting negative effects on police officer's psychological wellbeing. When exploring this phenomenon, police resilience is often interpreted as police officers' and organization's capacity to react and recover from negative experiences and impediments, and as such it may be perceived as both a trait and a trainable and promotable skill. Yet, in very recent times, police resilience has faced new or transformed challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as victims, citizens, and public institutions have encountered new needs and situations. Drawing from a unique qualitative, in-depth research with police officers that provide support to victims of gender-based and domestic violence, this paper analyzes officers' needs and challenges regarding their interactions with victims, colleagues, superiors, and other occupational demands, as they interplay into stress and trauma that may lead to burnout and compassion fatigue. Illustrated with the empirical findings of the case study of the Catalonia's Mossos d'Esquadra police corps, the paper explores how officers negotiate individuals' expectations, needs, and procedures signals towards potential challenges and threats to their psychological wellbeing with implications for police forces and other public and private institutions. The specific needs and demands of the participants' policing, related to support to gender-based and domestic violence, presents an in-depth analysis of how stress and trauma are understood and experienced from the police officers' perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the turnaround that, since March 2020, has taken place in both health culture and local folk medicine in Catalonia. It includes a conceptual discussion, at the outset, about what the concepts of global 'health culture', 'folk medicine' and 'auto-atención' mean, as well as their relationship with 'medicalisation' and the 'medicalisation process'. Catalan health culture, i.e. the general cultural features shared by the population, are a product of a 'medicalization process' and are related to the deployment and evolution of the health system. The health culture was characterized, before 2020, by 'hospitalocentrism' which implied the subalternity of the rest of the facilities; a specific culture related to the demand of emergencies; by the indifference in relation to collective health and, therefore, by an individualization of health. Finally, by a strong medicalization of folk medicine, represented by self-medication and the consumption of products intended for the care of the body. The territorial distribution of the device is key to understanding the local diversity of folk medicine. The pandemic crisis, since March-April 2020, has profoundly affected the health system and has led to changes in health culture and folk medicine. Both have had to adapt to the organizational changes of the whole device, such as example the closure of Primary Care Centers (CAP) or local offices and the proliferation of telephone consultation. These changes have been organized into four sections for better description: a first on hospitals and emergencies; a second focused on primary health care; the third on the role of "bubbles" as a 'cultural vaccine', on their role in the reconstruction of grassroots citizen participation networks, as well as their status. The last one that addresses the problem of the crisis of public health policies, described as a form of 'social vaccine', and that also points to the debate on the recovery of social democratic policies and a new look at social participation in health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines a study that aimed to fill in the gap in research about interfaith dialogue and leisure time education in Catalonia (Spain). Combining both quantitative and qualitative research methods, we analyzed the role that interfaith dialogue plays for leisure time educators. The research was carried out between 2021 and 2022 in three phases: one descriptive through an ad hoc questionnaire, a second one comprehensive by exploring educators' voices in focus groups, and a third one prescriptive to design evidence-based policy recommendations and training frames. The whole research allowed us to state the low status that interfaith dialogue plays within the leisure time education in the research context, as well as the high expectations and positive attitude by educators to improve interfaith dialogue in these educational settings. Further research considering more voices (children, families, administration, religious groups) could be explored in the future to increase the knowledge on the subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies, from the point of view of local politicians, the governance of social services in different municipalities and County Councils in Catalonia. The political dimension of local social services has rarely been studied and this article contributes to the understanding of which actors and what kind of relations are developed during the policy process. From a qualitative approach, the study is based on 17 in-depth interviews with local politicians, as well as two focus groups with managers and front-line social workers. The results reveal that local politicians do not have a long-term and strategic perspective, and that they feel more comfortable dealing with management rather than politics. At the local level, social services tend to be a depoliticized issue. Although local politicians have a positive attitude towards dialogue and working together with all actors, they lack regular coordination and strong commitment to facilitate a comprehensive approach to the challenges they face. