Regularities in the word give rise to regularities in the way which we deal with the world. That is to say, we fall into routines. I have been studying the phenomena of routinization, the process by which institutionalized patterns of interaction with the world arise and evolve in everyday life. Underlying this evolution is a dialectical process of internalization. First you build a model of some previously unarticulated emergent aspect of an existing routine. Armed with an incrementally more global view of interaction, you can often formulate an incrementally better informed plan of attack. A routine is not a plan in the sense of the classical planning literature, except in the theoretical limit of this process. I am implementing this theory using running arguments, a technique for writing rule-based programs for intelligent agents. Because a running argument is compiled into TMS networks as it proceeds, incremental changes in the world require only incremental recomputation of the reasoning about what actions to take next. The system supports a style of programming, dialectival argumentation that had many important properties that recommend it as a substrate for large AI systems. One of these might be called additivity: an agent can modify its reasoning in a class of situations by adducing arguments as to why its previous arguments were incorrect in those cases. Because no side-effects are ever required, reflexive systems based on dialectical argumentation ought to be less fragile than intuition and experience suggest. I outline the remaining implementation problems.

Despite considerable efforts, the disproportionate representation of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in special education programs remains among the most persistent problems in the field of education. Using data from Texas' public school districts, this study examined the relationships between a set of school districts' sociodemographic variables on the proportion of students identified with LEP and students identified as economically disadvantaged served in special education programs. Results indicate a strong association between the sociodemographic variables examined and the overrepresentation of these two student populations in special education programs. In addition, a logistic regression analysis revealed that including the statewide geographic region where a school district resides as a variable was a significantly better model than examining only sociodemographic characteristics. Findings indicate that knowing a school district's sociodemographic characteristics is important in determining the likelihood of students being identify as needing special education services but it is important to note that the impact of the sociodemographic characteristics differs by statewide geographic region. Recommendations for policy, practice, and research are discussed.

In its annual report, "How Are We Doing?", British Columbia's Ministry of Education assesses Aboriginal students' participation and graduation rates, both of which have been consistently below those of non-Aboriginal students. In addressing the question, "How are we doing?", this thesis examines the visual images and representations of Aboriginal peoples in British Columbia's secondary Social Studies textbooks as well as the Aboriginal programs offered in the Surrey School District. The implications affect both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students as the study hopes to encourage and improve cross-cultural responsiveness between and among them and to promote public discourse in the education for and of Aboriginal peoples. Negative portrayals and representations of Aboriginal peoples were common in textbooks of the past as documented by various studies. In reviewing the Surrey School District's currently recommended Social Studies textbooks, four main concerns continue to exist and persist: Aboriginal peoples continue to be marginalized, essentialized, seen as a problem, and decontextualized. However, one of the ministry's approved courses, BC First Nations Studies 12, attempts to address these inequities. Its recommended textbook is based on Aboriginal knowledge and epistemology, empowering and giving voice to Aboriginal peoples. Through the interviews of eight educators who assist Aboriginal students in the Surrey School District, this study offers some of their insights to improve student "success". Aboriginal students need to accept and embrace their identity, not only to build their self-esteem but also to honour their own cultures. Educators need to redefine "success" beyond academic achievement to include Aboriginal knowledge and epistemology within their teaching and evaluating practices and become more cognizant of and sensitive to the challenges and triumphs of their students, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal. Universities need to re-address the training of future educators to include Aboriginal issues in order for them to gain greater historical understanding and, in turn, empathy and compassion. These practical initiatives reflect the progress and movement in addressing the challenges and hopes of Aboriginal peoples in their journey toward real self-determination and decolonization.

This thesis is an analysis of the representations of Deaf identity in a major English Canadian newspaper, the Toronto Star. A qualitative case-based discourse analysis was used to examine a documented interaction between the Toronto Star and eleven Deaf community leaders and allies. This research found that the most frequent use of ‘deaf’ is metaphorical and of the non-metaphorical uses, ‘Deaf’ identity is predominantly constructed from a pathological paradigm. The findings of this research provide a valuable perspective from a non-dominate cultural group, the Canadian Deaf community, on the representation of Deaf identity in mainstream print news media. It also makes linkages between the representations of Deaf identity and the experiences of these representations by Deaf people, and links the perspectives of this cultural group to the broader body of research related to minority identity negotiation in mainstream media.

