Mass media messages transcending genres and generations lead many of us to believe that nice guys finish behind bad boys in the mate selection process, particularly in short-term contexts. However, evidence for the validity of that claim is elusive. This dissertation takes an interdisciplinary approach to testing the enduring stereotype by mapping communication behaviors onto underlying...
As a solution to the needs of many applications that operate on sensitive data, homomorphic algorithms – algorithms that allow calculations with encrypted information – were developed. They present a viable alternative to traditional cryptosystems which typically require such applications to decrypt and re-encrypt the information numerous times. Driven by the interesting nature and expanding...
The presentation explores the evolution of the fairytale “Cinderella” from its origin to modern interpretations. It begins with an overview of potential origins, highlighting mediaeval precursors and legends that have similar elements to the Cinderella story. Despite much research conducted on the topic, the origins of the fairytale cannot be clearly defined. The reason for that is that the...
Tsar Alexei Mikhaelovich, the second tsar of the Romanov dynasty, ruled from 1645 to 1676. Though not as celebrated as his son Peter’s era of Westernization, Alexei’s reign marked the beginnings of the modernization of Russia in the following aspects: state centralization, the rule of law, foreign policy, elite culture, and theology. Alexei asserted state authority by putting down three major...
This senior thesis deals with the immergence of the Catholic community in Bulgaria and its state and development within the boundaries of modern Bulgaria. There are three major stages of the development of the community. The first stage is the immergence of the community in the 17th c. and its development under Ottoman rule when Franciscan missionaries started converting the small religious...
This study explores the prevalence of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and related mental health issues among students at the American University in Bulgaria (AUBG) to advocate for the implementation of gatekeeper training programs. Through a mixed-methods approach involving quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, this research aims to assess the overall mental well-being of the...
Digital sphere is rapidly developing and new legal instruments emerge both in the United States and within the European Union. The new Artificial Intelligence Act, which is expected to be adopted in 2024, as well as the Artificial Intelligence Liability Directive both aim to address certain issues, which AI raises. 2023 was the year in which AI becomes an everyday tool for many people both in...
Early Chinese historians documented that the practices of the “Western Hu” referring to early Central and Inner Asians, did not align with Chinese customs. Recently, China has experienced dissatisfaction in its dealings with the Uyghurs, who are considered distant descendants of the Hu. The region inhabited by the Uyghurs has great political, economic, and demographic importance for the...
Abstract:
In this paper, I delve into the unique cultural phenomenon of burrnesha within Albanian tribal society, exploring its historical context, social significance, and implications for understanding gender dynamics. I examine how the burrnesha practice, rooted in the patriarchal and honor-based structure of Albanian tribal communities, challenges traditional binary notions of gender by...
The following paper aims to explore, analyze, and describe the main characteristics of the neutral Spanish language and the European Spanish language as used in the process of dubbing movies and TV series for the Spanish-speaking audience. The paper will talk about the well-established tradition of dubbing in Spain, the reason why dubbing films and TV series is so popular in Spain, and how the...
This project harnesses the power of machine learning to advance the predictive diagnosis of heart disease, a leading cause of morbidity worldwide. Utilizing a well-regarded dataset from the UCI Machine Learning Repository, I implement and compare the efficacy of K-means clustering and logistic regression algorithms to identify patterns and predictors of cardiovascular abnormalities. The...
*The Court of Miracles (Cour des Miracles), is a mark left by the past existence of a marginalized society of the poor, the sick and the criminals of medieval Paris, organized as a monarchic system, between the XVI and XVII century. Thanks to Victor Hugo’s renowned gothic novel “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”, today we are able to discover the no-longer existing Court of Miracles. The legend of...
Abstract
Using the theoretical framework of Robert M. Solow’s growth accounting, the paper examines the effects of the shadow economy on the growth of each factor of production and overall GDP per-capita for 44 countries from 1990 through 2018. The measurements for the size of the informal sector are obtained from Elgin et al. (2021). In particular, this paper relies mainly on the Dynamic...
Tariq Ibn Ziyad led an Amazigh–the indigenous people of North Africa–force that arrived on the coasts of al-Andalus in 711, initiating the invasion that would lead to the capture of much of Spain and the fall of the faltering Visigothic kingdom in a matter of months. Except for a small area in the northwest of the Peninsula, which is today known as Asturias, the Muslims were successful in...
This paper studies how integrated emerging Central Eastern European markets are with Western Europe and the US. The CEE countries under investigation are Hungary, Romania, Poland, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic. The variables I use are monthly log prices of national stock market indices and 10-year government bonds yields as proxies for long-term interest rates. The dataset covers the period...
