Suchergebnisse

In seiner 2017 erschienenen Publikation Im Bann der Plattformen (engl.: Social Media Abyss, 2016) löst Geert Lovink ein, was er im Untertitel verspricht: Die nächste Runde der Netzkritik fokussiert auf Online-Plattformen, die laut Lovink alles andere als 'sozial' sind. Technische Zentralisierung, ökonomische Monopolisierung und kulturelle Dissoziation sind die Folge eines zu Social-Media-Apps verengten Internets, dessen anfängliche Freiräume und Freiheitsträume ihr utopisches Potential eingebüßt haben. Stattdessen regiert die kapitalistische Gewinnsucht allerorten und bedient sich dazu der Daten der Netzwerk-Nutzer_innen. Überwachung statt Ermächtigung, Wallet Garden statt freier Entfaltung. Das Soziale ist dabei bloß noch "ein Spezialeffekt der Software" (S. 42). Geert Lovink, Leiter des Institute of Network Cultures an der Hochschule Amsterdam und seit Jahren einer der bekanntesten Netzkritiker, veröffentlicht nach Zero Comments (2008) und Das halbwegs Soziale (2012) mit seiner neusten Publikation einmal mehr eine aktuelle Standortbestimmung mit Aufforderungscharakter. Seine Rhetorik ist bisweilen drastisch ("dann haben wir den Krieg schon vor Jahren verloren", S. 83), seine Behauptungen sind rigoros ("wird das Soziale zu einem Platzhalter für eine Art zwischenmenschlicher Schutthalde", S. 33). Die Leser_innen werden im Duktus einer agitierenden Rede immer wieder durch die Verwendung der 'Wir-Form' und des Imperativs ("Wir müssen", S. 83 / "Lasst uns", S. 85) angesprochen. Lovink hat etwas zu sagen und will gehört werden. Dabei macht er gleich in der Einleitung deutlich, dass seine Kritik nicht eigens um der Kritik willen, sondern vor dem Hintergrund alternativer Vorschläge stattfindet. Folgerichtig grenzt Lovink sich mehrfach von einer "Offline-Romantik" (S. 84 u. a.) ab. Stattdessen fordert er "langfristige Kollaborationen" (S. 25) und "Netzwerke mit Konsequenzen" (S. 27). Lovink macht seine Affinität zum Medium deutlich. Er positioniert sich dezidiert nicht als konservativer Rufer einer Sehnsucht nach der Vor-Internet-Zeit, sondern als progressiver Provokateur und alternativer Visionär. Seine Kritik setzt dabei an drei zentralen Inhalten an: einer Kritik der Plattformen (Filter Bubble, Nutzer_in als Datenobjekt, Profiling, Data Mining), einer Kritik des Marktes (Monopolisierung, Algorithmen als Steuerungsmechanismen, Hochfrequenzhandel) und einer Kritik der Forschung (institutionelle Defizite, insbesondere Randstellung der Geisteswissenschaften, analytische und theoretische Schwächen). Seit Edward Snowdens Enthüllungen wissen Nutzer_innen um die Überwachung ihrer Online-Aktivitäten. Jeder Klick, jede Kommunikation wird registriert und kann ausgewertet werden. Dieses neue Bewusstsein führt laut Lovink zu einer "existentiellen Unsicherheit" (S. 80). Denn es gilt: "Alles, worauf wir jemals geklickt haben, kann und wird gegen uns verwendet werden." (S. 74) Lovink weist darauf hin, dass die sogenannten Sozialen Plattformen auf ökonomischer Ebene in parasitärer Weise von den Aktivitäten ihrer Nutzer_innen leben, d. h. ökonomisch von ihnen profitieren (vgl. S. 101). In Konsequenz fordert er eine gerechte Entlohnung für Content-Produzent_innen (vgl. S. 94) und verweist zudem auf die Notwendigkeit, neue Einkommensmodelle zu schaffen, die das 'Freie' und 'Offene' (Stichwort 'Open Source') berücksichtigen (vgl. S. 91f und S. 102). Im Zeitalter neuer Zahlungsmodelle und Währungen erscheint Geld als "gestaltete[r] Gegenstand" (S. 111). Mobiles Geld in Afrika (S. 114ff) ist dabei nur ein Beispiel, das Lovink im Zusammenhang mit