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Ma Shouzhen (1548-1604) was a cultured courtesan who lived in the famous pleasure quarter along the Qinhuai River in Nanjing, the southern capital of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). She was talented in dance and music, painting and poetry, and surprisingly for her time, she was also a playwright. Although she was a celebrity of the prolific Nanjing cultural milieu and there is a good corpus of extant material by and about her, the particular contribution of Ma Shouzhen - her character and her work - have been marginalised, or even neglected, by the previous scholarship. This thesis is a cross-disciplinary study of Ma Shouzhen and is the first in-depth scholarly investigation into the entirety of her activities. It employs material and methods traditionally pertaining to the disciplines of sinology, history, art history, literary and drama studies. The thesis has a dual aim: first, to provide a nuanced understanding of the courtesan, her cultural production and social practice; second, to reclaim the agency and legacy of her character within the cultural milieu of late Ming Nanjing and beyond. These aims will be achieved through two main research objectives: (1) recovering and re-evaluating visual and written sources by and about the courtesan; (2) investigating those sources in order to comprehend her modes of self-representation and strategies of self-fashioning, analysed especially through the lens of gender. The main body of the thesis is composed of an introduction, five core chapters, and an epilogue; the chapters are structured so as to provide as complete a picture of Ma Shouzhen as possible. Chapter Two explores the space of the pleasure quarter, Ma’s biography and its entwinement within the complexities of the historical moment. Chapter Three focuses on her painting, Chapter Four considers her poetry, and Chapter Five explores her theatre practice; Chapter Six extends the investigation to focus on the construction of Ma’s historical character in later decades. In its content and aims, this thesis contributes to women’s and gender history, as well as to studies in visual culture and literature.

Yeung, Ion Lam. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2013. / Includes bibliographical references. / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts also in Chinese.

En esta tesis se analiza la sociedad de Murcia en el siglo XVII a través de los procesos de producción, manufactura, comercialización y detracción fiscal de la seda, con las finalidades de explicar la movilidad y la reproducción social de las elites surgidas del comercio sedero, así como indagar en las circunstancias que posibilitaron o no la formación de una grupo social burgués. La seda contribuyó a la caracterización de la sociedad murciana como una formación económica y social que tiene como principio fundamental la perpetuación y la reproducción social. Sin embargo, en esta estructura social existían algunas posibilidades de mejorar la condición que se ocupaba en la misma. Los actores sociales actúan para mejorar y garantizar su posición en la sociedad, ésta es más importante que la posesión de bienes materiales; no obstante, la riqueza y las relaciones sociales son imprescindibles para la lucha individual y familiar por el honor. / The essential thesis is to analyse the Murcian society in the seventeenth century through the process of production, manufacture, commercialization and fiscal taxation of the silk. In the same way it has the purpose of explaining the social mobility and social reproduction of the elite which arose out of the silk trade, and doing research in the circumstances which made possible or did not the formation of a social middle class group, the bourgeoisie. The silk contributed to the characterization of the society of the seventeenth century as an economical and social formation that has the perpetuation and the social reproduction as fundamental principle. The social protagonists acts in order to improve and guarantee their position in the society, this one is more important than the possession of goods; nevertheless, the wealth and the social relations are essential for the individual and family fight to get the honour.

This study examined the schooling experiences of eleven graduates from the rural south of Egypt with primary community schools in Assiut. The study used individual interviews and focus groups to examine how community school graduates understood their experiences. The community schools were found to have removed previous obstacles of distance and cost. The quality of education that the students received allowed them to flourish in education rather than falter, and that was largely influenced by the quality of their relationship with their teachers. The students learned academic skills, as well as attitudes and dispositions that serve as cultural capital. They have more opportunities than before, yet also face significant challenges as they transition to the public system. The model of community schooling is also facing significant challenges as differences with the public schooling systems are exerting tension on the community school model to converge.

