The structure of this thesis is as follows: In the context of the study area of the Slovenský Raj National Park, section 2 looks into the process of institutional change in the CEE from the ex-post analysis. The ex-post institutional analysis helps to understand how the present came about and how the future might develop. In order to understand the process of the institutional change, this section highlights the importance and necessity of assuming the existence of previous institutions and the influence of this interaction on the durability and stability of new institutional forms. In search for driving forces behind and 15 barriers to sustainable development, Section 3 focuses on the current capacity of the study area to deal with slow and imperceptible changes in the circumstances of the transition countries. Special attention is paid to the concept of robustness, which plays an important role in the context of CEE, more precisely in the area of the SRNAP, where the economic and political transition process has been followed by an increased tourist inflow to the National Park and consequent slow environmental changes, without adequate strategies and considerable societal response. Analysing current situation of the study area helps to identify potential problems and understand what changes and innovation in the current conditions are needed to ensure sustainable development. By applying multi-criteria evaluation, section 4 explores different options with regard to tourism development in the study area and the necessary changes in the institutional arrangements in relation to these options. By analysing the process of institutional building from different time perspectives section 5 (conclusions) illustrates the driving forces behind and barriers of the study area towards robust and sustainable rural development and describes some policy implications.

Public health guidelines for (leisure time) physical activity evolved in the United States from scientific research which began in Britain and spread to North America during the second half of the 20th Century. This dissertation examines the guidelines' scientific and social construction. Research questions centre upon what has become known as the 'threshold-intensity vs volume-energy expenditure debate': Is a minimum intensity of physical activity necessary to achieve significant beneficial health outcomes? Or can that effective 'dose' be achieved by accumulating a sufficient total volume of expenditure (kcals) -- regardless of its intensity? The research questions are: 1. Why were public health guidelines switched from a focus upon vigorous intensity to moderate intensity, and was the science base sufficiently sound and uncontested to justify that switch on scientific (and social scientific) grounds? 2. Why were the guidelines so focused on cardiovascular disease (CVD) to the relative exclusion of other health outcomes? 3. Did a small, influential group of investigators play a disproportionate (anomalous) role in shaping the 1996 US Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health? Conclusions: The US Surgeon General's Report switched public health focus from vigorous to moderate intensity activities on a proclaimed 'emerging consensus' of scientific evidence. However, the science base remained complex and contested. This 'consensus' was, in large measure, socially constructed by a small group of investigators who had gained influence within the American Heart Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, and then the very taskforce selected to write the Report. This dissertation explores a new and relevant area of 'Regulatory Science' given current interest in sedentary lifestyles and illness, not least cardiovascular disease and obesity. Anomalies in scientific interpretation and policy making arose not from financial considerations, but primarily from motives of altruism and professional status.

My thesis, a theoretical-based work, concerns the effects of globalisation and tourism in context of Thailand, which the selected case studies are Damnoen Saduak and Pattaya Floating Markets. I particularly look at Baudrillard's theory to investigate to what extent his concept fits in context of Thailand. Also, my work uses Baudrillard's theory to study and conceptualise the effects of globalisation on Thailand's tourism.

