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TIlls study presents the development of a domain to assess spiritual, religious and personal (SRPB) in quality of life (QoL). TIlls study is part of a larger, international study, but reports on the findings specific to the United Kingdom. The work presented here discusses whether SRPB is an important component of QoL, and therefore should be included in its measurement. To test this, the WHOQOL-100 (The World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment) is used as a basis to investigate this. The first part of this thesis focuses on the analysis of international data (n = 900), using Persons Living with HIV / AIDS (PLWHA). The results of this provide rationale for the importance of SRPB as a component of QoL. The second part of this thesis reports on an international project to further develop the WHOQOL-100 to more fully assess SRPB as it pertains to QoL in the general population. An expert meeting generated concepts relevant to SRPB, and these were tested in international focus groups. The thesis then reports on the focus group interviews (n = 10) conducted in the UK, and the importance of these facets to QoL. Following this, the results are combined with international findings, to develop and international pilot instrument. International pilot testing in 17 countries is described (n = 5,600) and the selection of seven SRPB facets is presented. The data collected in from the UK (n = 281) pilot is then used to observe the psychometric properties of the instrument, and how the domain relates as a model of QoL. The psychometric properties of the domain are promising: Cronbach's alpha for facets ranged from (0.81 - 0.96), and the domain alpha was excellent at ex = 0.92, and inter-item correlations were greater than r = 0.40 (p <0.01). Following this, the UK data was analysed to observe the relationship of SRPB to QoL, using structural equation modelling. While the SRPB facets are related to psychological or social well being, they appear to represent a concept that is measurable and unique from other domains. Following this, the impact of SRPB on QoL is analysed using different sub-groups. The data obtained show that while SRPB is related to QoL, the strength of this effect varies amongst different sub-groups. The results from this work have a number of implications that are presented in the final chapter.

This thesis contributes to a small but growing body of academic research that is concerned with the late twentieth and early twenty-first century religion of Goddess feminism and the religio-political discourse of thealogy. Current academic approaches to Goddess feminism have been primarily historical, -- I- phenomenological, psychological and sociological studies that have presented descriptive and/or functional accounts of this religion. Relatively little academic work has emerged from within Goddess feminism. Still less has attempted to delineate the meaning of a female/feminist deity and religious worldview in a philosophical manner. This thesis attends to these areas of academic neglect by combining philosophical concems and methods with a position of thealogical advocacy. By developing a thealogical reading of the principal reality-claims embedded within a number of influential Goddess feminist texts it is, I propose, possible to address philosophical questions that have not, as yet, been confronted by Goddess feminists, and also theorize the contours and coherence of what may be termed a feminist metaphysic. Most Goddess feminists, I contend, presently emphasize the affective, experiential and performative dimensions of their religion, to the detriment or exclusion of the conceptual, philosophical and metaphysical. I argue in this thesis that there are no compelling reasons why Goddess feminists should reject philosophy and metaphysics. There are, rather, good political, practical and religious reasons for feminist thealogians, to produce an alternative metaphysic of deity and the world to those deployed by patriarchy. Throughout this constructive work of thealogy recurrent Goddess feminist models, myths and reality-claims, such as those of the cosmogonic womb, the cycling processes of Birth-Death-Rebirth, and the web of life, are conceptually unpacked, developed and elucidated so as to provide a comprehensive thealogical, and thereby metaphysical, account of the fundamental organization of reality and the human condition. The originality and significance of this thesis lies in its elaboration of a feminist metaphysical account of the Goddess as nature, Goddess/Naturet,h, at has largely been assumedr ather than articulated by most Goddess feminists. I conclude that although it is not, as yet, possible to articulate a complete Goddess feminist metaphysical theory, it is possible to develop a philosophical and systematic thealogy that delineates the primary metaphysical commitments and reality-claims implicit within Goddess feminist discourse in a coherent manner. This thesis is a prolegomena to future works of philosophical thealogy and feminist metaphysical theorizing.