This cross-disciplinary paper aims to explore the use of Data Science when it comes to the process of planning the development of cities across Spain and compare it to the one in other European countries. It will also base some of its arguments on the trends of the urbanization process in Spain and Europe. By examining various data-driven strategies and the importance of better planned cities,...
This paper investigates the extent to which monetary policy decisions by the European Central Bank affect non-Eurozone EU members, in comparison to the actions of domestic central banks. More specifically, it focuses on the countries that neither use the euro, nor is their currency pegged to it, i.e., Poland, Hungary, Czechia, Romania, and Sweden (which I refer to as ‘periphery countries’)....
Malainie O’Brien
Professor Konedareva
Introduction To Language And Culture Studies
11 April 2024
One Question, Many Answers: Who was La Malinche?
La Malinche was a Nahua woman who represents a wide array of values. What brought about this controversy was her work for Hernán Cortés, a Spanish conquistador. La Malinche acted as an interpreter between the indigenous communities and...
Global banks use their own internal risk models to determine their capital adequacy and loan loss provisions. However, these models are not always aligned with regulatory models, namely, the Bank for International Settlement (BIS) Basel III models. The banks ‘argument is that their internal models are far more robust. In this paper, I show how global banks’ internal models fare regarding...
Works of notable authors such as Ernest Hemingway (1940) remind us of the grim reality of the Spanish Civil War, presenting the complexities within the society. The captivating greatness of Spain contradicts its fragility when it comes to beliefs. Still, the literature of this period assures that the country has always evoked fascination in those fortunate enough to experience this colorful...
Academic research indicates that urban systems exhibit a population distribution adhering to a power law, when there is unrestricted labor mobility within the population. In theory, a parallel power law population distribution is expected for sub-populations experiencing full labor mobility. Given this, in the landscape of the European Union (EU), this study investigates the relationship...
Since his inauguration as the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party in 2012, Chinese politician Xi Jinping has been in the spotlight of international politics as the leader of one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. His appointment put him at the helm of a unitary one-party socialist republic, which has increased its international presence exponentially in the last couple...
During the 2018 Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Bulgarian government placed the integration of the Western Balkans into the European Union as one of its top priorities of its agenda. The GERB and United Patriots coalition government (2017-2021) had likely seen an opportunity for Bulgaria to assume an active role on the international scene through its promotion of...
This paper analyzes the determinants of non-performing loans (NPLs) and banking sector stability based on a panel data of 28 European countries during 2000 to 2019. We employ system GMM estimations and find that bank concentration and market power harm credit quality inducing more risk-taking at lower levels of bank competition, lending support for the competition-stability view. By contrast,...
Cost-effective AI-type applications have arrived with a vengeance. It appears that organizations worldwide are re-engineering their systems and processes to take advantage of the efficiencies and savings that can be provided by deploying such technology. Therefore, it could be argued that the positives regarding the performance/outcomes of employing AI-type technology are overwhelming....
*This research article aims to investigate the development of LGBTQ+ rights and the perception of Spanish society in the context of social and historical factors, from the time of Franco's dictatorship to the most recent adoption of the national law of "real and effective equality for trans people". Franco’s strict regime which pressured homosexuals through the 1970 Law on Social Danger and...
The project aims to show the high range of diversity of proverbs vocabulary in their multiple linguistic versions, and simultaneously, detect few proverbs which apply uniform vocabulary in the studied languages (Europe, Mediterranean and beyond). The study is not exhaustive, just the opposite, it is at a very initial, preliminary stage, but has the potential to grow into a broader and...
Abstract:
Topic: The evolution of a sustainability oriented student project - a journey on the nexus of academia and practice
Explanation:
The integration of sustainable entrepreneurship under the mentorship of Professor Evelina Van Mensel holds profound significance for our academic journey. It's not merely an academic pursuit but a practical necessity in addressing...
This paper examines the impact of the United States' recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara on other states' acceptance of Morocco's Autonomy Plan. The analysis draws on norm diffusion theory to explore whether US endorsement triggered a norm cascade, leading other countries to follow suit.
The paper begins with a background of the Western Sahara conflict, highlighting the...
The exhibition will take place in the AUBG Panitza Library.
The reign of Tsar Ivan III Vasilyevich, famously known as Ivan the Great, spanned from 1462 to 1505 and marks the beginning of Russian history as it is known today. Ivan III's "Gathering of Russian Lands" saw the expansion of Muscuvy through the absorption of surrounding principalities. It was under Ivan III that the Muscovite principality cut ties with the Mongols. Even in his personal...
