Meaning versus Grammar investigates the complicated relationship between grammar, computation, and meaning in natural languages. It details conditions under which meaning-driven processing of... Show moreMeaning versus Grammar investigates the complicated relationship between grammar, computation, and meaning in natural languages. It details conditions under which meaning-driven processing of natural language is feasible, discusses an operational and accessible implementation of the grammatical cycle for Dutch, and offers analyses of a number of further conjectures about constituency and entailment in natural language. Show less
This article discusses three issues of the historical consonantism of Awjila: First, the origin of the k that corresponds to y in other dialects. Second, the origin of the phoneme q in native... Show moreThis article discusses three issues of the historical consonantism of Awjila: First, the origin of the k that corresponds to y in other dialects. Second, the origin of the phoneme q in native Berber words. Finally, it discusses the origin of the sibilants in Awjila and their Berber origins Show less
Africa's population has grown extremely rapidly over the last fifty years from 289 million inhabitants in 1961 to more than 1 billion today. This is a growth rate of 350% in just half a century... Show moreAfrica's population has grown extremely rapidly over the last fifty years from 289 million inhabitants in 1961 to more than 1 billion today. This is a growth rate of 350% in just half a century and the number of urban residents has increased even more quickly: from 65 million in 1960 to 460 million today, or from 20% to 46% of the population as a whole. Demographers predict that soon more than 50% of all Africans will be living in cities. The average life expectancy, literacy rates and primary-school attendance figures in Africa have also all increased spectacularly. And today there are large numbers of relatively healthy, well-educated young people with a more international view of the world. Changes in the structure of Africa's population are evident in the continent's population pyramid. A 'youth bulge' can be seen in Southern Africa's population statistics, with those aged between 10 and 30 far outnumbering those in the 0-10 age group and those over 30 years of age. In other parts of Africa, and for Africa as a whole, the population statistics still have a pyramid structure and have not yet created the sort of onion shape seen in Southern Africa. The expectation is, however, that a declining birth rate across Africa over the next few decades will lead to a change in the continent's population structure and there will be a relatively high number of 10-30 year olds compared to other parts of the world. The fact that there are so many youth in Africa today and that they are much better educated than their parents ever were is having a big impact on the labour market. The youth are starting to feel disillusioned about the lack of job opportunities and are realizing that their (reasonably good) level of education is not going to allow them direct or easy access to greater prosperity and a better life. Show less
This article explores a number of questions about visions of the future and their implications for environmental education (EE). If the future were known, what kind of actions would be needed to... Show moreThis article explores a number of questions about visions of the future and their implications for environmental education (EE). If the future were known, what kind of actions would be needed to maintain the positive aspects and reverse the negative ones? How could these actions be translated into the aims of EE? Three future scenarios are discussed: the limits to growth (the great tragedy and demise); sustainable development and ecological modernization (hope and innovation); and the Anthropocene park. These scenarios are linked to corresponding EE/ESD approaches and instrumentalism in education is argued as a morally justifiable goal. Finally, education for deep ecology is advocated in order to address the ethical implications of the last scenario. Show less
Het komt in de praktijk veel voor dat men een gebouw wil slopen, maar dat zich in dit gebouw vleermuizen bevinden die beschermd worden op grond van de Flora- en faunawet (Ffw) en de... Show moreHet komt in de praktijk veel voor dat men een gebouw wil slopen, maar dat zich in dit gebouw vleermuizen bevinden die beschermd worden op grond van de Flora- en faunawet (Ffw) en de Habitatrichtlijn. Wat dan te doen? De oplossing wordt vaak gevonden in het proberen de vleermuizen te laten ‘verhuizen’ naar een nieuw onderkomen door het te slopen gebouw ongeschikt te maken voor vleermuizen. Zo ook in de casus die aanleiding gaf tot de uitspraak van de Afdeling bestuursrechtspraak van de Raad van State van 13 november 2013 (ECLI:NL:RVS:2013:1926).Op grond van artikel 11 Ffw is het verboden om zonder ontheffing vaste rust- of verblijfplaatsen van beschermde diersoorten te beschadigen, te vernielen, uit te halen, weg te nemen of te verstoren.In de uitspraak komt de vraag aan de orde of het aanbrengen van gaten in de muur om de vleermuizen te verjagen een verstoring is waarvoor een ontheffing moet worden aangevraagd.De Afdeling oordeelt dat dit in beginsel het geval is. Het maken van tochtgaten vormt in de regel een ontheffingplichtige verstoring van een vaste verblijfplaats.Toch oordeelt de Afdeling hier anders. Nadat de gaten waren gemaakt, hebben deskundigen namelijk onderzocht of er nog vleermuizen in het gebouw zaten. Uit dit onderzoek bleek dat het maken van gaten niet heeft gefunctioneerd als middel om de vleermuizen te verjagen.Het maken van de tochtgaten is dus ineffectief gebleken. Het is mogelijk dat tijdens het maken van de gaten sprake is geweest van een tijdelijke verstoring van de vaste rust- en verblijfplaats van de vleermuizen. Nu het maken van de tochtgaten echter niet heeft geleid tot het verjagen van de vleermuizen, heeft de activiteit dus geen blijvend negatief effect gehad en is artikel 11 Ffw niet overtreden.De vraag is of uit deze uitspraak kan worden afgeleid dat de Afdeling van oordeel is dat bij een tijdelijke verstoring artikel 11 Ffw niet wordt overtreden. Hierop wordt in de annotatie BR 2014/8 nader ingegaan. Show less
Labour unions are organisations of workers and established to protect employees, not only in South Africa but all over the world. However, the term 'labour union' is often being used as an abstract... Show moreLabour unions are organisations of workers and established to protect employees, not only in South Africa but all over the world. However, the term 'labour union' is often being used as an abstract notion or in an abstract way but it should not be forgotten that there are people behind this abstraction, namely leaders and their followers. The history of South Africa teaches us that good working and living conditions are not available for everyone and is something that has to be kept fighting for by the unions. AMCU is only one of these unions but one that relatively recent started to dominate the political and economical landscape of the South African mining industry. Mineworkers decided to join AMCU hoping that Joseph Mathunjwa would improve their lives. At the top of every labour union are just ordinary men and women and if those leaders are seeking to achieve the best for their workers, they will do everything in their power to protect the interests of the workers. History teaches us that this not always happens and whether AMCU is truly a union 'for the people, by the people' remains a question for now but many black mineworkers have put their faith in the hands of President Mathunjwa and his union. The title 'Mortal Men' stands for all those people behind the abstract notion of a labour union, both those on top and on the ground. This research has tried to give both parties a voice and a face. Furthermore, mortality is a concept that many AMCU members and their families know all too well, especially after the 'Marikana Massacre' but also because of their dangerous work underground. Moreover, the title refers to the leadership of Joseph Mathunjwa. After the massacre, the president stated, while crying, that he had done everything he could 'as a mortal man' to protect the Marikana mineworkers. Those 34 killed mineworkers proof that his mortality was not enough in this case. At the same time, this massacre has been one of the main reasons for the phenomenal growth of AMCU. (MA Thesis ResMa African Studies, Leiden University, 2014) Show less
Thalmann, C.; Mulders, G.; Hodapp, K.; Janson, M.; Grady, C.; Min, M.; ... ; Tamura, M. 2014