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides empirical evidence about the close relationship between two education systems' orientations and priorities and teacher identities. Based on the Dialogical-Self Theory (DST), it identifies different schoolteacher identities and shows that these teacher identities are non-uniformly distributed across two education systems. Forty Catalan and forty Peruvian schoolteachers (eighty in total) provided information about their positions and I-positions concerning teaching via a written survey. The data were analysed using qualitative and quantitative procedures. The findings show three types of teacher identities: an educator and a learning guide, an instructor teaching, and a collaborative innovator. The results further demonstrate that most of the Peruvian schoolteachers assumed the teacher identity as an instructor teaching. In contrast, the Catalan schoolteachers assumed two teacher identities: an educator and a learning guide, and a collaborative innovator. We conclude by suggesting some implications for educational policy, teacher education and school organisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes songs of the scaffold in Catalonia in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, a hitherto unknown subject that has been paid little attention to date. On the one hand, I will analyze their creation and dissemination using different documentary and literary evidences to demonstrate that they were highly demanded texts composed when an execution was going to be held. On the other hand, I focus on the propagandistic role that these printed texts had, using a microhistorical analysis of two examples: the famous bandit Antoni Roca (1546) and the Morisco witch hunter Joan Malet (1549). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intermediate living arrangements, like shared flats, collective accommodation or double residence, have become increasingly common due to the individualization of life scripts, and because of economic and cultural shifts in western societies. However, they have been assumed to be negligible in Mediterranean Europe, where housing transitions are 'late but simple'. This paper challenges this assumption, using Catalonia (Spain) as a case study. Data coming from the 2017 Catalan Youth Survey offer some clear-cut results. First, shared flats and double residence are not uncommon among Catalans: respectively 15.7% and 8.1% of youngsters experience them sometime during their twenties. Second, multinomial regression models show that double residence implies economic reliance on parents, it is most common among university students, especially those with well-off parents, and among young people coming from rural areas. Conversely, shared flats appear to be linked to precarious economic situations, and they are common among young immigrants, and those living in the city of Barcelona. Both arrangements are transitory, being less frequent among older people. Some expected predictors of intermediate living turned out to predict double residence instead, so this semi-dependent practice could be the equivalent of 'living away from home' for youngsters in 'familistic' territories as Catalonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water scarcity is a growing problem in many regions worldwide. According to the United Nations, around one-fifth of the world's population lives in areas where water is scarce. Another one-quarter of the world's population has to face water supply cuts, mainly because this proportion of the population lacks the necessary infrastructure to acquire water from rivers and aquifers (UN, 2005). Water is a resource that is essential to human survival and is also present in all productive processes in the economy. Therefore, we are challenged to adequately manage water to ensure the population's well-being and to achieve socioeconomic development. Specifically, this paper analyzes the situation present in the summer of 2022 at Riudecanyes (a village in Catalonia, Spain), where a drought problem exists. We propose applying the conflicting claims problem theory to give possible solutions to distribute the water. We propose to use this theory to describe the distribution of the available irrigation hours in 2022, considering the demand made by the farmers in the previous year, when there was regular irrigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The exponential growth of digital healthcare data is fueling the development of Knowledge Discovery in Databases (KDD). Extracting temporal relationships between medical events is essential to reveal hidden patterns that can help physicians find optimal treatments, diagnose illnesses, detect drug adverse reactions, and more. This paper presents an approach for the extraction of patient evolution patterns from electronic health records written in Catalan and/or Spanish. Methods: We propose a robust formulation for extracting Temporal Association Rules (TARs) that goes beyond simple rule extraction by considering the sequence of multiple visits. Our highly configurable algorithm leverages this formulation to extract Temporal Association Rules from sequences of medical instances. We can generate rules in the desired format, content, and temporal factors while accounting for different levels of abstraction of medical instances. To demonstrate the effectiveness of our methodology, we applied it to extract patient evolution patterns from clinical histories of multimorbid patients suffering from heart disease and stroke who visited Primary Care Centers (CAP) in Catalonia. Our main objective is to uncover complex rules with multiple temporal steps, that comprise a set of medical instances. Results: As we are working with real-world, error-prone data, we propose a process of validation of the results by expert practitioners in primary care. Despite our limited dataset, the high