Accession negotiations to the EU since 2004 brought significant changes to European enlargement customary law and exacerbated the reliance of the Commission on conditionality to impose its leverage on present and prospective member states. The subsequent development of European norms in the pre-accession phase was transposed onto current member states and led to the edification of a Normative Empire. This research reformulated the concept of Normative Empire while resting on factual and contemporary evidence. It investigated why the increasingly significant role in conditionality of the principle of independence of the judiciary contributed to the metamorphosis of the EU into a Normative Empire. The argumentation of this research rested on the study of Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania. In addition to their geographical kinship, these three cases share issues of rampant corruption, notably in the political and judicial structures, which remain the main obstacles to their accession or full membership. The analysis of the Commission's influence in judicial reforms during the pre and post-accession phases was supported by a thorough study of the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism and the progress reports from 2004 till present. In conclusion, the Commission's post-accession monitoring in Bulgaria and...

This thesis explores the intersectional commodification of migrant labour from post-socialist EU Accession 8 (A8) countries and its effects on Polish and Slovenian migrant workers in the UK. Using historical and macro socio-economic contexts as its point of departure, the thesis aims to uncover how a postcolonial narrative surrounding A8 countries' transition to market economies and their accession to the EU has legitimised on-going colonial processes that construct A8 countries and their nationals as second class EU citizens and re-evaluate subjectivities in relation to the market. Further, it explores how this narrative has been appropriated by transnational employment agencies that colonise A8 countries and as such play an active role in commodifying A8 workers and supplying them to the UK. Moreover, the thesis sets out specifically to explore how this colonisation and its narrative affect workers' (self)value and emigration from Poland and Slovenia, as well as the value extraction possibilities and strategies of diverse actors involved in transnational labour relations between East and West. Through a transdisciplinary adoption of a Bourdieuian conceptual framework, this research offers an original theoretical and methodological toolkit for complex intersectional analyses that uncovers the multiple and misrecognised power relations associated with embodied categories, spatial and temporal dimensions and varying modalities of knowledge. As such, it uncovers on-going colonial processes that characterise a contemporary post-socialist world marked by changed transnationalised consumption and production processes and the marketization of cultural, diversity and identity politics. In this way, the research uncovers symbolic economy hidden under neoliberal (self)colonisation, which enables strategic utilisation of migrant labour and disciplines, segments and divides the global poor. By providing a broader comparative analysis of diverse actors and A8 groups, the thesis widens our understanding of A8 labour migration to the UK and also leads to insights into the remaking of class, race and gender politics on the local and global scales.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-07-29T15:25:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Doutorado_Weimar.pdf: 484393 bytes, checksum: 59b32a839f56d00aaf124aa5a3a7eb23 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-06-13 / The casual measurement of blood pressure (BP) is subjected to a great variability, it is interesting to seek new methods that can either contribute to adhesion to hypertension treatment or overcome the limitation of this variability. It was evaluated if the insertion of self measured blood pressure (SMBP) in the routine of treatment of hypertensive patients favors the improvement in adhesion, on BP control and metabolic profile in patients accompanied at the Arterial Hypertension League. The study included 57 patients, 38 in Study Group (SG) and 19 in Control Group (CG), followed by 12 months. They were assessed at randomization (V1), the sixth months (V2) and twelfth months (V3). Comparing the averages of the BP by casual measurements and by Ambulatory Blood Pressure Measurement (ABPM), laboratory tests and the answers to the questionnaire about the lifestyle.It was used the instruments: OMRON HEM 714 for SMBP, OMRON 705 CP to casual measurement and Monitor SPACELABS 9002 to the ABPM. The average age was 62.05 ± 10.78 years and 55.42 ± 11.87 in the SG and