einer sich verändernden Finanzwelt anführt (vgl. S. 121). Bezüglich des Bitcoins konstatiert er, dieser trage zur sozialen Ungleichheit bei (vgl. S. 138) und kritisiert "Schürf-Modell" (S. 141) und "Hortungsprinzip" (ebd.) der Währung. Was als Alternative begann, sei schnell von der herrschenden, kapitalistischen Logik vereinnahmt worden: der Anhäufung individuellen Reichtums (vgl. ebd.). Lovink beschreibt auf seinem neuerlichen Streifzug durch die Welt der Netzkritik weitere Beobachtungen anhand von Fallbeispielen. Dazu zählen so diverse Phänomene wie die i-network-Mailingliste in Uganda (S. 143ff) und seine Lektüren der Literatur des US-amerikanischen Autors Jonathan Franzen (S. 163ff). Im Zusammenhang mit dem Begriff des 'Mappings', verstanden als Verbindung von Mobilität und IT, sowie dem 'Internet of Things' verweist er auf die Bedeutung materieller Ressourcen (vgl. S. 208). Organisierte Netzwerke werden als Alternative für "intensive Kollaborationen" (S. 245) jenseits konzentrierter Konzernmacht diskutiert. Immer wieder setzt Lovink sich mit dem Status der Wissenschaft auseinander. Er verweist auf die zentrale Rolle von Forschung für die Entwicklung von Netzwerkstrukturen, die Wege jenseits einer sich nur immer weiter verstärkenden kapitalistischen Tendenz aufzeigen soll, so dass nicht nur Wenige, sondern Viele von Netzwerken profitieren können. Lovink fordert die Academia zu einer mutigen Theorieproduktion auf (vgl. S. 81f). Dazu benötigt es seiner Ansicht nach keiner Software-getriebenen Geisteswissenschaft, die Daten visualisiert, aber im Kern ohne technische Expertise bleibt (vgl. S. 41). Er fordert "eine digital fundierte, postkoloniale Theorie lebendiger Netzwerke und Organisationsformen" (S. 41). Nicht die Wirkungen, sondern die Architektur von Technologie soll in den Mittelpunkt rücken (vgl. S. 63). Unter diesen Voraussetzungen wünscht Lovink sich ein entschiedeneres Auftreten der Forschenden im öffentlichen Diskurs, das seinem Wunsch nach politisch wirksam werden soll. Denn einen ebenso großen wie bisher ungenutzt bleibenden Einfluss spricht er der Politik (namentlich 'Brüssel', vgl. S. 72) zu und konstatiert, dass nicht nur Technologie politisch, sondern auch Politik technisch sei (vgl. S. 27). Lovinks argumentatives Vorgehen besteht darin, Entwicklungen zu beschreiben und Fragen zu stellen, um in Kritik zu münden. Dabei stehen Auseinandersetzungen mit den Arbeiten anderer Wissenschaftler_innen (u. a. Baudrillard, Löffler, Galloway, Thacker, Warck, Sassen) neben seinen eigenen Beobachtungen und Kommunikationen, die er aus Projekten (Unlike Us, MoneyLab), Interviews, dem Austausch per Mail und biografischen Erfahrungen (S. 94ff) bezieht. Lovink nimmt eine strategische Gegenposition im Diskurs um die Utopien und Ideologien des Internets, der Netzwerke und Plattformen ein, die dazu führt, dass seine Redeweise an der ein oder anderen Stelle in ihrer Direktheit verkürzt wirkt. Sein Anschreiben gegen eine unreflektierte Idealisierung der Online-Welt hinterfragt die großen Zusammenhänge von Ökonomie, Politik und Sozialität der gegenwärtigen Gesellschaften. Die Negierung und Desillusionierung gängiger Freiheitsphantasmen mündet in die Aufforderung sich des emanzipatorischen Potentials erneut und neu zu bemächtigen, um die "offene Architektur" (S. 256) von Netzwerken wieder zum Vorschein zu bringen und für alle gleichermaßen profitabel zu machen – ökonomisch, technisch, sozial, kulturell. Dazu müssen die unsichtbaren Strukturen und verborgenen Mechanismen ins Licht gesetzt, die Black Boxes im aufklärerischen Duktus geöffnet werden.