Positivity of polynomials, as a key notion in real algebra, is one of the oldest topics. In a given context, some polynomials can be represented in a form that reveals their positivity immediately, like sums of squares. A large body of literature deals with the question which positive polynomials can be represented in such a way.<p>The milestone in this development was Schm"udgen's solution of the moment problem for compact semi-algebraic sets. In 1991, Schm"udgen proved that if the associated basic closed semi-algebraic set $K_{S}$ is compact, then any polynomial which is strictly positive on $K_{S}$ is contained in the preordering $T_{S}$.<p>Putinar considered a further question: when are `linear representations' possible? He provided the first step in answering this question himself in 1993. Putinar proved if the quadratic module $M_{S}$ is archimedean, any polynomial which is strictly positive on $K_{S}$ is contained in $M_{S}$, i.e., has a linear representation.<p>In the present thesis, we concentrate on the linear representations in the one variable polynomial ring. We first investigate the relationship of the two conditions in Schm"udgen's Theorem and Putinar's Criterion: $K_{S}$ compact and $M_{S}$ archimedean. They are actually equivalent. We find another proof for this result and hereby we can improve Schm"udgen's Theorem in the one variable case.<p>Secondly, we investigate the relationship of $M_{S}$ and $T_{S}$. We use elementary arguments to prove in the one variable case when $K_{S}$ is compact, they are equal.<p>Thirdly, we present Scheiderer's Main Theorem with a detailed proof. Scheiderer established a local-global principle for the polynomials non-negative on $K_{S}$ to be contained in $M_{S}$ in 2003. This principle which we call Scheiderer's Main Theorem here extends Putinar's Criterion.<p>Finally, we consider Scheiderer's Main Theorem in the one variable case, and give a simplified version of this theorem. We also apply this Simple Version of the Main Theorem to give some elementary proofs for existing results.

I denna uppsats analyseras realityserierna Rebecca &amp; Fiona samt Danne &amp; Bleckan med syftet att undersöka hur några av de geografiska platser, så som städer, orter och stadsdelar, där dessa serier utspelar sig är representerade. Bägge serierna är gjorda av produktionsbolaget Art89 för SVTs webbkanal SVT-play och sändes mellan 2010 och 2012.De områden som tas upp i analysen är Hornstull, Östermalm, Örebro samt Östberga i Rebecca &amp; Fiona, och Högdalen samt Henriksdalsberget i Danne &amp; Bleckan. Som metod har vi använt en kombination av semiotisk och narrativ analys. Med hjälp av detta har vi tittat på hur serierna konstruerats narratologiskt och vad som konnoteras från det man får se och höra. Detta har gjorts med fokus på de olika områden som serierna i huvudsak utspelar sig i, återkommer till under seriens gång eller får betydelsebärande roll i serien.Uppsatsen utgår från teorier kring genren reality, dess relation med dokumentär film och problematiken kring det sanningsanspråk som finns inom dessa. Vi använder oss även av teorier kring representation, kultur och identitet. Detta för att kunna reflektera kring hur områdens representation bygger på den annorlundahet som finns inom olika kulturer och identiteter.Som jämförelse mot tidigare forskning har vi tittat på rapporten Miljonprogram &amp; Media från 2002 där man har undersökt mediebevakningen kring ett par förorter kring Stockholm sedan 1960-talet. Resultat blev att man har skapat en andrefiering kring människorna och livet i dessa förorter genom att utgå från en normalisering kring “svenskhet”.Resultatet i denna uppsats liknar till viss denna rapport när det kommer till representationen av framförallt Högdalen. Bägge serierna ger en generell bild av att livet för människor är mer avvikande och problematiskt desto längre ifrån de centrala delarna i en större stad man kommer. Serierna skiljer sig åt i att Danne &amp; Bleckan blir mer diskuterande om synen på områdena än vad Rebecca &amp; Fiona är. Den senare utgår nästan uteslutande från huvudkaraktärernas egna åsikter vilket resulterar i att sanningsanspråket som kommer med genren blir den som uttrycks av två subjekt.

Positivity of polynomials, as a key notion in real algebra, is one of the oldest topics. In a given context, some polynomials can be represented in a form that reveals their positivity immediately, like sums of squares. A large body of literature deals with the question which positive polynomials can be represented in such a way.<p>The milestone in this development was Schm"udgen's solution of the moment problem for compact semi-algebraic sets. In 1991, Schm"udgen proved that if the associated basic closed semi-algebraic set $K_{S}$ is compact, then any polynomial which is strictly positive on $K_{S}$ is contained in the preordering $T_{S}$.<p>Putinar considered a further question: when are `linear representations' possible? He provided the first step in answering this question himself in 1993. Putinar proved if the quadratic module $M_{S}$ is archimedean, any polynomial which is strictly positive on $K_{S}$ is contained in $M_{S}$, i.e., has a linear representation.<p>In the present thesis, we concentrate on the linear representations in the one variable polynomial ring. We first investigate the relationship of the two conditions in Schm"udgen's Theorem and Putinar's Criterion: $K_{S}$ compact and $M_{S}$ archimedean. They are actually equivalent. We find another proof for this result and hereby we can improve Schm"udgen's Theorem in the one variable case.<p>Secondly, we investigate the relationship of $M_{S}$ and $T_{S}$. We use elementary arguments to prove in the one variable case when $K_{S}$ is compact, they are equal.<p>Thirdly, we present Scheiderer's Main Theorem with a detailed proof. Scheiderer established a local-global principle for the polynomials non-negative on $K_{S}$ to be contained in $M_{S}$ in 2003. This principle which we call Scheiderer's Main Theorem here extends Putinar's Criterion.<p>Finally, we consider Scheiderer's Main Theorem in the one variable case, and give a simplified version of this theorem. We also apply this Simple Version of the Main Theorem to give some elementary proofs for existing results.