percentage of patterns deemed correct and relevant by the experts is promising. The insights gained from these patterns can inform preventive measures and help detect risk factors, ultimately leading to better treatments and outcomes for patients. Conclusion: Our algorithm successfully extracted a set of meaningful and relevant temporal patterns, especially for the specific type of multimorbid patients considered. These patterns were evaluated by experts and demonstrated the ability to predict risk factors that are commonly associated with certain diseases. Moreover, the average time gap between the occurrence of medical events provided critical insight into the term of these risk factors. This information holds significant value in the context of primary healthcare and preventive medicine, highlighting the potential of our method to serve as a valuable medical tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The criminal justice system, the criminal enforcement system and the prison system are realities built from an androcentric perspective. The fact that only a small part of the crimes that are prosecuted and sentenced have been committed by women places them in a minority position in the enforcement system, which means they have less access to resources and services. This paper aims to analyse what strategies have been undertaken in recent years in order to introduce gender-based transformations in criminal enforcement in Catalonia and to determine what challenges remain. Firstly, we present quantitative and qualitative data relating to the population of women in prison. We then analyse how the passing of new legislation aimed at recognising and extending the principle of equality and non-discrimination in Catalonia impacts criminal enforcement, favouring the deployment of initiatives such as the creation of gender referents for penitentiary centres and specific programmes for women in prison. After reviewing some interesting initiatives promoted from outside the Catalan territory, the paper concludes with six proposals aimed at improving the situation of women who come in contact with the criminal enforcement system and at introducing a gender perspective in the penitentiary system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Spain, regional policies on gender equality in the workplace must be coordinated with other policies at the European and national levels, in a multi-level governance framework. With this approach, this paper analyses, transversally and with a power distribution perspective, the areas of action and the powers of the autonomous communities in terms of making policies that achieve real equality between women and men in the workplace. The main premise of this paper is that in the field of labour relations, although autonomous communities do not have regulatory powers, they do have a wide range of action in the design and strategies of socio-labour policies and in their implementation. It is concluded that in Catalonia, the Statute of Autonomy of 2006 — which extensively recognises the rights linked to gender equality in the workplace — orders the creation of its own Catalan labour relations space where progress can be made in this direction through agreements and collective bargaining. Likewise, the approval of the Catalan Equality Law, although late, regulates a series of policies, objectives and instruments that allow for progress in greater gender equity in the field of labour relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an analysis of Law 17/2015, of July 21, on the effective equality of men and women, as the law that governs gender policies in Catalonia. These policies are analysed within the framework of the mandates of the Statutes of 1979 and 2006 and their competence limits. This paper places them in the context of state and regional legislation on equality. It explains the long gestation and approval of Law 17/2015, and the analysis focuses on its purpose, objectives, and structural principles. In particular, it reflects on the implementation of the principle of gender mainstreaming, on how the law responds to the allocation of household and childcare responsibilities, and on its effectiveness, and it assesses if the measures provided for in the law are adequate to fulfil its purpose. The conclusions highlight the importance of this law, but also the difficulties of its challenges. Finally, it is stated that in order to consolidate the ambitious objectives of the law, a clear political will and the allocation of resources are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper investigates the effects of working during university education on labour market outcomes of university graduates. Design/methodology/approach: Based on data from three successive cohorts of graduates from the Spanish region of Catalonia, the authors estimate the effect of having worked in different types of jobs before graduation, classified according to work intensity and the match with the field of study, on the probability of being employed, having a permanent contract or having a job that requires the specific degree four years after graduation. The authors employ a multinomial endogenous treatment model that enables controlling for self-selection into pre-graduation working activities. Findings: Pre-graduation work activities that are related to the field of study are generally beneficial for employability and job stability. Work experiences unmatched with the degree's content are detrimental for graduates' job–education match. Originality/value: This is the first paper that jointly considers the role of work intensity (part-time vs full-time) and the relationship with the field of study in a framework that accounts for self-selection into different types of jobs. The authors also