Introduction. Blockchain technology is becoming one of the main drivers of innovation in the global economy. Its adoption will have a huge impact on how businesses and governments operate and on the way people organize their everyday lives. Financial services industry is the one experiencing the biggest impact of the blockchain disruption so far, while financial institutions are among the first adopters of the technology. At the same time, being a relatively traditional industry, shipping has not yet seen many use cases with blockchain, but the technology is able to change this industry dramatically. Aim and tasks. As the industries of finance and shipping have huge potential in the blockchain space and often interact, determining how the blockchain technology adoption can influence the industries of finance and shipping in the future was the main purpose of this article. Research results. To fulfill this purpose, it was important to describe the origins of the blockchain technology, its main characteristics, functioning principles and consensus algorithms. Supported by the recent hype, cryptocurrencies are the biggest use case for blockchain so far, therefore, the article analyzes the largest of them, including Bitcoin, Ethereum and some others, as well as the cryptocurrency market as a whole. The level of worldwide adoption of blockchain and the overall market size are defined further in the article. Various applications in finance are also mentioned, paying particular attention to the insurance industry. Based on this information, the key areas in which blockchain can disrupt finance and insurance are identified. As the number of blockchain companies increases rapidly, the two main fundraising channels for such companies, venture capital and initial coin offering, are analyzed and compared. The ways in which blockchain may impact the shipping services industry are identified further. Conclusion. Afterwards, the article describes a number of blockchain consortia formed by public institutions and private entities to research and test possible applications of the technology across various industries and countries. While the potential of blockchain is still largely undiscovered, all the gathered information and performed research help to make a conclusion that the blockchain technology will have a big impact on many different industries, including financial and shipping services. The coming years will definitely see an exponentially growing interest in blockchain in academic and business fields, as the technology becomes more and more mainstream. ; Проблема. Технологія блокчейн стає однією із головних рушійних сил інновацій в глобальній економіці. Її впровадження матиме величезний вплив на те як діють підприємства та уряди і на те як люди організовують своє повсякденне життя. Індустрія фінансових послуг на даний момент зазнає найбільшого впливу блокчейн-революції, а фінансові інституції є одними з найперших користувачів технології. У той же час, сфера морських перевезень, як доволі традиційна індустрія, поки що не має багато прикладів застосування блокчейну, але ця технологія здатна суттєво змінити цю галузь. Мета та завдання. Метою статті є визначення впливу блокчейн-технології на сферу морських перевезень та фінансових послуг. Результати. Задля втілення цієї мети було важливо описати походження технології блокчейн, її головні характеристики, принципи функціонування та алгоритми консенсусу. На фоні існуючого ажіотажу, криптовалюти є найпоширенішим прикладом застосування блокчейну на сьогодні, тому в статті аналізуються найбільші з них, в тому числі Біткоін та Ефіріум, а також криптовалютний ринок в цілому. Далі визначено рівень розповсюдженості блокчейну у всьому світі та загальний розмір ринку. Також згадуються різні приклади застосування у фінансах, особливої уваги приділено страховій галузі. Виходячи з цієї інформації, визначено основні сфери, в яких блокчейн може реорганізувати фінанси та страхування. Оскільки кількість блокчейн-компаній швидко зростає, проаналізовано та порівняно два основних канали збору коштів для таких компаній, включаючи венчурний капітал та первинну пропозицію монет. Далі визначено шляхи, якими блокчейн може вплинути на галузь морських перевезень. Також в статті описується низка консорціумів, сформованих державними установами та приватними організаціями для дослідження та тестування можливих застосувань технології поміж різних галузей та країн. Висновки. У той час як потенціал блокчейну ще є доволі нерозкритим, вся зібрана інформація та проведені дослідження допомагають зробити висновок, що технологія блокчейн матиме великий вплив на багато різних індустрій, у тому числі на фінансові послуги та послуги морських перевезень. Наступні роки однозначно покажуть експонентне зростання зацікавленості блокчейном у академічних та бізнесових колах, адже технологія ставатиме все більш загальноприйнятою.