O ruído faz-se cada vez mais onipresente no cotidiano de toda sociedade e a exposição continuada a elevados Níveis de Pressão Sonora (NPS), dentre outros danos, pode originar uma Perda Auditiva Induzida por Níveis de Pressão Sonora Elevados (PAINPSE): lesão auditiva irreversível, que interfere na qualidade de vida do sujeito acometido, podendo ser ocasionada tanto pela exposição ocupacional, quanto pela não ocupacional. E, o ginásio de esportes figura como um ambiente propício à exposição de tal natureza, onde coexistem esses dois tipos. A proposição deste estudo foi investigar a exposição sonora e a saúde auditiva de esportistas e não esportistas que frequentam ginásios de esportes. Participaram deste, 25 indivíduos frequentadores de um ginásio de esportes, divididos em três grupos: nove jogadores (G I), oito integrantes do público (G II) e oito funcionários do local (G III). Todos foram submetidos ao questionário específico e às avaliações auditivas (Imitanciometria, Audiometria Tonal Liminar AT-AC e de Altas Frequências AT-AF) e, além disso, foram obtidas em dois momentos (jogo oficial e jogo treino), mensurações de intensidade sonora no ginásio. Como resultados, tais mensurações no jogo oficial variaram de 73,3 e 112 dBNPS(A) e no jogo treino, de entre 70,8 e 100,1 dBNPS(A). Ao questionário específico, os sintomas auditivos mais referidos foram otalgia (55,6% do GI), zumbido (37,5% do GII) e hiperacusia (37,5% do GIII); para os não auditivos, obtiveram maiores prevalências cefaleia (44,4% GI), e alteração do sono (50% do GII e 37,5% do GIII); após exposição a elevados NPS, o sintoma auditivo mais referido foi hiperacusia (25% do GII e do GIII); para os não auditivos, obtiveram maiores prevalências alteração do sono (66,7% do GI) e cefaleia (50% do GII). Nas avaliações auditivas, a imitanciometria indicou a curva timpanométrica do Tipo A como mais recorrente (100% OD e OE no GI; 62,5% OD e 87,5% OE no GII; 75% OD e 87,5% OE no GIII) e o GI foi o único que obteve 100% de presença de reflexos ipsilaterais (bilateralmente) e contralaterais com aferência em OD; a AT-AC apontou a frequência de 6 kHz como a mais acometida, bilateralmente. Na comparação entre médias tritonais (0,5, 1 e 2 kHz com 3, 4 e 6 kHz), houve diferença estatisticamente significante apenas no GIII, em OE; a AT-AF apontou as frequências de 12,5 kHz na OD e 14 kHz na OE como as mais acometidas. Na comparação entre as médias dos limiares entre os três grupos, houve diferença estatisticamente significante apenas para as frequências de 11,2 e 12,5 kHz. Evidenciou-se que na mensuração do NPS, para todos os pontos e em ambos momentos, foram obtidos valores que ultrapassaram os estabelecidos em pelo menos uma das normas utilizadas neste estudo. Para G II e G III, verifica-se ainda o indício de comprometimento de células ciliadas externas, retratado pela normalidade das médias dos limiares tonais convencionais, acompanhada de ausência de respostas na AT-AF. Nesse sentido, destaca-se como relevante a adoção de medidas que viabilizem a conservação da saúde auditiva dos frequentadores do ambiente esportivo ginásio de esportes. / Noise has become more and more omnipresent in the routine of society and the continued exposure to elevated Sound Pressure Levels (SPL), among other damages, may cause Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL): an irreversible hearing damage, which interferes in the subjects quality of life, and is caused both by occupational exposure and by non-occupational exposure. The gyms configures a propitious environment to exposures of such nature, where these two types coexist. The purpose of this study was to investigate the sound exposure and the hearing care of sports players and non sports players who attend gyms. 25 individuals, attendees of gym, participated of this study: nine players (G I), eight publics members (G II) and eight gyms employees (G III). All of them were subject to the specific questionnaire and to the hearing evaluations (Immitanciometry, Pure Tone Audiometry, and High-Frequency Audiometry) and, besides, two sound intensity measurements were obtained in the gym (official game and training game). The results indicate that such measurements in the official game varied from 73,3 to 112 dBSPL(A) and in the training game, from 70,8 to 100,1 dBSPL(A). According to the specific questionnaire the most felt hearing symptoms were otalgy (55,6% of G I), tinnitus (37,5% of G III); in the non-hearing symptoms the most frequent were headaches ( 44,4% of G I) and sleeping alteration ( 50% of G II and 37,5% of G III); after exposure to elevated SPL, the most mentioned hearing symptom was hyperacusis (25% of GII and G III); in the non-hearing symptoms prevailed sleeping alteration (66,7% of GI) and headache (50% of GII). In the hearing evaluations, the Immitanciometry indicated the tympanometric curve of the Type A as more recurrent (100% RE and LE in GI; 62,5% RE and 87,5% LE in GII; 75% RE and 87,5 LE in GIII) and the GI was the only one that obtained 100% presence of ipsilateral reflexes (bilaterally) and contralateral with RE checking, the PTA pointed the frequency of 6khz as the most affected, bilaterally. In the comparison between tritonal averages (0,5, 1 and 2 kHz with 3, 4 and 6 kHz) there was a statistically significant difference only in the GIII, in LE; the HFA pointed the frequencies of 12,5 kHz in the RE and 14kHz in the LE as the most affected. In the averages comparison between the threshold of the three groups, there were a significant statistically difference only to the frequencies of 11,2 and 12,5 kHz. It was evident that in the measuring of SPL, to all the points and in both moments, there were obtained values that exceeded the established in at least one of the norms used in this study. To GII and GII there was also verified the impairment of external ciliated cells, portrayed by the normality conventional tonal thresholds, followed by the absence of answers in the HFA. In this sense, we highlight the relevance of adopting measures that make the conservation of the gym attendees hearing health possible.

