The study traces the economic and demographic history of a corner of China's southeast coast from the third to the thirteenth centuries, looking at the relationship between changes in the agrarian and urban economies of the area and their connections to the expanding role of domestic and foreign trade. It provides a previously unexplored perspective on the role of commercialized production and trade in a regional economy in the premodern era and demonstrates that trade was able to drive change in a premodern economy in a way that has not generally been recognized.
Our current food system has decimated rural communities and confined the choices of urban consumers. Even while America continues to ramp up farm production to astounding levels, net farm income is now lower than at the onset of the Great Depression, and one out of every eight Americans faces hunger. But a healthier and more equitable food system is possible. In Building Community Food Webs, Ken Meter shows how grassroots food and farming leaders across the U.S. are tackling these challenges by constructing civic networks. Overturning extractive economic structures, these inspired leaders are engaging low-income residents, farmers, and local organizations in their quest to build stronger communities. Community food webs strive to build health, wealth, capacity, and connection. Their essential element is building greater respect and mutual trust, so community members can more effectively empower themselves and address local challenges. Farmers and researchers may convene to improve farming practices collaboratively. Health clinics help clients grow food for themselves and attain better health. Food banks engage their customers to challenge the root causes of poverty. Municipalities invest large sums to protect farmland from development. Developers forge links among local businesses to strengthen economic trade. Leaders in communities marginalized by our current food system are charting a new path forward. Building Community Food Webs captures the essence of these efforts, underway in diverse places including Montana, Hawai‘i, Vermont, Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, and Minnesota. Addressing challenges as well as opportunities, Meter offers pragmatic insights for community food leaders and other grassroots activists alike.
A persistent problem when finding communities in large complex networks is the so-called resolution limit. This thesis addresses this issue meticulously, and introduces the important notion of resolution-limit-free. Remarkably, only few methods possess this desirable property, and this thesis puts forward one such method. Moreover, it discusses how to assess whether communities can occur by chance or not. One aspect that is often ignored in this field is treated here: links can also be negative, as in war or conflict. Besides how to incorporate this in community detection, it also examines the dynamics of such negative links, inspired by a sociological theory known as social balance. This has intriguing connections to the evolution of cooperation, suggesting that for cooperation to emerge, groups often split in two opposing factions. In addition to these theoretical contributions, the thesis also contains an empirical analysis of the effect of trading communities on international conflict, and how communities form in a citation network with positive and negative links.
This book constitutes the thoroughly refereed post-conference proceedings of the Second International Workshop on Complex Networks, CompleNet 2010, which was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in October 2010. The 21 revised papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 48 submissions. The topics covered include: community structure, network metrics, network models, effect of topology to epidemics, algorithms to classify networks, self-organized algorithms applied to complex networks, as well as many applications of complex networks in biology, image analysis, software development, traffic congestion, language and speech, sensor networks, and synchronization.
In 1989, after several years of discussion and negotiation, the Regional Econornics Applications Laboratory (REAL) was formed. This unique relationship between the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has been a significant source of intellectual inspiration for many students, visiting colleagues and members of the participating institutions for the past decade. The idea for REAL was hatched by Philip Israilevich and Geoffrey Hewings in typical Chicago style - in the back room of a local bar. In early December 1997, their collaboration came to an untimely end when Philip died after a three-year battle with cancer. The challenge of moving across a spectrum from theory to model development to implementation and interpretation provided the underlying motivation for REAL's formation together with an equally important component, namely the translation of many of these efforts into a form that could be understood and implemented by policy makers. For Philip, REAL and the Regional Science Association International provided the forums for his intellectual endeavors, although he also contributed many papers in banking. In recognition of his contributions and to provide a sense of the current research in the fields in which he published, many of the authors of these chapters assembled in Chicago in November, 1998 to participate in a small seminar in his honor. Several others who were not able to come nevertheless contributed chapters to this volume. Subsequently, all of the papers have been revised and updated.
In Trading Communities, Taco Terpstra shows that long-distance trade in the Roman Empire was conducted through foreign trading communities living overseas, held together by ethnic and geographical identity.
This book provides a new perspective on book history, with essays from leading scholars showing how communities of writers, publishers and readers across early modern Europe shaped the consumption of print.
With the Fujian coast at its center, this book reveals the intellectual, migratory and gendered relationships that tied Fijian to the Chinese imperial domain and to its overseas networks. This Fujian study also offers ways to analyze local histories of late imperial China from a more global perspective. Based on a wide range of sources, such as business contracts, legal documents, women’s writings, and folksongs, Migrating Fujianese elucidates China’s southeast coast and its migration patterns. Examining this multi-ethnic migrant community through the lens of ethnicity shows the complex operation of linked chain migration (overseas male emigration and overland family migration by the ethnic She people) and its impact on the gender relations and family strategies of the coastal people. The study argues that examination of Fujianese migration through the lenses of gender and ethnicity is crucial to understanding the relationship between the flow of people and the society nourishing that flow.
**Beyond the Collapse Reimagining Survival in a Post-Apocalyptic World** Step into the hauntingly beautiful landscape of post-World War III America, where from the ashes of devastation, hidden gems of community and resilience emerge. "Beyond the Collapse" is your gateway to a comprehensive exploration of how unique communities survive and thrive against all odds in this new world order. Begin your journey with "Rebirth from Ruin," an introduction that sets the stage in a fragmented America, showcasing the essence of remarkable communities and how they redefine survival. In "The Desert Bloom," discover the awe-inspiring rebirth of the Mojave, where innovative agricultural practices and the spirit of desert artisans create a thriving, self-sufficient life amid arid wastelands. Transition into "Forest Fortresses," where the lush, secluded settlements of the Pacific Northwest demonstrate the symbiotic relationship between mankind and nature. Venture along the ravaged shores in "Coastal Reclaim" to witness the resilience of maritime communities rebuilding ports and engaging in aquaponics, breathing new life into once devastated coastlines. Experience "Urban Enclaves," detailing the ambitious resurrection of cities through vertical farming and cutting-edge technology. Journey to the Midwest with "Heartland Revival," where cooperative farming and craftsmanship empower communities, followed by "Mountain Mysteries," where high-altitude havens harness natural resources and embrace traditional practices for survival. Navigate the vital waterways in "River Renaissance," showcasing migratory lifestyles and trade networks that knit fragmented societies together. "The Great Plains Reimagined" delves into the life of nomadic tribes and renewable energy projects, while "Community Governance" explores new models of leadership, law, and conflict resolution. Witness the "Spiritual and Cultural Resurgence," highlighting the revival of ancient practices, arts, and multicultural fusion. "Education and Knowledge Preservation" defends our intellectual heritage through new world schools and storytelling traditions. Unveil community-driven healthcare systems in "Health and Healing," emphasizing natural remedies and mental health support. Finally, dive into "Economy and Trade Networks" and "The Role of Technology in Rebirth," mapping out economic resilience and innovative communication networks. "Beyond the Collapse" concludes with "The Path Forward," an inspiring blueprint for future prospects. Experience tales of unwavering hope and the lessons learned from the past that shape a resilient tomorrow. Embrace this compelling odyssey into a reborn world, and uncover the secrets of thriving beyond the collapse.