According to the International Monetary Fund, 145 banking crises, 208 monetary crashes and 72 sovereign-debt crises have occurred between 1970 and 2010 (Lietaer, Arnsperger, Goerner, & Brunnhuber, 2012). Crises have a negative impact on employment, human and social costs and production, and ultimately taxpayers are left to pay the bill. The most recent example is the 2007-2008 sub-prime banking crisis that affected countries such as Great Britain, Germany, the Unites States and Belgium. Another concern of modern society is the growing inequality in the world. Indeed, the world's eight richest persons possess as much wealth as the poorest 50% of the world population (Elliott, 2017). This leads to social tension and insecurity in many countries. Based on several research studies, we figured out that money and the monetary system play an important role in the world economy. Therefore, we decided to make money the subject matter of our thesis. The economy will not be able to deal with another major crisis as humanity faces major challenges in the coming decades such as climate change and retiring baby boomers. In order to achieve an "after CO2-economy", massive investments will be needed fuelled by government subsidies and tax brakes. Retiring baby boomers will increase health expenses and put the pension system of many countries in great difficulty. To face these challenges, a well-functioning monetary and economic system is indispensable. The current monetary system was essential during the industrialisation transition because of its rapid and massive economic growth. However, the multiple drawbacks like short-term vision, deterioration of social connection and community, need for endless growth, inequalities of wealth concentration, pro-cyclical tendency of money creation, and flow of the current monetary system show us that it does not addréess the challenges of today's world and enlightens its limitations. According to Bernard Lietaer, the main issue of the monetary system is "the monopoly of a single type currency created by the banking system through loans attached to positive interest rates [debt]" (Lietaer, What is the problem with our current money system, 2010). It is not flexible enough and is only adapted for transactions in the classic sectors and between conventional economic agents. Complementary currencies are an alternative that could deal with some of these shortcomings as they are usually not driven by positive interest rates but tend to encourage cooperation between people. They would also allow people to complete transactions that benefit everyone while eliminating the competitive aspect. Moreover, it would make the current monetary system more stable as it would rely on several currencies which are better adapted to certain type of transactions and which will open up the monetary system to organisation outside of a small group of financial institutions who currently seels the monetary system (Lietaer, What is the problem with our current money system, 2010). It would end the monoculture and make space for a system with multiple currencies which each have a different finality. Finally, these complementary currencies would give more importance to the cooperative economy which nowadays relies mainly on the subsidies received from the competitive economy, fuelled by its scarce currency attached to positive interest rates. Another type of alternative to the current monetary system is cryptocurrencies and its blockchain technology. The blockchain technology is a disruptive technology in the financial world in the sense that people make (international) transactions without using traditional financial institutions. Nowadays, some banks can show abusive traits due to their close connection to the political world. Introducing an apolitical cryptocurrency technology could help create a neutral and free currency market (Scott, 2016). However, it is important to stress out the fact that cryptocurrencies are facing multiple shortcomings mainly related to their high volatility and speculative traits which will have to be fixed to become a viable and sustainable alternative to the current financial system. Finally, we have addressed the feasibility to combine both concepts leading to complementary currencies supported by the blockchain technology. This idea aligns with the belief of Professor Diniz who sees digitalisation as an important factor in the implementation of complementary currencies. Digital complementary currencies offer multiple advantages that can boost their expansion and growth. The main objective is to reduce the costly and cumbersome management of complementary paper currencies. Even though initiatives related to complementary cryptocurrencies are still in their early stages, they confirm the trend that complementary currencies supported by the blockchain technology are technically feasible. These could also take advantage of the blockchain technology that is nowadays mainly used for speculative behaviors like Bitcoin. However, it is important to mention that the success of complementary currencies depends on the issue they want to tackle and the community in which they will circulate. Therefore, using the blockchain technology or even digital currencies will not always be adequate. A main example of this is the Toreke project in Ghent where the introduction of a digital currency was a failure. Even though complementary currencies are still in an "early adopter" phase, the awareness around them is expanding. However, we believe that at a bigger interest from the economic agents of the actual monetary system such as commercial banks, central banks and the political world is needed in order to develop them even more. Some examples already exist with the Banco Palmas initiative were commercial banks, central bank and the government are part of the project or the involvement of the European Commission with the D-Cent project. These few examples allow us to believe that major players start to see the benefits of complementary currencies which will play a more important role in our economic and monetary system in the near future. ; Master [120] en Ingénieur de gestion, Université catholique de Louvain, 2017