O ruído faz-se cada vez mais onipresente no cotidiano de toda sociedade e a exposição continuada a elevados Níveis de Pressão Sonora (NPS), dentre outros danos, pode originar uma Perda Auditiva Induzida por Níveis de Pressão Sonora Elevados (PAINPSE): lesão auditiva irreversível, que interfere na qualidade de vida do sujeito acometido, podendo ser ocasionada tanto pela exposição ocupacional, quanto pela não ocupacional. E, o ginásio de esportes figura como um ambiente propício à exposição de tal natureza, onde coexistem esses dois tipos. A proposição deste estudo foi investigar a exposição sonora e a saúde auditiva de esportistas e não esportistas que frequentam ginásios de esportes. Participaram deste, 25 indivíduos frequentadores de um ginásio de esportes, divididos em três grupos: nove jogadores (G I), oito integrantes do público (G II) e oito funcionários do local (G III). Todos foram submetidos ao questionário específico e às avaliações auditivas (Imitanciometria, Audiometria Tonal Liminar AT-AC e de Altas Frequências AT-AF) e, além disso, foram obtidas em dois momentos (jogo oficial e jogo treino), mensurações de intensidade sonora no ginásio. Como resultados, tais mensurações no jogo oficial variaram de 73,3 e 112 dBNPS(A) e no jogo treino, de entre 70,8 e 100,1 dBNPS(A). Ao questionário específico, os sintomas auditivos mais referidos foram otalgia (55,6% do GI), zumbido (37,5% do GII) e hiperacusia (37,5% do GIII); para os não auditivos, obtiveram maiores prevalências cefaleia (44,4% GI), e alteração do sono (50% do GII e 37,5% do GIII); após exposição a elevados NPS, o sintoma auditivo mais referido foi hiperacusia (25% do GII e do GIII); para os não auditivos, obtiveram maiores prevalências alteração do sono (66,7% do GI) e cefaleia (50% do GII). Nas avaliações auditivas, a imitanciometria indicou a curva timpanométrica do Tipo A como mais recorrente (100% OD e OE no GI; 62,5% OD e 87,5% OE no GII; 75% OD e 87,5% OE no GIII) e o GI foi o único que obteve 100% de presença de reflexos ipsilaterais (bilateralmente) e contralaterais com aferência em OD; a AT-AC apontou a frequência de 6 kHz como a mais acometida, bilateralmente. Na comparação entre médias tritonais (0,5, 1 e 2 kHz com 3, 4 e 6 kHz), houve diferença estatisticamente significante apenas no GIII, em OE; a AT-AF apontou as frequências de 12,5 kHz na OD e 14 kHz na OE como as mais acometidas. Na comparação entre as médias dos limiares entre os três grupos, houve diferença estatisticamente significante apenas para as frequências de 11,2 e 12,5 kHz. Evidenciou-se que na mensuração do NPS, para todos os pontos e em ambos momentos, foram obtidos valores que ultrapassaram os estabelecidos em pelo menos uma das normas utilizadas neste estudo. Para G II e G III, verifica-se ainda o indício de comprometimento de células ciliadas externas, retratado pela normalidade das médias dos limiares tonais convencionais, acompanhada de ausência de respostas na AT-AF. Nesse sentido, destaca-se como relevante a adoção de medidas que viabilizem a conservação da saúde auditiva dos frequentadores do ambiente esportivo ginásio de esportes. / Noise has become more and more omnipresent in the routine of society and the continued exposure to elevated Sound Pressure Levels (SPL), among other damages, may cause Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL): an irreversible hearing damage, which interferes in the subjects quality of life, and is caused both by occupational exposure and by non-occupational exposure. The gyms configures a propitious environment to exposures of such nature, where these two types coexist. The purpose of this study was to investigate the sound exposure and the hearing care of sports players and non sports players who attend gyms. 25 individuals, attendees of gym, participated of this study: nine players (G I), eight publics members (G II) and eight gyms employees (G III). All of them were subject to the specific questionnaire and to the hearing evaluations (Immitanciometry, Pure Tone Audiometry, and High-Frequency Audiometry) and, besides, two sound intensity measurements were obtained in the gym (official game and training game). The results indicate that such measurements in the official game varied from 73,3 to 112 dBSPL(A) and in the training game, from 70,8 to 100,1 dBSPL(A). According to the specific questionnaire the most felt hearing symptoms were otalgy (55,6% of G I), tinnitus (37,5% of G III); in the non-hearing symptoms the most frequent were headaches ( 44,4% of G I) and sleeping alteration ( 50% of G II and 37,5% of G III); after exposure to elevated SPL, the most mentioned hearing symptom was hyperacusis (25% of GII and G III); in the non-hearing symptoms prevailed sleeping alteration (66,7% of GI) and headache (50% of GII). In the hearing evaluations, the Immitanciometry indicated the tympanometric curve of the Type A as more recurrent (100% RE and LE in GI; 62,5% RE and 87,5% LE in GII; 75% RE and 87,5 LE in GIII) and the GI was the only one that obtained 100% presence of ipsilateral reflexes (bilaterally) and contralateral with RE checking, the PTA pointed the frequency of 6khz as the most affected, bilaterally. In the comparison between tritonal averages (0,5, 1 and 2 kHz with 3, 4 and 6 kHz) there was a statistically significant difference only in the GIII, in LE; the HFA pointed the frequencies of 12,5 kHz in the RE and 14kHz in the LE as the most affected. In the averages comparison between the threshold of the three groups, there were a significant statistically difference only to the frequencies of 11,2 and 12,5 kHz. It was evident that in the measuring of SPL, to all the points and in both moments, there were obtained values that exceeded the established in at least one of the norms used in this study. To GII and GII there was also verified the impairment of external ciliated cells, portrayed by the normality conventional tonal thresholds, followed by the absence of answers in the HFA. In this sense, we highlight the relevance of adopting measures that make the conservation of the gym attendees hearing health possible.