This study examined the schooling experiences of eleven graduates from the rural south of Egypt with primary community schools in Assiut. The study used individual interviews and focus groups to examine how community school graduates understood their experiences. The community schools were found to have removed previous obstacles of distance and cost. The quality of education that the students received allowed them to flourish in education rather than falter, and that was largely influenced by the quality of their relationship with their teachers. The students learned academic skills, as well as attitudes and dispositions that serve as cultural capital. They have more opportunities than before, yet also face significant challenges as they transition to the public system. The model of community schooling is also facing significant challenges as differences with the public schooling systems are exerting tension on the community school model to converge.

Les grandes villes du Sud s’étalent dans leurs périphéries, en grande partie non réglementaires, notamment en conséquence de l’incapacité de l’Etat à procurer un logement à l’ensemble de la population. Cette thèse restitue l’analyse d’un de ces quartiers irréguliers aux marges de la ville : le quartier de Cherarba dans le Sud-est de l’agglomération algéroise, à la porte de la Mitidja. La réflexion porte sur les pratiques et les représentations des populations et la façon dont elles pèsent sur les dynamiques de dé-marginalisation et/ou d’intégration socio-spatiale de ces quartiers populaires à la ville. Les activités économiques générées par les populations s’avèrent un vecteur déterminant permettant à ces quartiers irréguliers périphériques de s’intégrer dans l’ensemble de la dynamique socio-spatiale de la ville. Trois axes structurent la recherche ; nous verrons d’abord comment les habitants "ordinaires" sont des acteurs à part-entière dans la production de l’espace urbain, en agissant au cœur même de ces transformations, à travers des stratégies résidentielles et économiques. Ensuite le regard se focalisera sur l'étude des interdépendances des territoires marginalisés avec la ville. L'examen des pratiques des populations devra permettre ici de mettre en évidence les modes d'effacement des frontières, d'imbrication et d'interactions à l'ensemble de la ville, particulièrement par le biais des dynamiques économiques. Le cœur de la réflexion concernera l'émergence d'une véritable polarité urbaine, formidable vecteur d'intégration. Enfin, l'analyse portera sur les pratiques et les représentations des populations, en mettant en évidence les formes de sociabilités et de solidarités, les ressources et les réseaux sociaux au sein et en dehors du quartier et les significations sociales qu'il recouvre. Le dévoilement de ces processus de recomposition urbaine bouscule les a priori entretenus sur ces périphéries stigmatisées et considérées comme des non-villes et conduit à une nouvelle approche de la réalité urbaine, modifiant les perceptions sociales négatives qui affectent cet « urbanisme d'émanation populaire ». / The big cities of the South spread out in their peripheries, largely not statutory, in particular as a result of the incapacity of the State to get an accommodation to the whole population. This thesis restores the analysis of one of these irregular districts to the margins of the city: the district of Cherarba in the Southeast of the urban area from Algiers, in the door of Mitidja. The reflection concerns the practices and the representations of the populations and the way they weigh on the dynamics of die-marginalization and/or sociospatial integration of these popular districts in the city. Economic activities generated by the populations turn out a determining vector allowing these peripheral irregular districts to become integrated in the whole of the socio-spatial dynamics of the city. Three axes structure the search; we shall see at first how the "ordinary" inhabitants are actors to whole part in the production of the urban space, by acting in the heart of these transformations, through residential and economic strategies. Then the look will focus on the study of the interdependences of territories marginalized with the city. The examination of the practices of the populations will have to make it possible here to highlight the modes of obliteration of the borders, overlap and interactions to the town suit, particularly by the means as of economic dynamics. The heart of the reflection will relate to the emergence of a true urban polarity, formidable vector of integration. Finally, the analysis will concern the practices and the representations of the populations, by highlighting the forms of sociability and solidarities, the resources and the social networks in the breast and except the district and the social meanings which it recovers. The unveiling of these processes of urban reorganization pushes aside prejudice maintained on these peripheries stigmatized and considered non-cities and leads to a new approach of the urban reality, modifying the negative social perceptions which affect this « town planning of popular emanation ».