According to the International Monetary Fund, 145 banking crises, 208 monetary crashes and 72 sovereign-debt crises have occurred between 1970 and 2010 (Lietaer, Arnsperger, Goerner, & Brunnhuber, 2012). Crises have a negative impact on employment, human and social costs and production, and ultimately taxpayers are left to pay the bill. The most recent example is the 2007-2008 sub-prime banking crisis that affected countries such as Great Britain, Germany, the Unites States and Belgium. Another concern of modern society is the growing inequality in the world. Indeed, the world's eight richest persons possess as much wealth as the poorest 50% of the world population (Elliott, 2017). This leads to social tension and insecurity in many countries. Based on several research studies, we figured out that money and the monetary system play an important role in the world economy. Therefore, we decided to make money the subject matter of our thesis. The economy will not be able to deal with another major crisis as humanity faces major challenges in the coming decades such as climate change and retiring baby boomers. In order to achieve an "after CO2-economy", massive investments will be needed fuelled by government subsidies and tax brakes. Retiring baby boomers will increase health expenses and put the pension system of many countries in great difficulty. To face these challenges, a well-functioning monetary and economic system is indispensable. The current monetary system was essential during the industrialisation transition because of its rapid and massive economic growth. However, the multiple drawbacks like short-term vision, deterioration of social connection and community, need for endless growth, inequalities of wealth concentration, pro-cyclical tendency of money creation, and flow of the current monetary system show us that it does not addréess the challenges of today's world and enlightens its limitations. According to Bernard Lietaer, the main issue of the monetary system is "the monopoly of a single type currency created by the banking system through loans attached to positive interest rates [debt]" (Lietaer, What is the problem with our current money system, 2010). It is not flexible enough and is only adapted for transactions in the classic sectors and between conventional economic agents. Complementary currencies are an alternative that could deal with some of these shortcomings as they are usually not driven by positive interest rates but tend to encourage cooperation between people. They would also allow people to complete transactions that benefit everyone while eliminating the competitive aspect. Moreover, it would make the current monetary system more stable as it would rely on several currencies which are better adapted to certain type of transactions and which will open up the monetary system to organisation outside of a small group of financial institutions who currently seels the monetary system (Lietaer, What is the problem with our current money system, 2010). It would end the monoculture and make space for a system with multiple currencies which each have a different finality. Finally, these complementary currencies would give more importance to the cooperative economy which nowadays relies mainly on the subsidies received from the competitive economy, fuelled by its scarce currency attached to positive interest rates. Another type of alternative to the current monetary system is cryptocurrencies and its blockchain technology. The blockchain technology is a disruptive technology in the financial world in the sense that people make (international) transactions without using traditional financial institutions. Nowadays, some banks can show abusive traits due to their close connection to the political world. Introducing an apolitical cryptocurrency technology could help create a neutral and free currency market (Scott, 2016). However, it is important to stress out the fact that cryptocurrencies are facing multiple shortcomings mainly related to their high volatility and speculative traits which will have to be fixed to become a viable and sustainable alternative to the current financial system. Finally, we have addressed the feasibility to combine both concepts leading to complementary currencies supported by the blockchain technology. This idea aligns with the belief of Professor Diniz who sees digitalisation as an important factor in the implementation of complementary currencies. Digital complementary currencies offer multiple advantages that can boost their expansion and growth. The main objective is to reduce the costly and cumbersome management of complementary paper currencies. Even though initiatives related to complementary cryptocurrencies are still in their early stages, they confirm the trend that complementary currencies supported by the blockchain technology are technically feasible. These could also take advantage of the blockchain technology that is nowadays mainly used for speculative behaviors like Bitcoin. However, it is important to mention that the success of complementary currencies depends on the issue they want to tackle and the community in which they will circulate. Therefore, using the blockchain technology or even digital currencies will not always be adequate. A main example of this is the Toreke project in Ghent where the introduction of a digital currency was a failure. Even though complementary currencies are still in an "early adopter" phase, the awareness around them is expanding. However, we believe that at a bigger interest from the economic agents of the actual monetary system such as commercial banks, central banks and the political world is needed in order to develop them even more. Some examples already exist with the Banco Palmas initiative were commercial banks, central bank and the government are part of the project or the involvement of the European Commission with the D-Cent project. These few examples allow us to believe that major players start to see the benefits of complementary currencies which will play a more important role in our economic and monetary system in the near future. ; Master [120] en Ingénieur de gestion, Université catholique de Louvain, 2017

