Anti-PARVA monoclonal antibody, clone 4D4

In 1965, N. Elias and J. Scotson carried out a research about the English town of Winston Parva, which has slowly become classical. In that study, they examine figurations on the social borders between those who lived in a territory and those who arrived later, focusing on the insecurity caused by the most recent neighbors. From that situation, they seek to isolate a configuration that could be translate into a model to be used to analyze similar situations. With this aim in view, in this research two other case studies are triangulated, involving the towns of Magdalena, Manaos (Brazil), and Valderas, Montevideo (Uruguay). Both present similarities and certain differences with Winston Parva, which acknowledges the paradigmatic character and the actuality of Elias' work. But the cases analyzed in this research, present an additional element: organized neighbors build a material division between the groups - a wall, a gate-. This radicalization regarding Winston Parva takes the issue to the edge inviting us to deepen into two ethical and political discussions: the moments where talking becomes impossible and the mystical foundation of authority in those decisions. That shows that segregation between new "marginalized" and "established" more prosperous is a dispute that only causes victims, of different types.

Fish introductions, particularly in areas of high biological diversity and endemism, represent a major threat for biodiversity. In the Balkan Peninsula, 60 fish species have been introduced to date, of which 36 have become naturalized in inland waters. Since the Balkans are one of the world's 35 biodiversity hot spots, this large presence of alien fish species poses a serious threat for the stability of freshwater ecosystems and the survival of the native ichthyofauna and of aquatic biodiversity in general. The motivation for the introductions, and the historical timeline, varies among the Balkan states. Despite recent attempts to implement and align legislation aimed at preventing the introduction of potentially invasive species, and the implementation of rigorous controls of introductions and increased protection of open waters, the majority of current introductions remain intentional, primarily via aquaculture. This review article provides a historical overview of freshwater fish introductions, the motivation behind them and the current distribution of alien freshwater fishes in the Balkans. The ecological implications and future perspectives concerning alien fish species in the region are also discussed.