LIBRI DI VINCENZO MEMOLI

The relevance of unions in labour dynamics has been widely explored. However, little attention has been given to the relationship between society, broadly considered, and unions. Drawing on this perspective, this paper offers a longitudinal analysis (2004-2009) of the social confidence in unions in 17 Latin American (LA) countries. Despite the different union specificities in these countries, we focus on the most important common aspects of these unions, through a historical lens. This analysis allows us to develop some hypotheses about the tenets of the growing level of confidence in unions. We test them through a double-level empirical regression model based on Latin Barometer surveys and national economic indicators. The economic perception and the political and trustful orientations of the citizens play an important role in their confidence orientation towards unions.

L’immagine degli immigrati, mediata dai principali mezzi di comunicazione, ha condizionato l’opinione pubblica italiana generando un atteggiamento contraddittorio che, se da un lato lascia emergere una netta solidarietà nei confronti dello straniero, dall’altro, rivela timori e paure generati dalla crescente presenza di immigrati sul territorio italiano. In questo lavoro, utilizzando alcune indagini Itanes, sono stati analizzati, in un’ottica sincronica e diacronica, i cambiamenti che nell’ultimo decennio hanno caratterizzato il rapporto tra gli italiani e gli immigrati.

Questo numero di Futuribili tratta di metodi previsivi applicati alla soluzione di micro e macro-problemi. Il volume analizza l’attendibilità dei modelli di previsione, e segue la previsione dei piccoli e locali problemi che riguardano la cooperazione transfrontaliera, le vacanze, il pendolarismo che si trasforma in emigrazione… Infine amplia la prospettiva della previsione, per interpretare: la produzione culturale e il suo legame ai caratteri nazionali dell’Europa, la previsione dell’Europa del futuro e della ricostruzione dell’Unione Europea…

Many theories attempt to explain democratic support trend, but economic perspectives, if we consider both consolidated democracies than those ‘in nuce’, appears to be top flight. In fact, whereas economic trend increase, democracy support turns to be strengthened (Dalton 2005). In this study, on the base of Eurostat and European World Values Survey Integrated’ (1999-2002) data, the conceptual dimensions of democracy support in twenty four consolidated UE democracies are analyzed. Adopting Easton’s (1965; 1975) theoretical approach the impact that economic factors produce on democracy support dimensions has been defined. The principal results show that i) democracy support analysis should be based on the whole range of the conceptual dimensions of democracy support, ii) the economic perspective allows us to explain specific support namely, confidence in institutions, support for political authorities and democratic principles- but not diffuse support that is, political community support.

Development of social services in contemporary welfare systems took place in parallel with the evolution of partnerships between State and Third Sector, a collaboration that allowed the growth of social policies. Beyond the different national organisational types, the Third Sector concerns the institutions that are based on mechanisms of reciprocal solidarity, taking shape inside the structure of the non-profit sector, yet extending beyond and into the more general social context to the point of being considered one of the main agencies that creates social capital in the territory. The article shows how three characteristics common to the Third Sector organisms, referable to manners of operation, can favour the increase of individual relationships and all of the local community. The three characteristics identified are: democratic participation in the decisional processes of everyone involved in the organisation, personalisation and collaboration between beneficiary and the service provider, and the likelihood of success of the commitment that those involved, prevalently as volunteers, dedicate to the organisation. These three elements are considered the basis through which the individuals (users and citizens) can verify how to create cooperative relationships that succeed, based on trust in reciprocal respect for commitments taken and not on external incentives, which means create social capital.