Riassunto LE RIMESSE dei MIGRANTI IL LORO VALORE ECONOMICO-SOCIALE SIA PER IL PAESE OSPITANTE CHE PER IL PAESE DI ORIGINE. Per diversi anni gli studiosi hanno dibattuto sul ruolo delle rimesse dei migranti verso il loro paese di origine in un'ottica di co-sviluppo: dopo essere giunti alla conclusione condivisa che questi flussi di denaro svolgono un ruolo molto importante nell'economia del proprio paese, nonostante alcuni rischi legati all'aumento dei consumi e delle importazioni, l'attenzione si è concentrata su come le rimesse dei migranti possano essere al meglio valorizzate. Se le rimesse da flussi vengono convertite in risparmio, o comunque capitale vincolato, possono generare maggiori effetti positivi, ad esempio trasformandosi in fondi per l'erogazione di nuovi microcrediti o di servizi aggiuntivi per le istituzioni di microfinanza (IMF) diminuendo così la dipendenza dai sussidi e dalle donazioni. Esse giocano un ruolo fondamentale nelle economie dei paesi in via di sviluppo, esportatori di manodopera. Questo sia a livello micro, essendo le famiglie dei migranti le beneficiarie dirette le quali utilizzano le rimesse per consumi quotidiani, sia a livello macroeconomico, in quanto le rimesse costituiscono una delle principali voci della bilancia dei pagamenti di molti paesi d'origine. Questi flussi sono solo secondi agli investimenti diretti esteri e superano gli aiuti ufficiali allo sviluppo rivolti a questi paesi. L'immigrazione è uno degli argomenti di cui oggi in Italia si parla di più a livelli molto diversi. E' un tema centrale del dibattito politico, un argomento della conversazione quotidiana tra le persone, un tema presente negli approfondimenti dei mass media. Spesso questo interesse non è supportato da adeguati elementi conoscitivi o margini di approfondimento e si risolve in uno scontro di luoghi comuni e pregiudizi di volta in volta positivi o negativi. Tuttavia, anche quando risulta supportato da un'adeguata preparazione preliminare, il dibattito rischia di risolversi in una contrapposizione tra posizioni apparentemente inconciliabili. Da una parte la posizione che potremmo definire filo-migratoria e dall'altra parte quella anti-migratoria. Ogni posizione si consolida nelle proprie convinzioni con argomenti che paiono incontrovertibili ai sostenitori e tali da poter affermare con la massima convinzione che la propria opinione è l'unica sensata, convincente e soprattutto "realistica". Viceversa si accusa chi sostiene l'opinione contraria di essere vittima di pericolose e insensate "paure", o seguace di "utopie" altrettanto perniciose e prive di legami con la realtà. Anche un'analisi superficiale mostra che a quasi tutte queste posizioni può essere riconosciuto un certo contenuto di credibilità. Forse si può perfino ipotizzare che per ognuna di esse sussistano più o meno adeguati argomenti di difesa teorica. Tuttavia nessuna può essere ragionevolmente considerata l'unica incontrovertibile e dimostrabile verità rispetto all'argomento trattato. Certamente alla base di numerose affermazioni dei sostenitori di entrambe le posizioni pare sussistere una profonda e a volte inconscia convinzione nell'una o nell'altra delle due affermazioni: • Le migrazioni sono un bene • Le migrazioni sono un male. Basandosi su enunciati valutativi di valore soggettivo, le due posizioni sono destinate a scontrarsi in eterno, producendo vasti apparati giustificativi, proposte pratiche e modelli di intervento, che si contrappongono quasi specularmente. Piuttosto si è provato a limitare l'indagine ad un argomento intorno al quale si potessero esprimere posizioni teoriche, realizzare ricerche empiriche a supporto, e impostare un confronto su basi oggettive. La scelta di adottare questa impostazione di lavoro ha lo scopo di uscire dal dualismo che vede le migrazioni come un "male" o come un "bene", per inquadrare il problema dell'utilità dell'immigrazione in termini economici per i paesi di destinazione e in particolare per l'Italia. Per analizzare le determinanti dei flussi di rimesse è necessario tenere a mente che esse sono il frutto di un processo importante quale quello migratorio da parte di alcuni individui che decidono di lasciare il proprio ambiente, in questo caso, il proprio Paese alla ricerca di un lavoro. A differenza delle teorie sviluppate alcuni decenni fa, nelle quali l'emigrazione così come lo sviluppo non venivano posti in relazione tra di essi e in particolare con le rimesse, negli ultimi decenni gran parte degli sforzi dei ricercatori vanno proprio verso questa direzione. Inoltre, le nuove teorie intendono fare luce anche sulla capacità dell'emigrazione e quindi delle rimesse di agire sulla disuguaglianza, sul mercato del lavoro e sulla stessa stratificazione sociale dell'area di origine. Sul tema specifico, va ricordato che, dal 2004, grazie alle direttive della Banca Mondiale e del Fondo Monetario Internazionale, si è sviluppato un'attività di ricerca, di raccolta dati e di statistiche sullo specifico argomento delle Rimesse. Infatti si è capito quanta importanza hanno le rimesse degli emigranti sia dal punto di vista economico che sociale. Purtroppo anche il malaffare si è interessato a questi flussi, insinuandosi in questo ambito e sviluppando un sistema parallelo per finanziare: armi, droghe ed altro. Questo mio lavoro è suddiviso in cinque parti ed una conclusione: •la prima parte con l' "introduzione ed i cenni storici", introduce