CG (p = 0.03) respectively. The values of Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) by casual measurements in the SG and CG were 140.01± 16.73 mmHg and 141.79± 23.21 mmHg in V1 (p = 0.72), 135.49± 12.73 mmHg and 145.69± 19.31 mmHg in V2 (p = 0.02) and 131.64± 19.28 mmHg and 134.88± 23.21 mmHg in V3 (p = 0.59). For Diastolic Blood Pressure x viii (DBP) the values were 84,13±10,71mmHg and 86,29±10,35mmHg in V1 (p=0,47), 81,69±10,88mmHg and 89,61±11,58mmHg in V2 (p=0,02), 80,31±11,83mmHg and 86±13,38mmHg in V3 (p=0,12).The SG patients showed adhesion to non-pharmacological treatment similar to the CG, but they had better adhesion to medicine treatment and used fewer antihypertensive drugs. There was no difference between groups in the comparison of renal function and metabolic profile (glucose, cholesterol and creatinine). To compare and correlate the levels of BP obtained by SMBP with casual measurement and ABPM were evaluated 32 hypertensive patients who performed the three methods of BP measurement within a smaller range 30 days. The average values of SBP and DBP for SMBP were 134±15.71 mmHg and 79.32±12.38 mmHg. In the casual measurement averages of SBP and DBP were respectively 140.84±16.15mmHg and 85±9.68mmHg. The average values of ABPM during daytime were 130.47±13.26mmHg and 79.84±9.82 mmHg for SBP and DBP. In the comparative analyze SMBP showed values similar to those of ABPM (p = 0.06 for SBP and p = 0.72 for DBP) and different to casual measurement (p = 0.03 for SBP and p = 0.00 for DBP). It is concluded that the SMBP is able to improve the adhesion to medicine treatment and the control of BP evaluated by the casual measurement in the first six months of the following, and present comparison and correlation with the ABPM better than casual measurement do. It represents, therefore, an alternative to monitoring the blood pressure of hypertensive person. / A medida casual da pressão arterial (PA) está sujeita a uma grande variabilidade, sendo interessante buscar novos métodos que tanto possam contribuir para a adesão ao tratamento da hipertensão quanto superar a limitação desta variabilidade. Foi avaliado se a inserção da automedida da pressão (AMPA) na rotina de tratamento do hipertenso favorece a adesão, o controle da PA e o perfil metabólico em pacientes acompanhados na Liga de Hipertensão Arterial. Participaram do estudo 57 pacientes, sendo 38 no Grupo Estudo (GE) e 19 no Grupo Controle (GC), seguidos por 12 meses. Foram avaliados na randomização (V1), no sexto mês (V2) e décimo segundo mês (V3). Comparadas as médias da PA pela medida casual, pela automedida da pressão arterial (AMPA) e pela monitorização ambulatorial da pressão arterial (MAPA), exames laboratoriais e as respostas ao questionário sobre o estilo de vida. Os aparelhos utilizados foram: OMRON HEM 714 para a AMPA, OMRON 705 CP para a medida casual e Monitor SPACELABS 9002 para a MAPA. A idade média em anos foi 62,05±10,78 e 55,42±11,87 no GE e GC (p=0,03), respectivamente. Os valores da Pressão Arterial Sistólica (PAS) pela medida casual no GE e GC foram de 140,01±16,73mmHg e 141,79±23,21mmHg em V1 (p=0,72), 135,49±12,73mmHg e 145,69±19,31mmHg em V2 (p=0,02), 131,64±19,28mmHg e 134,88±23,21mmHg em V3 (p=0,59). Os valores da Pressão Arterial Diastólica (PAD) foram 84,13±10,71mmHg e 86,29±10,35mmHg em V1 (p=0,47), 81,69±10,88mmHg e 89,61±11,58mmHg em V2 (p=0,02), 80,31±11,83mmHg e xvi 86±13,38mmHg em V3 (p=0,12). Os pacientes do GE apresentaram adesão ao tratamento não farmacológico semelhante ao GC, mas tiveram maior adesão ao tratamento medicamentoso e utilizaram menor número de drogas antihipertensivas. Não houve diferença entre os grupos na comparação do perfil metabólico e função renal (glicemia, perfil lipídico e creatinina). Adicionalmente, para comparar e correlacionar os níveis de PA obtidos através da AMPA com a medida casual e com a MAPA foram avaliados 32 hipertensos que realizaram as três metodologias de medida da PA com intervalo menor que 30 dias. Os valores médios de PAS e PAD pela AMPA foram de 134±15,71mmHg e 79,32±12,38mmHg. Na medida casual as médias da PAS e PAD foram, respectivamente, 140,84±16,15mmHg e 85±9,68mmHg. Os valores médios da MAPA na vigília foram 130,47±13,26mmHg e 79,84±9,82mmHg para PAS e PAD. Na análise comparativa a AMPA apresentou valores semelhantes aos da MAPA (p=0,06 para a PAS e p=0,72 para a PAD) e diferentes da medida casual (p=0,03 para a PAS e p= 0,00 para a PAD). Na análise de correlação com a MAPA, a AMPA foi superior à medida casual. Concluímos que a AMPA é capaz de melhorar a adesão ao tratamento farmacológico e o controle da PA avaliado pela medida casual nos primeiros seis meses de seguimento e apresenta melhor comparação e correlação com a MAPA do que a medida casual. Representa, portanto, uma alternativa para a monitorização da PA do hipertenso.

