We raise the problem of the minorities' survival in the presence of positive network externalities. We rely on the example of thematic clubs to illustrate why and in which circumstances such survival problems might appear, …rst considering the case of simple network externalities and then the case of cross network externalities. Sonnac and Skerdilajda Zanaj for their comments and suggestions.

We consider whether Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries are mainly poor because they are governed worse than other countries, as suggested by recent studies on the supremacy of institutions. Our empirical results show that the supremacy of institutions does not hold. SSA countries appear to face specific development problems in addition to weak institutions. Given their geographic and economic ...

human love, which in sufism and its critics’ expression usually appears in the phrase “virtual love”, is one of the most challenging concepts in islamic mysticism. the primacy of ruzbihan in this arena is in view of the fact that he declines to use the common phrase “virtual love” and instead he uses “human love”. he also emphasizes that experiencing of human love is inevitable for achievement ...

secular ethics – which is known as the de-religionized, human, or conventional ethics – contrasts the religious and divine ethics. its roots are in humanistic thought that adapts itself to the needs and the direction of the society. therefore, the contraction and dilation of secular ethics will be unstable, gradual, and accidental. moreover, it is not possible to expect this thought system to p...