A pesquisa Famílias no museu de arte: lazer e conhecimento um estudo sobre o programa educativo Interar-te do MAC USP teve como objetivo investigar as motivações dos adultos que optam por proporcionar a crianças e jovens, nos momentos de lazer de sua família, atividades de cunho cultural e educativo e, com isso, observar os desdobramentos destas iniciativas na formação e na criação do hábito de frequentação de museus de arte de todos os envolvidos. Foi selecionado para estudo de caso o programa Interar-te do Museu de Arte Contemporânea da Universidade de São Paulo. Este programa uma das ações de extensão universitária da Divisão Técnico-Científica de Educação e Arte do MAC USP tem como público-alvo famílias e é realizado aos sábados, uma vez ao mês, entre janeiro e novembro; foi criado a partir de uma demanda institucional para a sede do Museu no Parque Ibirapuera, que é muito frequentado aos finais de semana pelas opções de lazer que oferece. Para compreensão do contexto da pesquisa, foram delimitados os conceitos de lazer e de família e abordados princípios sobre educação em museus de arte. Utilizou-se metodologias de análise qualitativa de pesquisa e outras informações complementares foram obtidas através de instrumentos quantitativos direcionados à amostra selecionada para estudo. Constatou-se que há influências da família de origem sobre os adultos na criação de seus hábitos de frequentação de programações artístico-culturais, assim como destes sobre suas próprias famílias, considerando-se a delimitação do perfil que a amostra representa; e, ainda, que o programa educativo Interar-te do MAC USP promove ensino e aprendizagem em artes visuais a diferentes faixas etárias e promove integração entre os membros das famílias que o frequentam. / The research Families in the museum of art: leisure and knowledge a study about the Interar-te Educational Program from MAC USP aims to investigate the motivation of adults who provide their children with cultural and educational activities during their families leisure time, in order to observe the impact of these initiatives on the habit of attending museums of art among these family members. A program called Interar-te, which is developed by the Museum of Contemporary Art of the University of São Paulo (MAC USP), was chosen for this case study. This Program, whose target audience is directed to parents and their children, is held once a month, on Saturdays, between January and November, and is one of the university extension activities provided by the Technical-Scientific Division of Education and Art of MAC USP. It was created to supply an institutional demand of the Museums headquarters, located at Ibirapuera Park, which is a park that receives lots of visitors on weekends because of the leisure options it offers. The concepts of leisure and family were approached, and the principles related to education in art museums were approached in order to provide a better comprehension of the research context. The research was based on methodologies for qualitative research analysis, and other complementary information was collected by using quantitative tools, which were directed to the sample selected for the study. Considering the delimitation of the sample profile, we verified that families play an influential role on adults in relation to the construction of their habits of attending cultural-artistic programs, and that these habits also influence their own families. We also concluded that the Interar-te Educational Program of MAC USP promotes teaching and learning concerning visual arts for people of different ages and promotes integration among the family members who visit the Museum.