I uppsatsen analyseras representationen av romsk etnicitet i de amerikanska filmerna Dracula (1931, Browning), Thinner (1996, Holland), Drag Me To Hell (2009, Raimi), Draculas Son (1943, Siodmak) och Varulven (1941, Waggner) samt afroamerikansk etnicitet i Night of the Living Dead (1968, Romero), De Fördömdas Drottning (2002, Rymer), Draculas Son och Svart Mystik (1943, Tourneur). Syftet med uppsatsen är att blottlägga representationen av icke-amerikanska etniciteter genom analys av handling och bildspråk, samt jämföra framställningen med respresentationen av de amerikanska karaktärerna i valda filmer. Målet var att undersöka och kritiskt granska stereotypa bilder. Metoden vilar på en personlig, hermeneutisk tolkning av forskningsobjekten där den egna upplevelsen av filmerna står i centrum. Jag har även använt mig av intersektionalitet för att täcka alla identitetsskapande aspekter så som genus, etnicitet, religion, sexualitet med mera. Forskningen är av kritisk sort och influerad av Frankfurterskolans kritiska tankegångar där man anser att åskådaren blir påverkad av filmens ideologi. Den sista metoden är diskursanalysen inom vilken man anser att språket är bärare av ideologi och för att förstå samt genomskåda verket måste man blottlägga denna. Slutsatsen jag har dragit är att romska karaktärer inte porträtteras mångsidigt eller rättvist. Enligt de flesta filmerna är de en utstött grupp som inte fungerar i det amerikanska samhället. Deras påstådda kunskaper i svart magi gör dem till protagonistens ärkefiende. Representationerna utstrålar rädsla och hat. Den vita huvudpersonen står för normen och publiken nekas identifikation med någon annan grupp. De afroamerikanska karaktärerna är däremot inte lika ensidiga – två av filmerna har en negativ och stereotyp syn på gruppen medan Night of the Living Dead har en afroamerikansk protagonist. Man kan även se att gruppen inte anklagas för att vara fiender lika ofta som romska karaktärer.

Throughout its history, the American film industry has produced films about women and for women, and three distinct phases may be identified within it: the “woman’s film,” the “new” woman’s film, and the “chick flick.” I assert that the recurring themes and images within the films operate as a mythic framework that intuitively resonates with audiences. In this thesis, I argue that despite seeming progress, women in film remain constrained by traditional mythic archetypes. As mediated images influence the culture, archetypal images of women in film potentially further constrain women’s social progress. This study explores feminine mythic archetypes in films from each phase and demonstrates that first, the era of the woman’s film presents traditional archetypes such as the Mother and the Wife; second, representation becomes more progressive in the new woman’s film of the 1970s through the influence of the women’s movement; third, representations regressed in the chick flick with the onset of postfeminism in the late 1980s; and finally, through the rhetorical function of myth, the films serve a persuasive and explanatory function for audiences.

A central question in racial and ethnic politics is whether bureaucratic representation benefits minorities. The theory of bureaucratic representation suggests that passive representation—representatives sharing characteristics of the represented—can lead to active representation—acting in a manner that represents the interests of the represented group. A growing body of empirical research has found that bureaucratic representation leads to improved policy outcomes for minorities. Most of the evidence for active representation, though, comes from representation by street-level bureaucrats. We do not know the impact of representation by upper-level bureaucrats, however. In this dissertation, I examine the impact of school superintendents on the generation and distribution of resources to English language learner programs. In particular, I investigate whether the presence of Latino superintendents leads to greater resources for these programs. Additionally, I also explore the impact of these programs on the Latino dropout rate. Using data from the Texas Education Agency, U.S. Census, and National Association of Latino Elected Officials, I find that upper-level bureaucrats do actively represent the needs of represented groups. Specifically, Latino superintendents distribute more resources, in the form of teachers, to English language learner (ELL) programs. Additionally, Latino superintendents are more likely to distribute resources to bilingual programs relative to English as a second language programs. In regard to the impact of different types of ELL programs, I do not find evidence that program type predicts Latino dropout rates. However, I do find that serving the needs of limited English proficient students, regardless of program type, helps to decrease the Latino dropout rate.