Thèse (M.A.)--Université Laval, 2005. / Bibliogr.: f. 144-147. Présenté aussi en version électronique.

The purpose of the following thesis is evaluation of relation evolution between Turkey and European Union. Thesis is divided into four main chapters in logical subsequent order. First chapter covers the historical and economic issues from the foundation of turkish republic up to the present. Second part deals with the development description of relations between the Turkey and the Union since the fifties when the first integration attempts took place. In 1995 these attempts became real when the customs union has been set and resulted in an initiation of accession negotiations during 2005. Third chapter is dedicated to the present problems connected with Turkey accession, particularly one so called "EU absorption capacity". Last section contains opinion stands of selected member countries, both from the political elites point of view as well as the output from the public opinion polls amongst EU and Turkey citizens.

This research study investigates the role of international aid in public service reform and capacity building in the context of post-communist Albania. It takes a two-pronged approach towards exploring the interaction between the key research variables. First, challenging the technocratic, results-based management frameworks used by aid organizations, it offers a qualitative and critical assessment of the role of aid in a specific arena, administrative reform and capacity building, given its significance as key to (and conditionality for) the EU accession process. Secondly, the research points to the specificity of the national politico-administrative context and its ability to modify the process of policy transfer from aid organizations to the Albanian bureaucracy. In doing so, it attempts to illustrate the domestic challenges in the transfer process towards policy learning thus making a contribution to the debate over the (voluntary vs. coercive) administrative reform in Southeast Europe in relation to the politics of EU accession. Therefore, the findings of the study are two-fold. First, based on the multi-level analysis of policy transfer, the research provides an account of (aid-supported) policies/programmes and institutions/mechanisms of transfer towards administrative reform and capacity building. Thus, the analysis reveals the conflicting nature of international aid via the dichotomy between the ‘career’ versus ‘managerialist’ approaches promoted respectively by the EU and the WB as the drivers of administrative reform in post-communist Albania. The study maintains that aid towards administrative reform and capacity building has been confined to regulatory frameworks while its impact on the capacities of the public sector HRM functions has been rather limited. Besides, it claims that programmes and mechanisms of transfer have supported alignment with EU standards and compliance with global aid effectiveness agenda towards a broader public sector reform. The study concludes that while administrative reform and capacity building are conditionality for EU accession, the significantly reduced funding combined with the use of alternative policy incentives (signing into SAA in 2006 and admission into the Schengen agreement in 2010) might be taken to indicate a silent abandonment of administrative reform as a national matter. The findings suggest that this has indeed led to a complacent relationship between the EU and Albania, which may jeopardize the country’s chances of accession into the EU. The study also challenges the views of the literature locating Albania among countries which have adopted the hybrid NWS, drawing on both NPM and Weberian reform doctrines. Accounts of an adversarial and polarized political culture in which political patronage and high staff turnover persist, coupled with a hierarchy-/clan-based administrative culture may explain the ability of the national context not only to modify but also to block policy transfer. The findings imply that the Albanian case provides a ‘classic’ example whereby transfer based on reform doctrines has been used by governing elites to solidify their political position. While the above may explain non-transfer towards policy learning, the role of aid is also reduced by other factors including overreliance on NGOs as ‘implementation partners’, ‘mixed feedback’ to bureaucrats and ‘strong’ informal donor-beneficiary-contractor networks characterized by a certain ability to affect donor behaviour.

This research documents the assessment and selection process used by the U.S. Military’s Special Forces for over 70 years using Grounded Theory Methodology. Three independent studies were used to document the Special Forces process of selection. Through comparative reanalysis of each study’s data a model emerged explaining the Special Forces phenomena of assessment and selection. Analysis was conducted in three phases using open, axial, and selective coding which allowed for the identification of a smaller set of themes which categorized the process of selection. The final step involved the development of two analytical matrices explaining the central theme of selection consistent across all three independent studies. The contribution to knowledge consists of a single unifying model that was subsequently developed and has potential to be replicated elsewhere.

No description available.

