In this study we investigate computational methods for assessing music similarity in world music. We use state-ofthe-art audio features to describe musical content in world music recordings. Our music collection is a subset of the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings with audio examples from 31 countries from around the world. Using supervised and unsupervised dimensionality reduction techniques we ...

This paper examines the link between currency unions and customs unions. The size of a bloc of countries practising some form of co-ordination of monetary policy is limited by the incentive to free-ride that formation of the bloc creates. However, when the threat of a trade war is introduced, the stable size of the bloc increases. This suggests that a) large currency areas are more likely to em...

.................................................................................................................... ix Sommario .................................................................................................................. xi 1. Introduction ..................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Motivation .............

The EU is currently reshaping its customs legislation and practices. Main pillars in the new vision are an intensive use of IT (Customs becomes e-Customs), partnerships between Customs administrations and businesses, and collaboration between national Customs administrations. These concepts should support coping with the dilemma of on the one hand increasing security, safety, financial and heal...

US Customs embarked on a major modernization initiative of its Information Technology systems. Drawing in data from Customs trade systems, targeting inspectors review manifest information as well as strategic and tactical intelligence to determine which shipments and containers are “high-risk.” This entails a considerable level of communication and data sharing between various government agenci...

A paperless trade and Customs environment brings real benefits for both business and governments. Increasing internationalisation of business and supply chain security considerations increase pressure for the automation of trade and customs procedures. The European Commission has recently developed a vision for a paperless trade and Customs environment. It argues that implementing this vision, ...

This paper studies character-role creation by Method actors to begin developing a sociological understanding of artistic creativity and shed light on the construction of social roles. Portrayals on film or stage reflect but also importantly shape audience’s understandings of social life. How do actors create these portrayals? The analysis of interviews with and observation of Method actors show...

Executive Overview Despite differences of opinion about the efficacy of corporate social responsibility, there is a general consensus among academics, policy makers, and practitioners that corporations operate with a social sanction that requires that they operate within the norms and mores of the societies in which they exist. In this article I argue that the notion of a socially responsible c...

In the same way that medicine, science, the media and many other social institutions shape how individuals experience and interpret everyday life in contemporary western societies, the criminal justice system broadly and its laws and experts specifically presents a unique social environment, imbued with normative processes and procedures that sociologically reflect broader systemic mores, belie...