contribute to the literature by estimating the effect of pre-graduation jobs not only on the chances of being employed four years after graduation but also on two important aspects of job quality: having a permanent contract and having a job that requires the specific degree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of a smart city is still being developed despite the lack of a single universally accepted definition. It is implemented through different approaches in different cities around the world. The presented study concerns the improvement of this idea and the possibility of applying the solutions from Barcelona to the city of Kraków. This paper is based on the author's experience and observations during a trip to Catalonia and its capital - Barcelona - as well as a study of literature on the smart city. The author takes into account the specific topographical and environmental conditions of each city and the human-environment interactions that have shaped both cities over the centuries. The paper continues to focus on the challenges to smart cities following the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has demonstrated the need to modify ICT (Information and Telecommunications Technologies) applications related to the functioning of the city. Preliminary conclusions drawn from the pandemic also indicate that further development of smart cities should be based not only on ICT applications in public services and public spaces, but also on guaranteeing individual spaces for citizens to live in long-term isolation. In addition, attention was drawn to the need to improve both direct and electronic communication, especially by telephone with the authorities of Kraków, to enable "co-governance" in areas where the voice of the city's residents can be very valuable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the dynamics of political mobilization of two transnational organizations – Assemblea Nacional Catalana and Marea Granate – formed by Spanish/Catalan migrants in different European cities. By conducting cross-organization and cross-city research, we analyze why and how migrants' transnational networks perceive themselves to be stronger in some cities and weaker in others. This paper demonstrates that there is no one-size-fits-all mechanism that explains perceived organizational strength in all contexts. The same urban context might provide different opportunities and constraints depending on organizational characteristics of migrant movements. Our study shows the ways that organizations' political agenda and their preferred action forms affect the perception of positionality as they navigate in different urban contexts with diverging national/local political settings, political cultures, civil society networks, and migration trajectories. The empirical data in this research stem from a content analysis of the events organized by the organizations and semi-structured in-depth interviews with organizations' representatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we examine how schools in Catalonia (Spain) are responding to the needs of migrant students by challenging the limitations of the curriculum. The paper presents some of the findings of an ongoing project titled Migrant Children and Communities in a Transforming Europe (MiCREATE). It is based on 31 semi‐structured interviews and 6 focus groups conducted with 78 participants (teachers, school representatives, and community members such as child psychologists, social workers, and other collaborators) from six state primary and secondary schools in Catalonia (Spain). Analysis of the interviews showed that Spain still has a monolithic conception of the curriculum, with Eurocentrism and ethnocentrism at its core. Nonetheless, school staff are producing pedagogical practices that challenge this position in order to respond to the needs of migrant students. We argue that it is necessary to consider other frames of reference such as critical interculturality, decolonial perspectives, and critical cosmopolitanisms in order to create collective and multiple experiences of belonging that go beyond the dominant cultural identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of dysfunctional personality traits and psychological mechanisms related to antisocial behavior is increasingly gaining importance. In this paper we focus on the so-called Dark Constellation of the personality, analyzing Machiavellian, narcissistic, sadistic and psychopathic traits, and their relationship with moral disengagement mechanisms and with emotional intelligence. We specifically focused on the psychopathic personality to examine which studied variables can explain this personality pattern. Participants were 63 prisoners (44 men and 19 women) from three different prisons in Catalonia, Spain. Overall, correlational results indicate that dark constellation personalities are positively associated with moral disengagement and inversely associated with emotional intelligence. Dehumanization is one of the mechanisms most closely related with dark personalities. The study variables explaining psychopathic personality are the sadistic personality pattern and conversely the socio-cognitive mechanism of diffusion of responsibility and the ability to perceive emotions. Finally, the variables that appear as discriminating in extreme cases of psychopathic personality are the sadistic personality trait, and the mechanisms of dehumanization and advantageous comparisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change leads to an increase in the frequency, duration and intensity of climate risks. Rising temperatures and heat waves constitute the climatic risk that causes the most deaths in Europe. More and more economic and natural implications are also being