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S. Krongelb and M.W.P. Strandberg. / "May 20, 1959." Reprinted from The journal of chemical physics, vol. 31, no. 5, pp. 1196-1210, November, 1959. / Includes bibliographical references. / Army Signal Corps Contract DA36-039-sc-78108. Dept. of the Army Task 3-99-20-001 and Project 3-99-00-000.

This thesis presents a use of 3D laser range finder designed for purposes of autnonomous mobile systems. The 3D scanner is built as extension of 2D laser range finder with rotation module. In the first section is described laser range finder SICK LMS 291 and his pitching construction along with used software tools. Second part deals with design and implementation of algorithms for data reading and their processing with methods of surface reconstruction, octree and object segmentation with Hough transform.

The overall purpose of this thesis is to analyze the impact of the Palestinian refugees on Lebanese politics. The role of the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon is discussed within the framework of explaining the political character of the Lebanese state. In this context the Lebanese state&rsquo / s perception concerning the Palestinians refugees in Lebanon is analyzed through explaining the living conditions of the refugees and the Palestinian military and political activities in Lebanon as well as the restrictions of the Lebanese laws and regulations on the Palestinian refugees. It is argued that the Lebanese state follows discriminitary policies against the existence of the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.

This thesis aims to analyze the relationship between two main inspiration sources of the Arab world, both emerged in Egypt: Gamal Abdel Nasser and the Muslim Brotherhood. The focus is defined as the relationship between the Egyptian state of Nasser&rsquo / s era and the Muslim Brotherhood / hence the time period is determined to be between 1952 and 1970. The reason why I have chosen this subject is that for the Middle East in general, and Egypt in particular, both actors have played a significant role in the path of deposing Western colonialism and engaging with modernism. On the other hand as both sides could provide alternative theories and means of governance against each other, the relationship seems more than interesting / especially regarding region&rsquo / s endeavor of providing a strong response and local alternatives to dominant Western values of modernism, it seems more than worthy to focus on these two main players and their interactions with each other.

This thesis examines the impact of the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania&rsquo / s European accession process on the Russian oriented citizenship policies and laws of these states from a comparative perspective. The thesis also explores the impact of communist heritage and the construction of the post-communist state order within the context of minority rights / in addition to the consistency of the citizenship laws in the Baltic states with the European Union norms, which require the respect for and protection of minorities. The main argument of this thesis is that notwithstanding the fact that the European accession process has promoted minority rights in the three Baltic states significantly, the ethnic Russians in the Baltic states have been partially accommodated during the Baltic states&rsquo / accession into the EU. The ethnic Russians have not been entirely accommodated due to Baltic states&rsquo / fear from potential influence of the Russian Federation over the ethnic Russians in these Baltic states.

ABSTRACT THE ASPECTS OF CENTRAL ASIAN ECONOMIC INTEGRATION AFTER 1991: THE REASONS OF INEFFICIENCY Manasov, Zamirbek M. Sc., Department of Eurasian Studies Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Sen September 2008, 105 pages This study seeks to analyze the dimensions of economic integration in the Central Asia after the independence. The collapse of the Soviet Union opened new perspectives for Central Asian states and gave chance to follow national policies independently. However, used to be parts of the big economic complex of the former Soviet Union and being lack of government experience in public and private economy made them to cooperate with old and new markets. The study argues that although there were established numbers of economic integration or cooperation institutions none of them could meet the region&rsquo / s economic expectations and needs. They were just results of unstable economic, political and social transition policies. Therefore well-functioning economy oriented cooperation institutions have not been established during the transition period due to different reasons. Analyzing of these reasons is the main goal of thesis. This study also argues that transition period put Central Asian states into the complexity of choices / economic interdependence or socio-political independence. Pushing forward previous choice offers lowering barriers to regional trade and transit, and to mobility of capital and knowledge and, to access to world market. Whereas, political and social development in national level does not suits previous one.