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The once distinct roles of artist and curator have blurred dramatically in recent decades owing to a blending process in both directions, which has led to a turn towards the concept of the curator as producer and author, and the development of the hybridised figure of the ‘artist-curator’. Within my practice-based curatorial research at Meter Room and Grey Area, the 'artist-run space', as both form and content of space, is used as a critical framework for artist-curatorship. Artist-run spaces play a significant role in the cultural ecology of the UK, and this project explores the power relations involved in the production, distribution, and consumption of work within the field, in terms of both a cause and effect of a contested relationship with institutions and commercial galleries. Artist-run spaces are initiated for a number of reasons, but this project specifically focuses upon those spaces that identify with terms such as ‘independent’, 'alternative', ‘not-for-profit’, ‘DIY’, ‘self-organised’, and ‘critically engaged’. Using strategies for the development of a critical practice, such as Chantal Mouffe’s theories on ‘counter-hegemony’ and ‘agonistic space’ (2007), and Gerald Raunig's concept of 'instituent practice' (2009), this project explores how curatorial practices within artist-curator-run spaces might offer different ways of working, and be used to contest hegemonic structures within the field. I explore the role of critique within curatorial practice, specifically in relation to the struggle for autonomy, the production of subjectivity, and strategies for negating or resisting cooption by the New Institutions of post-Fordist neoliberalism. Three curatorial strategies were developed from experimental projects at both spaces, and then explored at Meter Room over a 2-year period. These strategies sought to occupy institutional structures in new ways: through the re-functioning of 'void' space, blending studio and gallery functions within a Curatorial Studio, developing a paracuratorial practice referred to as Caretaking, and re-approaching the concept of a collection-based institution through processes of layering works and their vestiges within an Artist-run Collection. The practice-based research culminated in a 5-month durational project in collaboration with five other artist-run spaces based in the West Midlands region, which explored a strategy for the creation of a new speculative artist-run institution as a dialogical process of instituting values through a critical curatorial practice.

My stories are set in the townships, and move with the vigorous rhythms and jagged structures of township life. Some of them are written in English and others in isiXhosa. Some of the dialogue is township slang, a mixture of languages; and pure isiXhosa. The stories follow no particular pattern and are arranged according to any form of chronology, and different voices, at times as a man/boy and in others as a girl. The characters are not related each story perfectly stands for itself. Some of the stories hark back to the days of apartheid and are seen through the eyes of a child confused by the humiliations of his elders. / Amabali am asekelwe ezilokishini yaye ahambelana neemeko ezimaxongo zokuphila zasezilokishini apho yaye amanye asukela kwixesha lengcinezelo yesizwe esimnyama. Imiba echatshazelwa kula mabali iquka intlupheko, intiyo kwakunye nokuphilisana koluntu ezilokishini, phantsi kwezo meko. Amabali la ndizame ukuwenza alandele indlela yokubalisa yhenkwenkwana enguSkhumba, ethi ibone iqwalasele iimeko zokuphila zabantu bohlanga lwayo. Ingqokelela esisiqendu sokuqala yona ibhalwe ze yangeniswa ngesiNgesi. / This thesis is presented in two parts: English and isiXhosa.

This study examines the way in which three South African novelists, K. Sello Duiker, Phaswane Mpe and Sindiwe Magona portray the sexual abuse of men and women in the post-apartheid era. The novels under discussion are: Thirteen Cents (2000) and The Quiet Violence of Dreams (2001) by K.Sello Duiker, Beauty’s Gift (2008) by Sindiwe Magona and Phaswane Mpe`s Welcome to Our Hillbrow. It will also look at the characters and the events to show that sexual abuse can be physical, traumatic and emotional, and that it affects both males and females, reinforcing in a sense Pucherova`s assertion that “both men and women are oppressed by a patriarchal heterosexist society” (2009:937).

The aims and objectives of this study are notably, to provide an overall understanding of the history of Liberia, from the country’s foundation, through the civil war, up to the present day post-conflict scenario. It intends to identify the strategies and schemes put in place by Liberian officials and other stakeholders, while outlining the importance of attaining the goals attached to these various plans. The difficulties of achieving these post-conflict development goals will also be noted, and finally, It analyses whether the concepts used in Liberia might also be implemented in post-conflict societies not only in Africa, but all over the world.

