Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: In 1999, A. Lobb investigated the following generalization of the celebrated parenthesization problem, studied by E. C. Catalan in 1838: Find the number $\$L\_\{n,m\}\$$ of arrangements of $\$n\; +\; m\$$ positive ones and $\$n\; -\; m\$$ negative ones, such that every partial sum is nonnegative, where $\$0\backslash leq\; m\backslash leq\; n\$$. Clearly, $\$L\_\{n,0\}\; =\; C\_n\$$, the $\$\; n\$$th Catalan number.

The Lobb numbers $\$L\_\{n,m\}\$$ can be obtained as differences of adjacent binomial coefficients, to the left of or on the middle column, in even-numbered rows of Pascal's triangle. Consequently, every Catalan number $\$C\_\{2n\}\$$ can be expressed as the sum of $\$n\; +\; 1\$$ squares.

Interestingly, an investigation of the differences of adjacent binomial coefficients to the left of the middle column in odd-numbered rows of Pascal's triangle yields a number of delightful results involving Catalan numbers. For example, every Catalan number $\$C\_\{2n+1\}\$$ can be expressed as the sum of $\$n\; +\; 1\$$ squares. Thus, every Catalan number $\$C\_n\$$ can be expressed as the sum of $\$\backslash lfloor\{n/2\}\backslash rfloor\; +\; 1\$$ squares.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: An ethnographic analysis of the manifestations of Catalan and Spanish identity as expressed through football. One of the main contemporary European public spaces, the football stadium serves as a forum to produce, contrast and express identities.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Suppose you have a bottle of pills and you would like a daily dose of half a pill. Each day, remove a pill from the bottle. If it is whole, break it in half, swallow one half, and return the other half to the bottle. If you remove a half pill, simply swallow it. Over time, you will have a mix of whole and half pills in the bottle. If you know the current number of whole and half pills, what is the probability that the pill you remove n days from now is whole? In my talk I will discuss this problem and its connections with the Catalan numbers.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: This paper argues that, in the case of comparable regions of these states (namely Bavaria in Germany and Catalonia in Spain), recent discussion and reform in citizenship education policy reflects the increasing influence of the EU, particularly in terms of what characteristics the ideal citizen should possess. We conclude that in both the Bavarian and Catalan cases, citizenship education is being expanded from the regional towards the supranational. However, this multi-leveled sense of citizenship has consequences for non-Europeans living in the European space. We base this argument on a content analysis of education policy statements produced in the two regions since 2000 as well as interviews with 35 policymakers in both regions.

Our findings reveal that the ideal citizen is now flexible, multilingual, accepting of European ideals of democracy, and has a sense of belonging, which embraces the local, the regional, the central national state, and the European. Yet, as we will focus on in this paper, in the embodiment of the democratic values espoused by both Bavaria and Catalonia, it is important to ask how the non-European immigrant experience is reflected in this new ideal citizen, given the burgeoning immigrant communities in both Germany and Spain. We conclude, when examining citizenship education policies that diversity is acceptable at the European level but only in regard to European ‘natives’ and not to immigrants.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: This work forms part of a series of investigations that set out to analyse the consequences of the processes of digitalisation in the communication media in Catalonia (Spain). In this case, the paper deals with the transformations that have affected the role of the journalist, especially the taking on of new tasks and functions. Following an introduction that describes the theoretical and methodological framework for the research, the article describes the main trends observed within Catalan radio and television companies, news agencies, and online media. The article also presents a series of reflections on polyvalence, reskilling and other processes that affect information professionals. Finally, a classification is proposed of the forms of journalistic polyvalence in the information media.