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Background It is unclear whether there is a direct link between economic crises and changes in suicide rates. Aims The Lopez-lbor Foundation launched an initiative to study the possible impact of the economic crisis on European suicide rates. Method Data was gathered and analysed from 29 European countries and included the number of deaths by suicide in men and women, the unemployment rate, the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, the annual economic growth rate and inflation. Results There was a strong correlation between suicide rates and all economic indices except GPD per capita in men but only a correlation with unemployment in women. However, the increase in suicide rates occurred several months before the economic crisis emerged. Conclusions Overall, this study confirms a general relationship between the economic environment and suicide rates; however, it does not support there being a clear causal relationship between the current economic crisis and an increase in the suicide rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The First World War radically altered the political landscape of Central Europe. The new borders after 1918 are typically viewed as detrimental to the region's economic integration and development. We argue that this view lacks historical perspective. It fails to take into account that the new borders followed a pattern of economic fragmentation that had emerged during the late nineteenth century. We estimate the effects of the new borders on trade and find that the “treatment effects” of these borders were quite limited. There is strong evidence that border changes occurred systematically along barriers which existed already before 1914. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: The relationship of socio-economic status and vegetable consumption is examined in nine European countries. The aim is to analyse whether the pattern of socio-economic variation with regard to vegetable consumption is similar in all studied countries with high v. low vegetable availability and affordability, and whether education has an independent effect on vegetable consumption once the effects of other socio-economic factors have been taken into account. Design: The data for the study were obtained from national surveys conducted in Finland, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, France, Italy and Spain, in 1998 or later. These surveys included data on the frequency of use of vegetables. Food Balance Sheets indicated that the availability of vegetables was best in the Mediterranean countries. The prices of vegetables were lowest in the Mediterranean countries and Germany. Results: Educational level was positively associated with vegetable consumption in the Nordic and Baltic countries. In the Mediterranean countries, education was not directly associated with the use of vegetables but, after adjusting for place of residence and occupation, it was found that those with a lower educational level consumed vegetables slightly more often. Manual workers consumed vegetables less often than non-manual workers, but otherwise there was no systematic association with occupation. Conclusions: The Mediterranean countries did not show a positive association between educational level and vegetable consumption. The positive association found in the Northern European countries is linked to the lower availability and affordability of vegetables there and their everyday cooking habits with no long-standing cultural tradition of using vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACTThis article analyses the complex interplay between domestic systemic transformations in post-communist Europe and the reintegration of these countries in the global political economy, through a study of the relationship between successive Romanian governments and the international financial institutions in the 1990s. Conceptually, it seeks to overcome the dichotomies of realist and rationalist approaches to international relations by deploying fields, habitus and practices conceptual framework inspired by the work of Pierre Bourdieu. The article captures both the symbolic and material-structural dimensions of the interaction between domestic field-creation and the reproduction of global economic and political fields. It suggests that practices aimed at the reproduction of power hierarchies are also modulated by symbolic requirements, to save face and to avoid whenever possible open conflict, related to the logic of honour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development policies are commonly regarded as a phenomenon of the post-Second World War era. This essay looks at the historical antecedents of European development efforts and analyses the determining interests that motivated development policy in the twentieth century. The regional focus on south-east Asia allows for a differentiated appreciation of national approaches to European development policies. It shows that the legitimation of control and the securing of interests–security and economic interests, as well as notions of national prestige–are among the driving forces behind development policies. It also suggests that development policies were multifunctional from their inception.[The author wishes to thank Heide-Irene Schmidt and Helge Pharo, the contributors to a workshop on early European development aid (held in Bochum, March 2003), as well as Jost Dülffer, Ruth Jachertz and Philipp Janssen for invaluable comments.] On voit généralement les politiques de développement comme un phénomène de l''après-guerre, thèse contredite dans cet article qui porte sur les antécédents historiques de l''effort européen en analysant les intérêts qui ont motivé les politiques de développement au cours du XXe siècle. En adoptant une perspective régionale, visant le sud-est asiatique, l''auteur a pu distinguer entre les différentes attitudes nationales envers les politiques de développement. Celles-ci étaient inspirées en général par le souci de légitimer la domination européenne et de sauvegarder les intérêts nationaux–la sécurité, les avantages économiques–aussi bien que d''assurer le prestige national. L''auteur conclut que les politiques de développement ont été multifonctionnelles dès le début. Entwicklungspolitik bzw. Entwicklungshilfe wird allgemein als ein Phänomen der Zeit nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg betrachtet. Dieser Aufsatz verweist auf historische Vorläufer und verdeutlicht die Interessen, die europäischer Entwicklungspolitik im 20. Jahrhundert zugrunde lagen. Die regionale Konzentration auf Südostasien ermöglicht die Herausarbeitung nationaler Unterschiede europäischer Entwicklungspolitik und zeigt, dass Legitimation von Herrschaft, Einflusssicherung, Sicherheits- und Wirtschaftsinteressen sowie nationale Prestigevorstellungen dominierende Motive für Entwicklungspolitik waren. Entwicklungspolitik war damit zugleich von Beginn an multifunktional. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines British preferences on European monetary integration. It challenges dominant theories of preference formation, suggesting an alternative explanation focusing on governmental majority. Empirical evidence is presented on both UK economic behaviour and the views of domestic economic interests, as well as government majority. The article also analyses first and second-hand accounts of the main players involved in three cases: the decision not to join the Exchange Rate Mechanism in 1979, the decision to join the ERM in 1990, and the decision to opt out of stage 3 of Economic and Monetary Union. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explores the unknown cycles in human physical stature since the Industrial Revolution in both Europe and North America. Information on the reduction in the physical stature of Americans born in the late 1830s; When the first decrease in physical stature occurred in Europe; Divergence in the life expectancy of the upper and lower income groups during the Industrial Revolution; Increase in the price of food between 1770 and 1795.

Discusses the history of European economic growth. Details of industrial expansion; International trade relations of the country; Effect of economic policies on its growth; Discussion on scientific and commercial revolution.

The article presents prospects for individual economies in Europe. The slight improvement in economic growth that happened in late 2014 seems to have earned momentum in the early months of 2015. Its growth projections have been changed for both 2015 and 2016, to 1.5 and 2.2 per cent respectively. Lower oil prices have contributed to more favorable demand conditions.