l'argomento sia delle rimesse che del loro valore; •la seconda parte analizza la funzione delle rimesse e cerca di dare una connotazione sulle tipologie delle stesse e spiegando ciò che al momento esiste sul mercato; •nella terza parte affronto le varie tipologie dei canali formali ed informali; •nella quarta parte prendo in considerazione tre tipologie di migranti e cioè le comunità più significative della provincia di Pisa (albanesi, senegalesi e ucraini), fornendo una scheda dei paesi di origine, loro economia e statistiche varie •nella quinta parte affronto i dati complessivi delle rimesse in Italia, la bancarizzazione degli stranieri residenti, i costi per il trasferimento delle rimesse. Inoltre presento sia le banche che offrono prodotti bancari agli stranieri e le tre società multinazionali di trasferimento del denaro. In questa parte dedico un capitolo al nuovo fenomeno dei BITCOIN nuovo strumento monetario e finanziario che rivoluzionerà il sistema e il futuro della "moneta". Affronto inoltre la tematica delle politiche di alcune nazioni per favorire le rimesse "formali", la formazione del risparmio e delle istituzioni bancarie locali che possono indirizzare "le rimesse" verso investimenti produttivi. •In ultimo le conclusioni. In questa ricerca ho trovato molta difficoltà nel reperire dati statistici omogenei e riferiti ad un determinato periodo temporale o anno. Pertanto ho presentato i vari capitoli ed argomenti con riferimento a dati statistici i più recenti possibili che vanno anche dal 2005 ai dati del 2016. Giugno 2017 Umberto Mugnaini

El artículo comienza por hacer un análisis de la estructura del sistema sobre el que operan los usuarios de los criptoactivos (criptomonedas), especialmente del nivel efectivo de descentralización de esa red. Posteriormente, se presenta una revisión de la literatura académica reciente sobre: (i) los determinantes de la dinámica de los precios de los criptoactivos, (ii) las implicaciones de la presencia de criptoactivos sobre la política monetaria de una economía, (iii) el impacto de los criptoactivos sobre la estabilidad financiera, y (iv) las consideraciones hechas por aquellos que han sugerido o implementado algún tipo de regulación en relación con los criptoactivos. ; The article begins with an analysis of the structure of the system on which the users of cryptoassets (cryptocurrencies) interact, especially of the actual level of decentralization of that network. Subsequently, the article examines recent academic literature on: (i) the determinants of the evolution of cryptoassets' prices, (ii) the implications of the presence of cryptoassets on the monetary policy of an economy, (iii) the impact of cryptoassets on financial stability, and (iv) the considerations made by those who have suggested or implemented some kind of regulation related to cryptoassets.

Featuring an international slate of artists, the festival focuses on the ceaseless flow of people, information, and substances, through expanding urban areas, the virtual realm of cyberspace, and endangered natural landscapes. In the face of worldwide streams of refugees and migrants, an overload of manipulable digital information, and injurious amounts of harmful particles suspended in the atmosphere and discharged into waterways, those in power look the other way. And all the while they withdraw and intensify control to protect what they have. Short-term success is favoured over having a sustained vision of the future. The programme derives its thematic approach from the concept of the "space of flows", as set forth by the Spanish sociologist Manuel Castells in his seminal 1996 volume The Rise of the Network Society. "The space of flows", explained Castells, "dissolves time by disordering the sequence of events and making them simultaneous, thus installing society in eternal ephemerality". Two decades later, one could say that we exist in exactly such a society: a networked one, defined as an open, borderless, and intangible entity, in constant flux and an ever shifting shape. It is our shared experience that we are all part of an enmeshed whole that provokes and confronts us on a near-daily basis with events unfolding in faraway locales. As we take note of them via our screens in the form of a tweet, an image, or a video they evade traditional geographic boundaries and notions of localness. And the speed with which people, goods, information, and pollutants are distributed and disseminated is so rapid that it is sometimes impossible to distinguish between catalyst and consequence. Moreover, how should we judge a message on our screen? Can we really see and understand what is going on? Through the rise of the network society, a real virtuality became visible, making us aware that we are no longer only living in a "space of places". Castells explains this as a space in which we were familiar with every nook and cranny of our village and acquainted with all our neighbours, and in which we could trace in our minds the jigsaw configurations of the horizon-bound fields. A new layer was created, and this "space of flows" catapulted us into a fluid ecosystem that requires a substantial shift in our perspective on humanity and the planet. On that note, Rebecca Solnit, author of River of Shadows, describes the ascents of Hollywood and, somewhat later, Silicon Valley as those of industries which have reshaped "a world of places and materials [into] a world of representations and information, a world of vastly greater reach and less solid grounding". And it is precisely the industries of Hollywood and Silicon Valley that by and large define the frames through which we perceive and see the world.Solnit interweaves her biography of Eadweard Muybridge, the photographer and innovator of early motion-picture studies and technologies, with meditations on the concept of "the annihilation of time and space". "The annihilation of time and space" is an expression from the Industrial