This thesis is on the Turkish-speaking community, comprising Turkish-Cypriots, Turks from Turkey, and Kurds from Turkey, and ethnic community football in London, which has been conceptualised as a transnational social field. It is intended as a contribution in the debates on the growing importance of issues of diasporic communities, their identity politics, and cultural integration in a context of ‘super-diversity’. There are three major analytical themes. The first is transnational diaspora politics, which is redefined to comprise any relationship of power or interest by mobilising diasporic connections. I argue that the Turkish-speaking community uses ethnic football as a means for communal mobilisation around and representation of their ethnic identity in the public space of London, a city of unique political-economic and symbolic significance for the Cyprus Conflict which helped create the Turkish and Greek Cypriot football leagues in London. I show that the Turkish-speaking community has ever since used football to create and maintain a bridge between London and all the different locations of the community including Cyprus, Turkey, Germany, and beyond. The second major theme is collective identities and how they are (re)produced, represented, and manifested in the diaspora. I argue that the nature of the field of ethnic football as a familiar, open, and welcoming space conveniently positioned between the Turkish-speaking private sphere and the British/Londoner public space has been a major factor accounting for the effectiveness of various identity projects to be pursued within this field. Lastly, after presenting the historical link between modern competitive sports and masculinity, I claim that the one defining aspect of all the ethnic identities reproduced within the field is their masculine character. The last analytical theme is the cultural integration of immigrant communities. Without adopting a normative definition of cultural integration, I have considered the implications of involvement in ethnic community football in terms of belonging, social inclusion, marginalisation, and the psychological development and well-being of the individuals involved. The presented and analysed discussion rejects any automatic causal link between involvement in sports and integration or that involvement in mono-ethnic sporting organisations and segregation. Having reviewed a few exemplary organisations, which used football for integration purposes, and the nature of the ethnic community leagues, I have also argued in this thesis that the field of ethnic community football, again due to its specific nature, structure, and position between the private and public spaces, offers a great potential to be engaged by local and national governments in the service of integration policies.