O futebol, como uma atividade de lazer, é uma prática fundamental na vida das pessoas dos bairros de periferia. Portanto, refletindo toda sua importância para nossa cultura, cria uma grande rede de sociabilidade local. A persistência dos campos de futebol, o sonho de jovens nas escolinhas de futebol, as intermináveis “peneiras" dos talentos da bola, os incontáveis jogos e torneios do final de semana, demostram toda sua vitalidade. Deslocando o olhar dos campos para o espaço das ruas, descobrimos a presença de mais um de seus formatos: o futebol de rua. O objetivo desta investigação foi descrever e analisar a prática do futebol de rua como fator de sociabilidade de jovens através da categoria “pedaço". / Soccer, as an entertainment activity, is a deep-rooted practice in the life of the people who live in the city outskirts. Therefore, by reflecting its whole importance in our culture, it generates a considerable local socialization network. The persistence of soccer fields, the young people’s dreams at soccer schools, the never-ending searching for the new talents of the ball, the uncountable matches and the tournaments on weekends, depicts all its vitality. Turning our sight out of the soccer fields to the street environment, we find out the existence of one more of its formats: the street soccer. The objective of this study was to describe and analyze the street soccer practice as a factor in socializing young people through the ¨pedaço¨ (geographically localized neighborhood located within a larger city or suburb where people gatherings are likely to take place) category.

This thesis explores what impact thirteen years of Britain’s New Labour government’s (1997-2010) social exclusion policy agenda had on the representation of non-white communities within England’s authorised heritage narrative, told through the places, objects and ‘things’ given heritage value by ‘experts’. This thesis finds that certain mainstream heritage organisations in England perceive there to be an ‘established’ heritage that is agreed, therefore cannot be challenged even as we uncover more about the diverse realities of the county’s past. Two ways are considered by which to understand the hegemony of this heritage and how it might be ‘used’ to the benefit of a more diverse national narrative: the first by accepting Laurajane Smith’s assertion that there is an authorised heritage discourse (AHD) in England and seek ways to harness it rather than subvert it. The second follows on from the first in proposing how communities of interest might participate equally in the process of heritage making. The first way is drawn out through an interrogation of heritage sector policy and practice – from organisations such as the Heritage Lottery Fund, English Heritage, national museums, amongst others – to decipher the meaning of heritage in England and who it is for, according to those mainstream organisations that create and manage it. The second utilises case studies of major heritage projects in England that have sought to engage with non-white audiences to understand the methods mainstream heritage organisations have used to do so. It is concluded that the model for heritage making in England acts as a barrier to a diverse heritage. Using the work of Rodney Harrison, an alternative ‘dialogic’ heritage is suggested that encourages it to be seen as fluid and contested and challenge the notion of any heritage being perceived as 'established'.

This thesis explored and evaluated the appropriateness of established psychological theories for understanding mental toughness development in adolescents. Initially, adolescent performers’ perspectives about mental toughness development were grounding in Bronfenbrenner’s (2001) bioecological model. Subsequently, self-determination theory (SDT, Deci & Ryan, 1985b, 2000) was considered. This theory was selected because of its consistencies with the bioecological model and initial findings, as well as its potential to inform applied protocols. Significant theoretically-expected associations were identified between SDT principles and mental toughness, as well as mental toughness and other meaningful outcomes. The effectiveness of an intervention informed by SDT principles was then evaluated. Although findings did not support the hypotheses, several barriers and obstacles to adopting SDT principles in practice were identified. To elucidate the hypothesised associations, a conceptual essay that detailed the value of SDT for understanding mental toughness was presented. This essay conceptualised mental toughness as comprising notions of striving, surviving, and thriving. It is hoped that researchers will continue to investigate the development of mental toughness along the lines pursued in this thesis and, at the same time, attend to recommendations proposed throughout.

The main purpose of this study was to develop a coach education system proposal for the Arab, Islamic country of Oman. As an emerging ‘sport-interested’ country, the lack of any coach education system of training or accreditation is one of the major obstacles confronting sport in Oman (Zayed, 2004). The current research into coach education was underpinned by globalization theory and was undertaken in two parts. First, an empirical investigation across Oman was conducted through which the realities, problems, needs and strategic ideas from those currently working in a sports coach capacity were identified. Second, in order to learn from other notable coach education systems in the world, the national systems of six countries and systems of some international sports organizations were analyzed. Three in-depth field case studies were also undertaken in Bahrain, Qatar and the UK. Four data gathering instruments were selected as methods of data collection: questionnaire (n = 109), interview (n = 80), documents analysis and research journal. Knowledge and understanding gained in these studies were used to underpin a proposal for a coach education system for Oman that included: an accreditation structure; curriculum outline; and management system. The proposal is in keeping with current sport structures, international developments in the field and cultural context of Oman.