This research engages with a contemporary theoretical debate in the literary field, namely the ability of fictional texts to contribute to archival records. Contemporary research in archival discourse suggests that there are many intersections between fiction and the archive. Using Hamilton and others’ seminal text Refiguring the Archive (2002) and Pasco’s “Literature as Historical Archive” (2004) as point of departure, this dissertation offers an analysis of the South African English translation of Marlene van Niekerk’s Agaat (2004, translated 2006). In both form and function, the novel is viewed as a simulation of an archive. In Agaat, Van Niekerk has compiled a fictional archive of two indigenous South African cultures through her portrayal of the two main characters: Afrikaner culture during apartheid as embedded in the focalization of Milla de Wet and remnants of Khoi and/or San culture as emerge from the fictionalised subjectivity of her coloured housekeeper-nurse, Agaat. Through a conceptual and theoretical exploration of archival discourse, I argue that literary texts, such as Van Niekerk’s novel, have the potential to refigure (or creatively redefine) the archive and to enhance its scope and relevance, especially as South Africa undergoes transformation.

This research focused on derivative instruments which are financial securities whose values are derived from the values of underlying assets, such as shares, bonds, currencies or interest rates. Derivatives are predominantly used to manage risks in portfolios (hedging) and trading (speculation). Derivatives have been used for centuries and have developed into one of the largest global financial markets. The most common derivative instruments available to investors are options, futures, swaps and contracts for difference, as they are fairly easy to understand and apply. During the 2008/2009 global financial crisis derivatives, especially credit derivatives, made headlines and although they did not cause the crisis, they accelerated it. Furthermore, the 2008/2009 financial crisis also increased the negative sentiments many investors have towards derivatives. As a result of the crisis the growth in the global derivatives market came to a halt for the first time in decades. In light of the above, the primary objective of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of derivatives trading in emerging markets, especially in the South African context, as these financial securities are very useful portfolio management tools. The aim of this study was to describe the current state of the South African derivatives market; to investigate the role that derivative instruments played in the 2008/2009 global financial crisis; and to identify the variables influencing investors’ decisions whether or not to include derivatives in their portfolios. Given the nature of the problem stated a qualitative or phenomenological research paradigm was adopted. This paradigm was deemed suitable given the exploratory nature of the research. Primary and secondary data for this study were obtained through semi-structured personal interviews with 21 experts in the South African financial services industry and through an extensive literature review, respectively. A research instrument, based on the literature review was developed to facilitate the interviewing process. The results of the empirical investigation show that although the majority of respondents use derivative instruments in managing their portfolios, the South African derivatives market is still in its development phase. Many investors do not use derivatives frequently as they lack knowledge about derivative instruments, receive uncompetitive prices, are restricted by rules and regulations as well as investment mandates. Fourteen variables were identified as having a possible impact on investors' decisions whether or not to use derivatives in their portfolios. The five variables identified in the empirical investigation as being the most important, were the level of information available and the transparency of price determination; investor’s knowledge of different derivative instruments; investor’s level of risk tolerance; the level of liquidity in the market; and investor's knowledge and familiarity with financial markets. The findings of this study suggest that financial institutions, selling and trading derivative instruments, should concentrate on these five variables to make derivatives more attractive investment alternatives for investors. In order for South African investors to consider derivatives as suitable investments more often, it is strongly recommended to educate investors better about these products and decrease the negative sentiments investors have towards derivatives. This should be done by showing and explaining to investors that derivatives are useful hedging and portfolio management tools. It is necessary to state the dangers and benefits of derivatives, as well as the features differentiating them. Financial institutions trading derivative instruments, local education facilities (e.g. universities) and financial markets related organisations should educate investors by providing various educational tools, such as online courses, booklets, seminars or presentations about derivative products on offer. Furthermore, it is highly recommended to make derivative markets more transparent through adequate and appropriate regulations. In that, investors are better protected from counterparty risks and trade in a safer environment due to clearing houses.