L’agriculture et le secteur rural jouent un rôle primordial dans le processus de développement des pays à base agricole. Cett efonction ne peut être assurée qu’à l’aide de politiques publiques qui tiennent compte de la diversité et de la complexité desmilieux ruraux. Le préalable est donc d’avoir des connaissances approfondies de chaque contexte et des dynamiques qui ysont en cours. Ce travail propose alors d’analyser, dans une perspective microéconomique, les relations entre structurationsociale des milieux ruraux et transformation structurelle avec une application à Madagascar, dans la région d’Itasy. La class ede la Petite Prospérité, qui est une adaptation de la notion de classe moyenne en milieu rural pauvre, est alors utilisée commegrille d’analyse. A cette fin, la première étape de recherche consiste en une construction conceptuelle, théorique etméthodologique de la classe de la Petite Prospérité en mobilisant le cadre conceptuel des moyens d’existence ruraux afin deproduire un cadre d’analyse opérationnel. Dans un second temps, le cadre défini est mis en oeuvre dans la stratificationmultidimensionnelle de l’espace social en Itasy à l’aide d’une méthode de classification mixte sur des données quantitativesde 2008. Cette étape permet de mettre en évidence les différentes classes sociales et de Petites Prospérités en Itasy quireflètent l’hétérogénéité de la nature et de l’efficacité des moyens d’existence des ménages ruraux. Dans une troisième étape ,une analyse dynamique des groupes de Petites Prospérités est menée à l’aide de la combinaison de méthodes quantitatives etqualitatives sur une période d’observation longue. Plusieurs trajectoires associées aux différentes classes sont observées etpermettent de comprendre les processus de construction et de transformation des organisations productives familiales enItasy. La dernière étape du travail traite la problématique spécifique de la demande de crédit et de l’adéquation de l’offre surle marché financier en Itasy. Il apparait une forte segmentation de la demande de financement en fonction des groupessociaux et la difficulté de l’offre disponible à satisfaire leurs besoins, malgré l’existence de produits innovants. Des politiquesinclusives et adaptées à chaque classe de ménages s’avèrent donc nécessaires pour assurer un processus de transformationstructurelle rapide et harmonieux en Itasy. / Agriculture and rural sector play a key role in the development process of agriculture-based countries. This function can beensured only by public policy that takes into account the diversity and complexity of rural areas. It is therefore essential todeepen the knowledge of each context and the ongoing dynamics. This study introduces an analysis of the relationshipsbetween rural social structure and structural transformation through a microeconomic perspective, with an application inMadagascar, in the Itasy region. Specifically, the Moderate Prosperty class, which is an adaptation of the middle class notionto poor rural areas, is used as an analytical framework. To this end, the first step aims to conduct a conceptual, theoretical andmethodological construction of the Moderate Prosperity notion by using the rural livelihoods framework and provides anoperational conceptual framework. Second, the conceptual framework, thus defined, is used to implement a multidimensionalstratification of the social space in Itasy by conducting a classification method on quantitative data dating from 2008. Thisstep aims to define the various Moderate Prosperity and social classes that reflect the heterogeneity of the nature andprofitability of the rural households’ livelihoods. Third, a dynamic analysis of the Moderate Prosperity groups is conductedby combining quantitative with qualitative methods based on a longer observation period. Several trajectories linked to thevarious classes can be observed. They allow us to understand the construction and transformation process of the familyproductive organizations in Itasy. The last step uses the Moderate Prosperity framework to study the specific issue of thecredit demand and the supply adequacy on the financial market in Itasy. It appears that the financing demand is highlysegmented according to the social groups and the available supply cannot meet their financing needs, despite the existence ofinnovative products. Inclusive policies that are adapted to each household profile are therefore necessary to ensure a rapidand harmonious structural transformation in Itasy.

<p>This study examines the extent to which transit may be able to assist with the upward mobility of low-income groups, specifically those making less than a living wage. Previous studies relating to job accessibility have examined the feasibility of reaching jobs using various modes of transportation, and some have factored educational requirements into the attainability of those jobs. However, no studies thus far have attempted to determine transit accessibility to jobs that can facilitate and enable upward mobility for low-income households. Employment data relevant to the labor force of Marion County, Indiana, is used to determine the earnings (mainly wages or salaries) associated with occupations, and which occupations require no more than a high school education. Those occupations are then paired with the various industries they are found in, and the earnings belonging to the industry’s highest-earning occupation is associated with that industry. The median household incomes of low-income Census block groups (CBGs) are then compared to the earnings of each transit-accessible industry to evaluate whether those earnings are large enough to induce upward mobility for those living in the CBGs. Bus routes and bus stops for the local transit system (IndyGo) along with workplace locations are mapped in ArcGIS to assess the low-income population’s accessibility to workplaces belonging to a select group of industries. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Bus routes that serve both downtown Indianapolis and low-income CBGs were found to provide people living in those CBGs with access to some of the most lucrative jobs, particularly those found in the <i>Finance and Insurance</i> industries. Over half of Indianapolis’ transit-accessible industries have earnings amounts large enough to induce upward mobility for those living in all the low-income CBGs; this corresponds to 6,748 unique workplaces. Findings from this study suggest that low-income people would benefit from having access to transit routes that serve downtowns and other areas with high concentrations of white-collar jobs. Low-income Indianapolis residents informed of this study’s results may be motivated to explore the possibilities for better-paying jobs accessible to them by transit. Furthermore, methods used in this study can help in ranking different transit routes for accessibility to workplaces conducive to upward mobility. The rankings can be updated periodically to assist in addressing equity goals for transit planning.</p>