identified. Municipalities must guarantee a fair and equitable socio-ecological transition in urban centers through adaptation. Nature-based Solutions (NbS) can facilitate this and several European cities are already applying them. However, smaller municipalities may be left behind. The literature identifies different incentives and barriers during the phases of adaptation policy making. The research objective of this paper is to determine the perception that technical and political managers have of this climate risk, the level of adaptation through NbS of the municipalities and the incentives and barriers that may arise in the Costa Brava Region. To do this this, seven public officials from different municipalities of Cap de Creus (Alt Empordà, Catalonia) have been interviewed. The analysis has been carried out with a mixed triangulation methodology. The main results indicate that the risk studied is not perceived as being of great concern. NbS are adaptation measures that are little known by municipalities but relevant measures in the adaption process. New incentives and barriers not identified in the literature have also emerged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerobiological predictive model development is of increasing interest, despite the distribution and variability of data and the limitations of statistical methods making it highly challenging. The use of concentration thresholds and models, where a binary response allows one to establish the occurrence or non-occurrence of the threshold, have been proposed to reduce difficulties. In this paper, we use logistic regression (logit) and regression trees to predict the daily concentration thresholds (low, medium, high, and very high) of six airborne fungal spore taxa (Alternaria, Cladosporium, Agaricus, Ganoderma, Leptosphaeria, and Pleospora) in eight localities in Catalonia (NE Spain) using data from 1995 to 2014. The predictive potential of these models was analyzed through sensitivity and specificity. The models showed similar results regarding the relationship and influence of the meteorological parameters and fungal spores. Ascospores showed a strong relationship with precipitation and basidiospores with minimum temperature, while conidiospores did not indicate any preferences. Sensitivity (true-positive) and specificity (false-positive) presented highly satisfactory validation results for both models in all thresholds, with an average of 73%. However, seeing as logit offers greater precision when attempting to establish the exceedance of a concentration threshold and is easier to apply, it is proposed as the best predictive model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical geopolitics conceives of the internal organization of the state as a relevant geopolitical subfield. In this context, this paper aims to develop a geopolitical interpretation of the covid-19 crisis management in Catalonia and Spain from March 2020 to mid-April 2020. The paper begins by providing an overview of internal geopolitics literature by Spanish geographers, focusing on the Catalonia/Spain conflict, followed by a thorough analysis of written and oral materials compiled for that purpose. Three discursive periods are identified: up until the declaration of the State of Alarm in mid-March 2020, the first two weeks with this in force, and the first half of April 2020. The paper evinces that the examined materials support contested visions about the distribution of territorial powers within Spain, while also unearthing some specificities that ultimately relate to the Catalan national question. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the normative view that Quadruple Helix collaborations (with government, academia, industry and civil society) such as living labs are prescribed to enhance regional innovation performance, there is scarce knowledge of the sustainability of such collaborations from the perspective of the stakeholders who are supposed to engage in such initiatives. To address this gap, the purpose of this paper is to empirically explore the implementation of the Quadruple Helix for innovation from a stakeholder perspective, by understanding the expectations as well as the perceived benefits and challenges of the collaboration. Through a qualitative research design, this paper presents an in-depth case study of a living lab in the region of Catalonia. Our results challenge the normative view of Quadruple Helix approaches and of living labs; we also offer suggestions to manage future collaborations and to inform further evidence-based policy. On the whole, partnership leadership and coordination are critical to bridge the expectation-implementation gap towards stakeholder satisfaction and collaboration sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In situ data are an essential need in the analyses of past and current climate change. All over the world, different data rescue activities try to extend existing time series and to retrieve data in spatial and temporal data sparse regions. Also in Europe, part of the historic data is still only available in paper archives, without any digital access to these sources. The EUMETNET Data Rescue activity was started in order to investigate the potential for additional long‐term stations, to monitor the progress of data rescue in European countries and to support participants with know‐how exchange and international connections to facilitate data exchange. The activity raised the awareness of the need for data rescue and ongoing activities. This paper will provide information on the data rescue activities of 4 EUMETNET countries focusing on different aspects and in different states of the data rescue process. While Austria, Croatia and Slovenia are connected by a partly common history which is