La propriété est respectée comme un droit inviolable et sacré en France depuis 1789 en vertu de l’article 17 de la Déclaration des droits de l’homme et du citoyen. Cependant, au Vietnam, par effet de la colonisation, la législation civile avant 1980 n’a pas obtenu des résultats remarquables, particulièrement en matière de la propriété. Actuellement, après le Code Napoléon de 1804 en France ou le Code civil de 1995 au Vietnam, les biens et la propriété jouent un rôle important dans les deux systèmes juridiques. Le Code civil français déclare que l’accession est une mode d’acquisition originaire, à côté des modes d’acquisition dérivés, de la propriété des biens. Par les dispositions diverses concernant la propriété dans le Code civil de 2005, le droit vietnamien constate tacitement le droit d’accession comme une manière d’acquérir de la propriété. Les propositions concernant l’accession des biens dans le droit civil vietnamien, en revanche, ne sont pas suffisantes et systématiques. / The property is respected as a sacred and an inviolable right in France from 1789 according to article 17 of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. However, due to the colonization, the Vietnamese civil legislation before 1980 didn’t achieved outstanding results, especially in the property. Currently, after the Napoleonic Code of 1804 in France or the Civil Code of 1995 in Vietnam, the properties and ownership right play an important role in both two legal systems. The French Civil Code states that accession is an original mode of acquisition, together with derived modes of acquisition, of the ownership right of properties. By various provisions related to the property in the Civil Code of 2005, the Vietnamese law tacitly recognizes that accession is a way to acquire the ownership right. The provisions in the civil law of Vietnam on accession of properties, however, are not sufficient and systematic.

Magistro baigiamajame darbe analizuojami esminiai ir probleminiai Europos Sąjungos prisijungimo prie Žmogaus teisių ir laisvių apsaugos konvencijos teisiniai aspektai bei klausimai. Prisijungimo klausimas net 30 metų buvo diskusijų objektu ir buvo vertinamas nevienareikšmiškai, tačiau Po Lisabonos sutarties, kuri įpareigojo ES prisijungti prie Konvencijos ir Keturioliktojo protokolo įsigaliojimo diskusijos dėl prisijungimo poreikio pasiekė kritinį tašką. Be to 2013 metų balandžio mėnesį buvo patvirtintas galutinis Europos Sąjungos prisijungimo prie Žmogaus teisių konvencijos sutarties projektas, kuris numatė visas prisijungimui reikalingas sąlygas ir procedūras. Darbe keliama hipotezė, kad Europos Sąjungos prisijungimas prie Konvencijos sąlygos efektyvesnę žmogaus teisių apsaugą ES. Darbą sudaro 5 dalys. Pirmoje dalyje analizuojama žmogaus teisių apsaugos raida Europos Sąjungoje, Konvencijos statuso pokyčiai ES teisinėje sistemoje nuo Bendrijų įkūrimo iki Lisabonos sutarties įsigaliojimo. Be to yra apžvelgiamas kelias link Prisijungimo sutarties projekto patvirtinimo. Prieinama prie išvados, kad nors šiai dienai Konvencija yra tik neįpareigojantis įkvėpimo šaltinis, EŽTK svarba ir jos ypatingumas yra pripažinti ES Sutartyse, be to Konvencijoje įtvirtintos teisės ir laisvės yra pripažįstamos pagrindiniais ES teisės principais. Būtina paminėta ir dviejų teismų išvystytą ekvivalentinės apsaugos doktriną, kuri gali būti traktuojama, kaip bendradarbiavimo dviejų teisinių... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The Master’s thesis analyses the legal aspects and major issues in the accession of the European Union to the European Convention on Human Rights. This issue is of great relevance and has been deliberated on for 30 years. Since the treaty of Lisbon entered into force in 2009 the accession to the ECHR is an obligation to the Union. Furthermore, the final version of the draft accession agreement was concluded in April 2013. This agreement provided all the conditions and procedures required for the accession. The thesis raises a hypothesis that the European Union's accession to the Convention shall result in more effective protection of human rights in the EU. The master thesis consists of 5 parts. The first part analysis the evolution of human rights protection in the European Union and the changes in the status of the Convention within the EU legal system from the establishment of the European Communities until the Lisbon Treaty entered into force. The way towards the acceptance of Draft Agreement on the Accession is also being discussed in this part. A conclusion is made that for now the Convention is only a legally non-binding inspiration for the protection of human rights, however, the importance and specificities of ECHR are established in the EU Treaties. Moreover, rights and freedoms established in the Convention are considered to be one of the main principles of EU law. Another thing that needs to be noted is the doctrine of equivalent protection developed by the two... [to full text]