Revolution used to describe the groundbreaking, time-altering technologies of the day, such as rail travel and the telegraph, both of which aimed to accelerate lines of transportation and communication.In this respect, each new technology functions as yet another medium that enhances our experience of time and space. But do they bring us a clearer vision? Or do they blur our minds instead? The artists selected for this year's Photomonth present projects that encourage us to develop ways of thinking that refuse to be hemmed in by boundaries and led by prejudices. The works provoke a more informed, flexible, and empathetic response to the most pressing issues that we, as humans, face today. As such, the festival focuses on the tension between the impulse to delimit a space with walls and to fearfully exclude the unknown, and the impossibility to regulate processes of moving enormous quantities of people, information, and substances within and across physical and virtual spaces. Envisioned as one overarching group show, the festival blends stories and images in an attempt to examine the "space of flows" that we currently inhabit, and grapple with its implications. To distinguish between the myriad focuses of the artists' projects, they have been divided into three chapters: migration to and within contemporary Europe; the invisibility and intangibility of digital data; and urgent environmental issues. The exhibited works address multiple topics, including: societal anxieties stirred by ignorance and mistrust, as well as political fearmongering; consequences of human interventions for the climate; stories of forced displacement; and the growing threat of cyberwarfare. Conflicts, unemployment and lack of prospects have forced untold thousands of people to leave behind their homes, belongings, and loved ones. Refugee or migrant, they undertake an often perilous journey to promised lands where they find themselves at risk of being detained and targeted by the rhetoric of populist political movements.Europe finds itself divided between the liberal values of tolerance and the nostalgia of those who crave a return to a fantasised past in which "everything was known". Meanwhile, in an etheric elsewhere, our data hover invisibly in an artificial "cloud", or else whizz in the blink of an eye through cables snaking underground and undersea. In truth, the vast majority of us don't have a clue what happens to our data after their transformation into bits and cascading scrolls of zeroes and ones. Computer programmers, cryptocurrency experts, and bitcoin speculators have little interest in making their shadowy realm more transparent or comprehensible to the layperson. The rest of us are left in the dark as to what exactly happens to the digitised facsimiles of ourselves, once rendered and uploaded. What subcutaneous layer, for example, do we unwittingly expose when we pass through an airport's body scanner? And although "wild nature" has been reduced in many latitudes to a contradiction in terms, it is still a quality we seek out and yearn to experience. In some regions of the world in which a highly cultivated natural environment is mistaken for its original state, we have been disrupting natural processes for ages. Heavy industries such as mining, the presence of nuclear power plants, and what goes under the name of forest management have had a profound, and in many cases irreversibly deleterious effect on the well-being, and long-term vitality of both human and animal habitats. Even if statistically calculable, it remains difficult, if not impossible, to visualise and truly comprehend the vast movement of migrant populations, the frictionless transfer of encoded data and its ciphered binary digits, and the large-scale release of contaminants into our air, soils, and water. Nevertheless, all the selected artists attempt to do just that: with their lens-based art, they make the "space of flows" more fathomable by humanising its statistics, personalising and particularising its abstractions, and demystifying its technophilic enigmas. Their art stimulates and resonates with the intellect, imagination, and conscience of the viewer. Work shown by Edmund Clark: 'Negative Publicity: Artefacts of Extraordinary Rendition' https://www.edmundclark.com/works/negative-publicity/#text Exhibition also includes: Esther Hovers, Rune Peitersen, Armand Quetsch, Agnieszka Rayss, Katja Stuke & Oliver Sieber

The 1997–1998 Asian financial crisis and the 2007–2008 global financial crisis highlighted the need for global and regional financial safety nets to safeguard financial stability and enhance resilience to future crises. Over the past decade, Asian economies have made progress in establishing financing arrangements to strengthen the region's financial safety net. These arrangements have enhanced regional macroeconomic and financial surveillance, strengthened crisis management, and bolstered cooperation for financial stability and resilience. This report examines the evolution and the toolkits of regional financing arrangements and assesses the Asian Development Bank's role in providing crisis response mechanisms through its policy based lending facilities.

Discussion about the potential for a recession to hit at least one of the major economies has intensified in recent months. The US Federal Reserve has become more cautious about the outlook for the US economy, and over the past year has moved from a hiking bias to cutting interest rates. Here in New Zealand, the Reserve Bank embarked on another easing cycle by cutting the Official Cash Rate (OCR) at its May meeting and followed up with a 50 basis points cut at its August meeting. We look at what current conditions are telling us about the state of the New Zealand economy, and by considering the common indicators of a recession discuss how worried we should be. We also look at the levers available to try and combat the effects of a recession.