also displayed in the history of their meteorological network, Catalonia has a different historical background. Nevertheless, the problems data rescue is confronted with are similar for all activities. Therefore, the selected countries will provide a good overview of the problems and solutions discussed during the EUMETNET meetings. This paper wants to offer insight into different strategies for data rescue as well as into ongoing activities. Moreover, the importance of cooperation in regard to data rescue is underlined and examples of possible partnerships are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the problem of finding suitable sites for wind farms in a region of Catalonia (Spain). The evaluation criteria are structured into a hierarchy that identifies several intermediate sub-goals dealing with different points of view. Therefore, the recent ELECTRE-III-H hierarchical multi-criteria analysis method is proposed as a good solution to help decision-makers. This method establishes an order among the set of possible sites for the wind farms for each sub-goal. ELECTRE-III-H aggregates these orders into an overall order using different parameters. The procedure is based on the construction and exploitation of a pairwise outranking relation, following the principles of concordance (i.e. majority rule) and discordance (i.e. respect for the minority opinions). This paper makes two main contributions. First, it contributes to the ELECTRE-III-H method by studying its mathematical properties for the construction of outranking relations. Second, the case study is solved and its results show that we can effectively represent and manage the overall influence of the various criteria on the global result at different levels of the hierarchy. The paper compares different scenarios with strict, normal, and optimistic preference, indifference and veto thresholds. Results show that the best site differs for technical, economic, environmental, and social intermediate criteria. Therefore, the best overall solution changes depending on the preference and veto thresholds fixed at the intermediate level of the hierarchy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, forced marriage as a manifestation of violence against women has entered the public agenda in European Union countries. This is partly due to higher numbers of migrants from regions where it is a regular practice. This paper aims to show the different ways violence manifests itself in forced marriage, both symbolically and practically - in terms of experiences - based on a qualitative sample of women with a range of migration backgrounds residing in Catalonia. The intersectional gender approach of the analysis enables the interaction to be considered of various factors when it comes to understanding contexts of risk and violence, as well as exit strategies from forced marriage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social‐democratic parties face a dilemma between the universalist ethos of their socialist tradition and the nationalism that they share with the other political actors of the state where they act. In this paper, we examine comparatively the position of the Spanish party Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE) and the Catalan party Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) on three political debates that pertains to the link between welfare and identity in Spain. We show how these parties experience opposite tensions between nationalism and the universalism of their left‐wing ideology. Whereas ERC calls for a withdrawal from the Spanish system of social security, the PSOE advocates imposing on Catalonia a symmetric form of solidarity with the rest of Spain, despite recognising the region's different identity. Above all, both parties take identity for granted as a pre‐political factor that 'naturally' justifies differential treatment, according to ERC, or equalising federalism, in the case of the PSOE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the pragmatic intensification as an argumentative strategy in the discourse delivered by the King of Spain Felipe VI on October 3rd, 2017, two days after the illegal independence referendum held in Catalonia on October 1st. The analysis of the different intensifying mechanisms, governed by the expressive and appellative functions in illocutionary and perlocutionary speech acts, shows, in the global discursive strategy, the confrontation between the constitutionalist and the independence ideologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to assess both the economic and social value of balneotherapy and spa tourism, being the first paper in carrying out this analysis. The study has been conducted in Maresme, a region of Catalonia, Spain. On the one hand, an Input-Output (IO) model with a Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) has been carried out to assess the economic value. On the other hand, a Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) has been used to monetise the social value in this region, taking into account, among other concepts, direct and indirect health profits, given that balneotherapy helps to alleviate various diseases. The results show that whereas the economic multiplier is 1.529 considering the direct and indirect effects and 1.712 taking into account also the induced effects, which are similar to health and medical tourism multipliers, social value generates additional positive value, given that the cost-benefit ratio is 1.858. The theoretical implications of the paper as well as the findings' implications for policy so as to encourage investments in spa tourism are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a panoramic and comparative analysis of the legislation passed by the Autonomous Communities to