Nanoparticles (particles less than 100 nm in at least one dimension) exhibit chemical properties that differ from their bulk counterparts. Furthermore, they exhibit increased potential for systemic toxicities due to their deposition deep within pulmonary tissue upon inhalation. Thus, standard regulatory assays alone may not always be appropriate for evaluation of their full spectrum of toxicity. Systems biology (e.g., the study of molecular processes to describe a system as a whole) has emerged as a powerful platform proposed to provide insight in potential hazard, mode of action and human disease relevance. This work makes use of systems biology to characterize carbon black nanoparticle-induced toxicities in pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tissues (i.e., liver and heart) in mice over dose and time. This includes investigations of gene expression profiles, microRNA expression profiles, tissue-specific phenotypes and plasma proteins. The data are discussed in the context of potential use in human health risk assessment. In general, the work provides an example of how toxicogenomics can be used to support human health risk assessment.

Orientadores: Anna Paula Silva Gouveia, Ana Paula de Campos / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Artes / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-24T11:24:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Fernandes_Mirla_M.pdf: 111615006 bytes, checksum: 4dacb5c961d742397f77bff07ea4a1c6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / Resumo: Esta dissertação teve como objetivo uma investigação sobre a linha enquanto elemento comum do desenho e da joia. Esta última, é aqui entendida como produto da arte-joalheria, campo que se apresenta como resultado de intercâmbios e contaminações com outras linguagens e práticas em arte contemporânea. A pesquisa envolveu três estratégias de investigação realizadas simultaneamente, e que se influenciaram mutuamente: uma pesquisa bibliográfica, o desenvolvimento de um trabalho plástico, e a realização de entrevistas com artistas-joalheiros, que trazem a linha como elemento em seus trabalho, indicando uma possível fonte de novas e diversas relações desenho/joia. A pesquisa bibliográfica levantou conteúdos pertinentes ao desenho e, sobretudo, à arte-joalheria, buscando trabalhos que se caracterizassem por um diálogo entre linguagens artísticas, configurando produções transversais que se afinam a conceitos levantados por Bourriaud, e a inscrevem no campo da arte contemporânea. A investigação plástica levou ao desenvolvimento ao conjunto de trabalhos Ensaios de Imprecisões, exibidos pela primeira vez em Agosto de 2013, na Galeria da Casa do Lago, Campinas. As entrevistas foram uma solução encontrada para suprir a ausência de literatura específica sobre o assunto, e elucidaram os processos criativos e entendimento das poéticas dos artistas entrevistados: Otto Künzli, Doris Betz e Dani Soter. As reflexões e resultados, levantados nas diferentes estratégias, corroboraram para um entendimento da linha, como elemento comum entre o desenho e a joia, que ultrapassa o sentido formal evidente, ampliando-se em jogos simbólicos e estratégias relacionais. A linha tece novas relações de aproximação entre desenho/joia, reiterando a prática da arte-joalheria, como produção de arte contemporânea / Abstract: This dissertation had as objective an investigation on the line as common element of drawing and jewelry. This last one is here understood as a product of art-jewelry, field that presents itself as a result of exchanges and contaminations with other languages and practices in contemporary art. The research involved three strategies undertaken simultaneously, and that influenced each other: a bibliographical research, the development of an artistic work, and interviews with jewelry-artists, who had the line as an element in their work, indicating so a possible source of new and diverse relationships drawing/jewel. The bibliographical research revealed relevant content about drawing and especially art-jewelry, looking for works that were characterized by a dialogue between artistic languages, configuring crossing over productions that are in tune with the concepts raised by Bourriaud, and are inscribed in the field of contemporary art. The artistic practices led to the development of the body of works Ensaios de Imprecisões, shown for the first time in August 2013 at Galeria Casa do Lago, Campinas. Interviews were a solution to overcome the absence of specific literature on the subject, and elucidated the creative processes and understanding of the poetics of the artists interviewed: Otto Künzli, Doris Betz, and Dani Soter. The ideas and results, raised in the different strategies, corroborated to an understanding of the line, the common element between drawing and jewelry, that exceeds the formal evident sense, extending it into symbolic games and relational strategies. The line weaves new relations of proximity between design / jewelry, reiterating the practice of art-jewelry such as contemporary art production / Mestrado / Artes Visuais / Mestra em Artes Visuais

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