tackle climate change. The Paris Agreement gives them a leading role, together with other actors, as subnational entities to face and achieve the challenges posed by climate change mitigation and adaptation. At the time of writing, only three autonomous communities have approved legislative instruments to mitigate and adapt to climate change. These are Catalonia, Andalusia, and the Balearic Islands. However, other regions have approved strategies and policies for the same purpose, and some have begun the process of approving the relevant legislation. In this paper we study the objectives to mitigate and adapt to climate change set out in these laws, the legal instruments they prescribe to achieve them, and their effective implementation and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers a reflection on the paradigm shift in international tourism and the challenges this raises for anthropological understanding and study. The pandemic has changed life in tourism scenarios, which in turn has led to changes in local public policies, private sector inertias and tourists' habits. The paper analyses a number of global and local tourism dynamics, focusing specifically on the use of expressions such as "reclaiming Barcelona" and "discovering Catalonia", which were very popular during the pandemic and the successive lockdowns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last decade has witnessed a significant rise in European secessionist movements leading to considerable political turmoil (e.g., protest, repression, imprisonment of political leaders). While scholars have identified a number of economic and political factors that influence the support for secessionist movements, fewer studies have focused on its psychological roots. Using evidence from Catalonia, this paper investigates the role of two fundamental individual traits, Need for Affect (NFA) and Need for Cognition (NFC), in influencing the support for Catalan independence. It analyzes a large representative sample of adult Catalans in 2013, during the peak of the secessionist movement, to examine the influence of NFA and NFC, and their interaction, on the intention to vote in favor of seceding from Spain. Results indicate that individuals who have high levels in NFA and those who have high levels of NFA and low levels of NFC are more likely to support independence. In other words, individuals who have low levels of both NFA and NFC have the lowest support for independence. In conclusion, these findings highlight the importance of considering individual differences in psychological motives in order to fully understand support for secessionist movements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What are the origins of elite splits? Why do regional elites break away from central elites and develop regional parties? This paper contends that intra-elite differences are more likely to be politicized when an economic shock exacerbates pre-existing asymmetric economic preferences and disadvantaged elites can mobilize the electorate on the basis of identity. I employ constituency-level data from Catalonia spanning the late 19th and early 20th century to test which factors influenced regional elite decisions to form a regional elite political party. To understand elite divisions, I exploit a historical exogenous trade shock and its asymmetric impact within Catalonia, and the availability of identity-based mobilization agents. The results show that regional elite splits took place in areas more affected by the 1898 colonial trade shock and where elites had larger mobilization capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of Catalonian nationalism has historically been a highly controversial subject in Spanish politics. Although relevant and debated for decades, we can observe significant changes in its dynamics throughout the years. The Spanish Constitution of 1978 laid out the current territorial organization of Spain as a «State of Autonomies», initially supported by the Catalonian nationalism movement. However, this support has gradually decreased to a blatant opposition. More recently, the Catalonian nationalism has evolved to a completely secessionist movement. An evident example of this is the referendum held on 10-1-17, as well as the protests and controversies surrounding it. This change of paradigm was not a sudden drift, but rather a gradual transition of the societal perception of the State of Autonomies and how the Spanish territorial administration affects Catalonia. This paper explores how the Constitutional Court ruling 31/2010 influenced this societal and political change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theory of selective exposure maintains that individuals tend to choose news media outlets that are consistent with their beliefs. This paper examines selective exposure when there is public debate on the tensions between national identities, specifically, the debate between supporters of the independence of Catalonia and those opposed to it. The results showed that there was a strong correlation between position on independence and choice of television channel in Catalonia. Another determining factor was language. It was also noted that the degree of selective exposure intensified slightly at specific times when social polarisation increased throughout the period studied (2015-2020). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper's object of study focuses on six maps produced in Portugal and Catalonia as communication devices of other possible worlds. Assuming the growing importance of digital maps in the network society, we want to contribute to learning more about their role in constructing alternatives to the dominant economy in times of systemic crisis. What lessons emerge from maps that propose deviations from capitalist roadmaps? What understandings do they provide about the maps themselves, ways of mapping, and the hoped-for alternatives? Rather than exploring maps as a product, we seek to contribute to an understanding of the interstitial forces of their pre-production, production, and reproduction. In the light of the theories of the commons, the dynamics of collaborative mapping of diverse economies are explored: diverse in terms of their knowledge policies, modes of governance and participation and, therefore, in how they handle digital technologies. The object of study is defined and united, in its variety, by the ideas of collective and commons. The data comes from direct observation of maps and interviews with stakeholders. The analysis is predominantly qualitative and aims to organise relevant findings and challenges, which can be extrapolated from the observed testimonies, practices and objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several laws and plans contemplate the incorporation of a gender perspective in education in Catalonia. This article analyzes how the relevant policy mandates are transferred, recontextualized and implemented in Catalan secondary schools. Drawing on 15 focus groups with representatives of teachers, students, management teams and families (N=103) from 12 secondary schools in the region, the paper explores the multiple forms of enactment that take place according to the particularities of each of the contexts. Using the analytical framework established by Braun et al. (2011), the results show how the material, the situational, the external, and particularly, the professional context shape the enactment of gender policies in Catalan education. Likewise, the article highlights how actors at the school level develop gender-sensitive practices based on their values and beliefs. Finally, we discuss how, far from a top-down approach, there is also policymaking at the lowest level of the educational system: the school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to analyse the participation of a local product in the tourism value chain, from the supply perspective. Based on a qualitative case study, interviews were carried out with hazelnut producers from Brunyola, in Girona, north-eastern Catalonia. The results showed the influences of internal and external factors, such as climate change, on the present and future conditions of the value chain in the context of food tourism management and marketing. Stronger collaboration between public and private stakeholders would help the producers face the challenges of the transforming hazelnuts, and the region, into a tourist attraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to think about the causes that precipitated the birth in Catalonia of the PSA, whose political activity in this territory was especially remarkable during the democratic transition, and also to analyze the strategy developed until the general elections in 1977. For this goal, we will both deal with the situation in which the dense Andalusian immigrant population in that territory found itself, and with the political action that the PSA militants in Catalonia stood from the end of 1976 to mid-1977. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many countries today are undergoing a paradigm shift in mental health policies towards a recovery-oriented and rights-based approach. From this perspective, self-determination and self-management are fundamental factors for recovery. Despite this shift, there is still a lack of evidence on the effectiveness of training programmes aimed at promoting self-determination and self-management in recovery processes implemented in southern European or Spanish-speaking countries. The aim of this paper is to present a study protocol that evaluates the effectiveness of a 12-session recovery workshop implemented in community mental health services in Catalonia (Spain). Methods/design: This is a 12-week follow-up multi-centre non-randomized controlled trial design. At least 160 users will be recruited from 13 Community Rehabilitation Services (CRS) in Catalonia. Eligible participants are adult (≥ 18 years old) users of a CRS, who sign a written consent to participate. The experimental group participates in a recovery workshop, in which people learn to develop and implement their own plan of personal recovery, which includes a Wellness Toolbox, a Maintenance Toolkit, a Personal Growth Plan, a Mirror of Relapses, a Crisis Plan, and a Learning Agenda. The control group participates in the usual activities of the CRS. Data is collected using a questionnaire of sociodemographic characteristics, personal recovery, empowerment, hope and perceived social support. The users' measurements are taken at the baseline and one week after the end of the workshop. The primary outcome measures include the Self-Identified Stage of Recovery and the Maryland Assessment of Recovery in Serious Mental Illness Scale (short version). The secondary outcome measures include the Netherlands Empowerment List, Dispositional Hope Scale, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Descriptive statistics for characterizing the sample size will be performed. Multivariate analyses for repeated measures designs will be used to evaluate the primary and secondary outcomes. Between-group and within-subject comparisons will be conducted. Discussion: The results of the study will provide information on the usefulness of recovery workshops in a Mediterranean cultural context. Additionally, if this workshop is effective, it will be proposed for inclusion within the portfolio of community mental health services in Catalonia. Trial Registration: ISRCTN11695542 (Registration date: 5 July 2022). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]